The Cost

Asbestos and its use have a long history. A naturally occurring mineral, asbestos was once celebrated for its seemingly wondrous resistant and strengthening properties until it was declared a human carcinogen by theWorld Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancerin 1987.

However, as recently as 2011 asbestos was still mined and used in Canada. Import of asbestos-containing materials continued for several years, and in 2016 the Canadian Federal Government announced a plan to ban asbestos and asbestos containing products by 2018. It was not until a general ban (which contains exemptions) went into effect on December 30, 2018 that Canada effectively eliminated the importation, use, sale or trade of the mineral or products made with the mineral.

This odd dichotomy between the recognition of the harmful effects of the mineral and lure of the potential to make a profit on it is by no means new to industry or unique to asbestos. As game designers and game players, however, this is thought provoking. What was especially eye-opening to us was the fact that when the design of this game began in 2017, the Canadian ban still had not gone into effect, and in the United States a ban on asbestos still did not exist (nor does as of 2019). This is not "ancient" history, like the ban of PCB or DDT, but rather a process of regulation, lobbying, and legislation still being played out today.

The Cost is a challenging economic board game that places players in the role of a company whose interest is in the asbestos industry around the world. Players compete to make their fortune by concentrating or diversifying in the various aspects of the industry such as mining, refining, and shipping. Whoever ends the game with the most money wins.

The game is played over four rounds, but it might end early due to health and safety regulations that shut down the industry by eliminating all areas in which they can act. In each round, players begin their turns by selecting a country in which to execute their actions. This selection triggers an event within it, in addition to having an effect on its economy.

Players then use a unique system to draft three actions at once for the round. These actions can be a mix of building mines, building refineries, gaining government subsidies, establishing railroads, and establishing ports. Once all players have executed their actions, they may convert their money (i.e., victory points) into specific country resources, with each country having its own conversion rate.

A player's industry then goes into motion with mines producing raw asbestos, refineries refining that asbestos, and railroads and ports transporting these goods around the world. Players may also have a chance to invest in their own companies to gain an edge. When players mine or refine asbestos, they must choose to either maximize profits for short-term gains or sacrifice their hard-won money to minimize deaths, thus sustaining the industry.

The Cost is a serious game that makes you think.

AWARDS & HONORS

• 2021 Goblin Magnifico Nominee