Algorithmic Effervescence: A Game of Social Media Influencers is a pattern-building board game for 3- to 4-players. Cultivate and optimize your social media feed to gain followers, spread your gospel, and go viral. But beware! The democratization of religion has led to a competitive marketplace full of social media stars plying their spiritual wares. Do you have what it takes to stand out with your social media message, aesthetics, and charisma?
Starting in the Summer of 2025, I began work on this project with Professor Jeffrey Wheatley from the religious studies department at Iowa State and Lev Schaul, another student hired to work on the board game. The main objectives of this game were to gain experience in team-based game design and to create something that was not only fun but competitive as well. We also sought to apply our research with the hopes of creating an abstraction of modern-day social media landscapes that "makes an argument" or, at the very least, promotes discussion.