Academic Conference Gifts, Prizes & Games

Academic events need memorable activities and gifts that feel relevant to the people receiving them. Publish or Perish is a humorous party game about publishing, citations, peer review, and the absurdities researchers know firsthand.

It can work as a conference game-table activity, a poster prize, a speaker or organizer gift, a raffle item, or a higher-value giveaway for early-career researchers.

Shop the Publish or Perish game

Publish or Perish game for academic conferences, prizes and speaker gifts

Ways conference organizers can use the game

  • Conference social or game night: give attendees a shared activity built around familiar academic experiences.
  • Poster and presentation prizes: a distinctive award for graduate students and early-career researchers.
  • Speaker, panelist, or organizer gifts: something more memorable than standard conference merchandise.
  • Doctoral consortium gifts: a humorous welcome to the publishing side of academic life.
  • Raffles and sponsored giveaways: a recognizable, higher-value prize for an academic audience.
  • Exhibit-table engagement: a thematic item for publishers, journals, software companies, and other organizations serving researchers.

Why it fits an academic audience

Players publish absurd manuscripts, collect citations, interfere with competing research, and encounter Reviewer 2-style obstacles. The game is built around the shared culture of academic publishing, so organizers do not have to explain why it is relevant to researchers.

Example Publish or Perish manuscript cards
Example Publish or Perish action and research cards

Planning a conference game table

One copy supports 3–6 players, ages 14+, with about 10 minutes of playtime per player. For a larger reception or social, place multiple copies at separate tables or include the game as one station alongside other activities.

Choosing gifts and prizes

The base game is the straightforward choice for individual prizes and gifts. The all-in bundles add the expansion packs and work well as a premium prize or larger speaker gift.

Publish or Perish game and expansion bundle for a premium conference prize

Bulk orders for conferences and organizations

Ordering for several prize winners, speakers, committee members, or event tables? See our wholesale and bulk-order options.

Academic event merchandise people remember

Publish or Perish is not intended to replace inexpensive pens, badges, or tote bags for every attendee. It is best suited to higher-value moments: activities, prizes, speaker gifts, raffles, sponsored giveaways, and gifts for selected groups.

What conference organizers and attendees say

These verified-buyer reviews describe the game being used for conference prizes and brought along for conference play.

“It was the perfect relevant gift for our best paper award winners at our past conferences. It was a humorous insight on what I have encountered over the past 40 years organizing scientific conferences. I will definitely select it as the perfect gift for our future editions, while getting hold of the complete set shortly for my and my academic friends’ enjoyment.”

Philippe Geril
Verified buyer

“Absolutely brilliant, we (two seasoned researchers, a PhD candidate and a journalist) had heaps of fun playing! Now the only concern is how to schedule who gets to bring the game for a conference to spread some fun around! Thank you, Publish or Perish Team!”

Katerina Sharova
Verified buyer