
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,244
- BGG rating
- 7.8
DETHRONED: The Real-Time Combat Card Game
- 3–4 players
- 15–60 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2016

2018
Rules assistance for Loser
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Loser is a board game released in 2018 for 3–6 players, 15–20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Bruno Cathala and Vincent Dutrait and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Deduction.
Think twice before you mess with magic, or you might spend the rest of your life as a frog! In the mean and clever card game Loser, there are no winners: You are either safe or the loser. In turn, each player plays a card either face up or face down. Try to keep track of whether you've got the card with the highest value and vote accordingly (thumbs up or thumbs down) at the end of each round. Your opponents will try their best to throw you off and ruin your plans, so watch out and don't lose your cool because if you lose twice, no potion will save you! Loser includes 23 special cards with crazy effects that may tip the balance at any point of the game... —description from the publisher
Loser supports 3–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Loser is 15–20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Loser for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Loser has a complexity rating of 1.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Loser belongs to these categories: Card Game, Number, and Party Game. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Take That, and Deduction. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Loser are: Bruno Cathala and Vincent Dutrait. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Loser as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.