Jordan Abell has high hopes.
Abell, a senior at Latin School of Chicago, created a game that aims to get people talking and, well, arguing — but in a good way.
The game — dubbed “Controversy” — centers on a deck of 200 cards that guides players to weigh in on controversial statements ranging from easy (pineapple is a worthy pizza topping; it's acceptable to wear socks with sandals) to weighty (gender is a spectrum, success stems more from luck than work).
"It's designed to promote debate and civil discourse," said Abell. "We need to be a lot more comfortable talking about these politically divisive topics; they shouldn't just end in fights."
The game's tagline: "Turn fights into friends."
There are multiple ways to play. One offers players the chance to predict the stances of others players.
Another pits players in one-on-one debates with fellow players serving as moderators and jury.
The game can lead to heated political discussions on hot-button issues like abortion and AI, but the cards do not name individual politicians.
"I've gotten nothing but positive reception; people love it," said Abell, who has tested an initial batch among supporters and friends.
"It's been pretty eye opening playing the game in our family," said Jordan's mother, Alison Fragale, a retired business school professor.
She pointed to instances where she and her husband, Alex Abell, a private equity investor, realized they didn't know certain opinions the other had — much to the amusement of their children.
"It was like, 'I can't believe I live with you! You think that?' And just now, after 25 years of marriage, we're finding out our differing opinions?'" Fragale said with a laugh. "And my kids, who normally think of us as a united front, start cracking up."
The game's origin can be traced back to family dinners.
When his brother and sister excused themselves to play video games, Abell would stay seated and revel in lively post-meal conversations among his parents and their guests.
By age 5 he had strong opinions about Cubs free agency picks. By age 10 he was weighing in on the Depression-era economic policies of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Abell, now 17, essentially wanted to export his dinner table exchanges, which often included family friends Debra Dobbs and her daughter, Katharine Dobbs, who partnered with Abell to create the game.
"Jordan is the sweetest kid, and freakishly smart, witty and hard working and just a joy to be around," said Katharine Dobbs, 29, adding that Abell is more than capable of holding his own in an argument. "There are no kid gloves when arguing with him. He doesn't hold back."
To fund the game's development and creation, Abell tapped his folks, used some of his own savings, and the Dobbs family pitched in. An online fundraising campaign through Kickstarter also raised $8,250 from 127 supporters.
A future production run will include at least 1,000 units that will be available on Amazon for $27, Abell said.
"We're very proud of him," said his mother. "It also makes me, as a middle aged person and former educator, genuinely optimistic to see kids caring about the world and talking to each other about it."
