
- BGG rank
- BGG #504
- BGG rating
- 7.5
51st State: Master Set
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2016

2025
Rules assistance for National Economy
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
National Economy is a board game released in 2025 for 1–4 players, 30–45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by 西村裕 (Hiroshi Nishimura) and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, and Worker Placement.
National Economy is a strategic economic card game set during the 19th and 20th centuries, when national economies rapidly expanded. Players act as business owners, hiring workers, constructing buildings, and managing cash flow to navigate a volatile and competitive market. Each round, players assign workers to available workplaces to activate effects such as earning money, acquiring new cards, or hiring additional workers. As the game progresses, new workplace cards are added to the communal pool, gradually increasing the range of available actions. However, players must also contend with rising wage demands and the risk of unpaid salaries, forcing difficult decisions like selling off valuable assets. The game rewards efficient resource management, long-term planning, and adaptability. Strategic building placement and timing are key, as players balance investment, labor, and liquidity in pursuit of economic dominance. The goal is to accumulate the most wealth by the end of the ninth and final round, calculated by the total value of your constructed buildings and remaining money. —description from the publisher
National Economy supports 1–4 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 National Economy is 30–45 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 National Economy for ages 12 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.
National Economy has a complexity rating of 2.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
National Economy belongs to these categories: Card Game, Economic, and City Building. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, and Worker Placement. 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 National Economy are: 西村裕 (Hiroshi Nishimura). 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 National Economy 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.