Witch Hunt: 1649

$19.95

This item will be released May 13, 2026.

Determine Your Fate. Collect Supplies. Survive a Trial. 

Witch Hunt: 1649 is a fast-paced game of survival, suspicion, and community in seventeenth-century Scotland. In a small Scottish village, fear and rumor rule. Gather resources, forge alliances, and protect your name as accusations of witchcraft spread. Every choice could save your life or seal your fate.

Description

In Witch Hunt: 1649, players take on the roles of neighbors allied in pairs, with gameplay blending competition and cooperation. Core mechanics center on set collection: players draw cards, guard their reputations, and trade and bargain to build their standings. When accusations pile up, players’ in-game choices will allow their character to survive the trial or doom them to burn with the truth.

Through its intentional design, Witch Hunt: 1649 promotes understanding of the witch hunt’s historical backdrop and encourages empathy for its victims. Gameplay draws players into the social, religious, and political tensions that shaped this volatile period. Excerpts from witchcraft accusations and other historical sources on cards double as worldbuilding flavor text and historical context. Woodcut-style illustrations enhance this immersion to create a game which stands apart from any others which use witchcraft as a theme. For additional support, educators will also be able to use the Witch Hunt: 1649 Curriculum Guide, coming soon.

Release Date: 13 May 2026

Press Product Code: CMUP108a

Funded by BackerKit

A Scholarship and Lore: Games for Learning Series Game from Central Michigan University Press

Specifications

2-7 Players
20-60 Minutes
Ages 14+

Components

  • 60 Asset cards
  • 47 Fate cards
  • 24 Black Mark cards
  • 13 Story cards (optional)
  • 15 Character cards
  • 3 Unallied Character cards
  • 7 Welfare/Reputation Tracker cards
  • 20 wooden cubes
  • 1 metal coin
  • 1 Game Manual

Resources

Watch a Q&A with Martha McGill on Witch Hunt: 1649

Beyond Solitaire Interview with Martha McGill:

https://beyondsolitaire.buzzsprout.com/1091807/episodes/12465092-episode-108-martha-mcgill-on-witch-hunt-1649

Board Game Geek Page:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/366500/witch-hunt-1649

Credits

A Game by Martha McGill

Art by Bill Spytma

Reviews

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