- BGG rank
- BGG #10,576
- BGG rating
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Master of Economy
- 2–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 4.1/5
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- BGG rating
- 6.4
Playboss
1969
Rules assistance for Playboss
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 3–9 players
- 180 min
- 16+
- Complexity 2.5/5
For 3 players
Rules assistant for Playboss
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Playboss is a board game released in 1969 for 3–9 players, 180 minutes per game, and ages 16 and up. It was designed by Harald Riehle and its main mechanics are Trading, Auction / Bidding, and Simulation.
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About the game
Playboss is an exciting board-game that simulates the many real-life business situations in which directors and managers make their decisions. Each player in this game is a businessman who has the opportunity of buying machines and raw materials, selling his products, paying taxes, raising loans or introducing rationalization schemes, and generally experiencing the ups and downs of everyday business life. Before starting, players agree the duration of the game. The player with the greatest net assets at the end of the game is the winner. The board comprises a circuit of 42 spaces of 5 different types: decision spaces on which the player can choose to buy raw material, purchase capital equipment, manufacture goods or sell goods, research & development spaces which allow investment for productivity improvement or risk reduction, risk spaces which require the drawing of a risk card, additional cost spaces, and depreciation spaces. Each player has a factory card on which are placed machines, computers, raw materials and finished goods. At the start of the game, priced slots in the center of the board are filled with the goods: these slots are emptied and filled as goods are bought as raw material and sold as finished goods. The buying and selling price is determined by the next available filled or empty slots, though players can bid competitively for the purchase or sale. The Economy Game uses the basic mechanism and many features.
Designers
Publishers
- Otto Maier Verlag
- Drechsler
- Ravensburger AG
- IWA Rechenschieberfabrik
- Ernst Klett Verlag
Questions and answers
Playboss supports 3–9 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 Playboss is 180 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 Playboss for ages 16 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.
Playboss has a complexity rating of 2.5 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.
Playboss belongs to these categories: Economic, Negotiation, and Industry / Manufacturing. Its main mechanics are Trading, Auction / Bidding, and Simulation. 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 Playboss are: Harald Riehle. 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 Playboss 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.