Imaginary Friends (also known as pretend friends or invisible friends) are a psychological and social phenomenon where a friendship or other interpersonal relationship takes place in the imagination rather than in external physical reality.
Children invent Imaginary Friends to express their difficulties and practice social interaction before experiencing it in real life. Imaginary Friends can also help children cope with fears, explore ideas, or gain a sense of competence by learning from or taking care of their imaginary friends.
Inspired by the well-known game Cards Against Humanity, I designed a card game for friends and families to create and interact with Imaginary Friends. This game encourages players to engage their imagination and creativity in a fun, social setting.
With the potential for freedom in gameplay, players create Imaginary Friends using contextual information based on their intuition and point of view. By relying on these narrative elements rather than more constructed stories and texts, the game’s narratives invite variation and creativity, making these elements integral to the gameplay experience. The design aims to foster imaginative play and social interaction, providing a unique and enjoyable way for players to connect and explore their creativity together.
