Games for Grad Students, Labs & Academic Events
Graduate-student events are easier when the activity already speaks the group’s language. Publish or Perish turns publishing, citations, peer review, and familiar academic frustrations into a light social game for researchers and their friends.
Each copy supports 3–6 players and takes about 10 minutes per player, making it suitable for a focused game table or as one activity within a larger event.
Where the game fits
- Graduate student association events: a ready-made activity for attendees who share the same academic references.
- Lab parties and retreats: a humorous break from research that gets colleagues interacting around a table.
- Department socials and holiday parties: a compact activity that does not require a full evening.
- PhD orientation and cohort events: an easy way for researchers to laugh about the culture they are entering.
- Journal clubs and writing retreats: especially appropriate for groups already discussing papers and peer review.
- Graduate lounges: a reusable game that can remain available for informal play.
Why it works for academic groups
The subject matter supplies the icebreaker. Players publish absurd manuscripts, collect citations, interfere with rival research, and experience Reviewer 2-style obstacles. People do not need to invent small talk—the jokes and decisions in the game create conversation naturally.
Customer and independent-review feedback frequently highlights recognizable academic humor and lively play with friends and colleagues. As one academic put it: “A perfect game for a lab party!”
Planning for your group
For a single table, one base game supports 3–6 players. For larger socials, use multiple copies at separate tables or make Publish or Perish one station among several activities. The game is designed for ages 14+.
Need multiple copies?
Departments, graduate programs, associations, retreats, and other academic organizations can explore our wholesale and bulk-order options. For a gift or a group that wants the complete set, see the all-in bundles.
A social activity academics immediately recognize
Publish or Perish is not a generic team-building exercise with academic branding added afterward. The shared experience of publishing research is the game itself—making it particularly suited to grad students, labs, departments, and research groups.
How academic groups are actually using it
These verified-buyer reviews come from lab parties, PhD groups, and mixed academic and non-academic tables.
“Bought this game for our lab’s Christmas party and it was a big success. Amazing teambuilding game, I highly recommend it!”
Nick Vander Zwalmen
Verified buyer
“As a group of PhD students we loved playing the game. The manuscripts are great and we had a lot of fun trying to defend our publications. Recommend for everyone who is in academic publishing.”
Chiara
Verified buyer
“Really excellent and fun game. We have played it with audiences ranging from no degree to PhD+ and all have enjoyed it.”
Matthew Canel
Verified buyer