Channel Cards
Channel Cards are the core of the game. Without them, players have no way to win. To succeed, players must first play a Channel card and then enhance it over time using Enhancement Cards.
Key Elements of a Channel Card:
Name
Each card has a unique name that identifies it.
Costs
The cost required to play the Channel card.
For Channel cards, this is usually a generic cost, represented by a number.
Specific costs (used by other card types) are shown with symbols such as:
- Hourglass = Time experience
- Magnifying glass = SEO experience
- Mouse pointer = SEA experience
- Speech bubbles = Social Media experience
- Number = any type of experience
Marketing Integrity Indicator
A visual scale showing values from 1 (Black Hat) to 6 (White Hat), using die faces to represent integrity levels.
The initial value is determined when the first Enhancement Card is played on a Channel:
- If the first enhancement is a Black Hat card → Start at 3
- If it’s a White Hat card → Start at 4
The current Marketing Integrity can be tracked using:
- A small token or marker placed on the printed die face on the card, or
- A physical die placed next to the card to show the current value
Click-Through Rate (CTR) Scale
Located on the left side of the card.
- Starts at 1%
Increases step-by-step depending on the specific channel
(e.g., e-commerce websites typically offer higher CTRs due to optimized pages, while informational websites may have lower CTRs)
Conversion Rate (CR) Scale
Located on the right side of the card.
- Also starts at 1%
Increases based on the type of website
(e.g., e-commerce channels are more optimized for conversion compared to brand websites, which focus on awareness)
Real-World Perspective
A short explanation to help players — especially those new to digital marketing — understand how this type of channel functions in real-life marketing.
Card Type Indicator
Shown both by:
- An icon (a stylized globe for Channel cards)
- Text like “Channel: Website”
(In the initial game version, all channel cards represent websites used in SEO marketing.)
Design Year
Indicates the year the card was created and printed — including its name, cost, rules, and artwork.
If a card is redesigned and printed in a future year (even with the same name or rules), the year will be updated.
Card Number
Each card has a unique number based on its design.
Card numbers are continuous across all editions — they do not reset with new sets
If a card from a previous series is reused (even with new artwork), it retains the same card number but receives a new design year
Artwork Credit
Indicates who (or what) created the card’s artwork.
Most artwork will be generated by AI (noted as such like “Craiyon”, “Dall-E”, …)
Occasionally, a name such as “MP” or “Marcus” indicates a manually illustrated image by (in the case of “Marcus” or “MP”) Marcus Pentzek.
Experience Cards
Experience Cards are used to increase a player’s expertise in specific areas. Once played, most Experience Cards remain on the field, continuously contributing to the player’s available experience.
As more Experience Cards are played, a player’s overall experience pool grows. This experience can be spent to pay for cards or activate abilities requiring specific types of expertise.
Key Mechanics:
Experience Activation
Most Experience Cards provide their experience points by tapping the card — turning it 90° sideways to indicate the points have been used for the current turn.
The type and amount of experience provided is stated in the card’s rule text.
Some Experience Cards may include additional, alternative, or conditional effects in their rule text.
Experience Types
The specific kind of experience (e.g., SEO, SEA, Time) is defined in the card’s rules.
For example, Time Experience is commonly used to pay for Experience Cards and is gained from the Time Experience Die, which increases by one point at the start of each of the player’s turns.
Card Elements:
Name
Every card has a unique name.
Costs
The cost required to play the card.
For Experience Cards, this is often Time Experience (⌛), released from the Time Experience Die.
Real-World Perspective
A short explanation to help players — especially those new to digital marketing — understand how this type of channel functions in real-life marketing.
Card Type
Indicated both by:
- An icon: 🎓 (a university graduate’s hat)
- A label, such as: Experience – SEO
(In the first edition of the game, most experience cards fall under the SEO category.)
Year
The year in which the card was created, including its artwork, name, and rules.
Card Number
A unique number identifying the card.
Card numbers are continuous across editions and expansions.
If a card is reused in a later edition (even with different artwork), it keeps the same card number but gets a new year if redesigned.
Artwork By
Indicates the creator of the artwork:
- Usually an AI system
- Occasionally a human artist, such as “MP” or “Marcus” (Marcus Pentzek)
Enhancement Card
Enhancement Cards are used to improve and develop Channel Cards. By playing Enhancement Cards onto a channel, players can boost its effectiveness — increasing Reach (Visibility), Click-Through Rate (CTR), or Conversion Rate (CVR).
Once played, an Enhancement Card stays attached to the channel it was played on and remains in the order it was placed. This play order may become important for certain abilities or effects introduced in future expansions.
Key Mechanics:
Functionality
Enhancement Cards are always linked to a specific channel.
They upgrade or optimize a channel’s performance by improving:
- Reach / Visibility (how many users see the channel)
- CTR (Click-Through Rate) – Likelihood of users clicking on content
- CVR (Conversion Rate) – Likelihood of clicks turning into conversions (e.g., purchases, sign-ups)
Persistent Effects
Enhancement Cards remain in play once attached to a channel.
The order in which they were played is important, as certain effects may reference this sequence in advanced gameplay.
Card Elements:
Name
A unique name identifying the enhancement.
Costs
The cost required to play the card, which may include experience of various types (e.g., Time, SEO, SEA, etc.).
Real-World Perspective
A short explanation to help players — especially those new to digital marketing — understand how this type of channel functions in real-life marketing.
Card Type
Indicated by:
- An icon: (a pencil ✏️ crossed with a wrench 🔧)
- A label such as: Enhancement SEO, depending on the area of marketing.
Year
The year of the card’s design, covering its name, cost, rules, and artwork.
Card Number
A unique number assigned to this specific version of the card.
- Numbers are continuous and do not reset across editions.
- Reused cards keep their number but get an updated year if redesigned.
Artwork By
Notes the creator of the artwork:
- Typically an AI system
- Occasionally a human artist (e.g., “MP” for Marcus Pentzek)#
Event Cards
Event Cards represent impactful, often unpredictable occurrences that can shift the flow of the game. These cards usually have immediate effects and can be played during your own turn or an opponent’s, depending on the specific card’s rules.
Key Mechanics:
Instant Effects
When played, Event Cards typically resolve immediately and do not remain on the field (unless stated otherwise).
Versatile Impact
The effects of Event Cards vary widely. Examples include:
- A search algorithm update affecting all channels with SEO Enhancements
- Events targeting only Black Hat-enhanced websites
- Counteractions to previously played events or abilities
- Card draw boosts, resource gains, or sudden game-state changes
Timing Flexibility
Some Event Cards may be played reactively during an opponent’s turn — useful for strategic interruptions, defenses, or surprise advantages.
Card Elements:
Name
A unique title that reflects the card’s effect or theme.
Costs
The resource cost required to play the card. This could include different experience types like Time, SEO, etc.
Real-World Perspective
A brief explanation of how the event or scenario depicted on the card relates to real-life digital marketing — helping players understand its real-world inspiration and relevance.
Card Type
Shown by:
- An icon: 📅 (a calendar)
- A label: Event
Specific Card Rule
Describes the event’s effect in detail — including when and how it can be played, who it targets, and what it modifies or triggers.
Year
Indicates the year of the card’s creation, including name, rules, and artwork.
Card Number
A unique, continuous number identifying the card.
Reused cards keep their number but receive a new year if reprinted or redesigned.
Artwork By
Credits the creator of the artwork: usually an AI, sometimes a human artist like “MP” for Marcus Pentzek.