Why Every U.S. Senator Got A Copy Of The New Board Game Secret Hitler

If you're familiar with Cards Against Humanity and its particular brand of off-kilter humor, this news should come as no surprise. The game's co-creator, Max Temkin, helped create a brand-new borad game — and he's sent a copy to all 100 U.S. senators. Generous, right? Good intentions aside, we think that some members of the Senate may see the show of goodwill as something else. Why? It's called Secret Hitler.

The Daily Dot reports that Temkin, along with video game developer Mike Boxleiter and author Tommy Maranges, fashioned the game after old-school secret-identity games like Bang! and Who's On My Back. Secret Hitler is set in 1933 Germany and "models the rise of fascism in a democracy." Players wrangle with cooperation, manipulation, and appeasement to figure out who is a secret fascist and who's a good guy.

According to IGN, the makers of the game explain that Hitler "required the cooperation of well-meaning men who hoped to appease and control the Nazis." They compare that to a certain sitting president's rise to power through a weak establishment, disenchanted voter base, and unsavory political aims. The game's creators don't necessarily think that every senator will play the game. Instead, the team wants reps to think long and hard about why they should or shouldn't cooperate with President Trump and his policies. It's not snarky, either. They sincerely thank the senators — on both sides of the aisle — for their hard work.

Each game came with a note for the senator. It reads, "We thought you and your staff might found our game relevant as you negotiate the balance of power with the Trump White House."

Secret Hitler isn't associated with Cards Against Humanity, but it does have a few things in common with the cult-favorite card game. Both got their start on Kickstarter, where Secret Hitler raised $1.4 million. Both are no strangers to unconventional marketing tactics. While gifting senators is a new way to get the word out, Cards Against Humanity threw its hat into politics by asking Barack Obama to be CEO.

If you want to get a copy for yourself, you can check out the game's official site. If you've already made it a habit to contact your senator, maybe invite them to a game night, too.