An online board game for up to eight players

Eight seats in one room

Most online board games are comfortable at four. Kiraya takes up to eight players in a single room, all from one link, on whatever devices people have: some on laptops, some on phones, all on the same board. Nobody needs an account; each person types a display name and joins.

What changes with a big table

With eight players the board is divided far more finely, so completing a colour set on your own is rare and trading stops being optional: nearly every set is assembled through a deal. Auctions get busier too, because there is almost always someone with a reason to bid. Expect fewer early knockouts and more negotiation.

Keeping eight people moving

• A turn timer keeps a slow player from holding up seven others.
• A disconnected player keeps their seat for about a minute, then a bot can take it over so the table is never stuck.
• A round limit of 20, 40 or 60 rounds decides the game on net worth if nobody has gone bankrupt, so a large group finishes in an evening.
• Empty seats can be bots at four levels, from Easy to Expert, so seven people and a bot is a full game.

Team games

A host can split the table into two teams. Teammates pay each other no rent, turns alternate between the teams, and a team wins together, either by bankrupting the other side or on combined net worth at the finish. It suits a large group that would rather play as two sides than eight individuals.

Where to start

For a first game with a big group, use the standard rules and a short round limit, then change one thing afterwards if someone complains. The room settings are visible to everyone before the first roll, so there is no arguing about rules halfway through.