Consequences

Also known as

Consequences is the British name for a game that goes by many others. It is a paper story game: everyone writes one line, folds the paper over and passes it on. You may know it by one of these names, and the game here is the same.

• Consequences game
• Consequences party game
• Fold-over story game
• Folded paper game
• Paper story game
• Pass-the-paper story game

Two older games are close relatives. Exquisite corpse, the surrealists’ version, uses the same fold-and-pass idea for words and drawings, and heads, bodies and legs is the drawing version. This site plays the word game, in the classic seven lines.

More about the names, and exquisite corpse

Questions people ask

What else is Consequences called?

People also call it the Consequences game, the Consequences party game, the fold-over story game, the folded paper game, the paper story game or the pass-the-paper story game. They all mean the same game: each player writes one line of a story, folds the paper over and passes it on.

Is Consequences the same as exquisite corpse?

They are close relatives. Exquisite corpse (cadavre exquis) is the surrealists’ version of the same fold-and-pass idea, played with words or drawings, and it is widely said to have grown out of Consequences. Consequences tells a story in seven set lines: who, who they met, where, what each said, the consequence and what the world said.

Is Consequences the same as heads, bodies and legs?

Heads, bodies and legs is the drawing version of the same idea: each player draws one part of a figure and folds the paper over. Consequences is the word version, and it is the one you can play here.

What is Consequences?

Consequences is an old parlour game in which each player writes one line of a story, folds the paper over so only the last line shows and passes it on. At the end the stories are unfolded and read out loud. Iago Games has a free version you play in your browser.

How do you play Consequences?

Each player writes one line on a sheet: who, who they met, where they met, what the first one said, what the other one said, the consequence and what the world said. After every line the sheets move on, and you only see the last line of the one you are given. After seven lines, the stories are read out.

How many people can play?

Two to eight. Four to six people make the best stories, but two works too.

Can I play Consequences online with friends?

Yes. Start a game, share the link or QR code, and everyone joins from their own device. Everyone writes at the same time, and the host opens the stories at the end. It works anywhere with a browser, so friends in other places can play.

Can we play on one device?

Yes. Add everyone’s first name and pass the device round. It shows each person only the last line of the sheet they are given and hides it again before it moves on.

Do I need an account or an app?

No. Consequences runs in your browser, and you only give a first name. There is nothing to download.

Is it free?

Yes, it is free to play.

Is Consequences safe for children?

Players write their own lines, so what ends up in a story is up to the group. The game blocks a list of common swear words, but it cannot catch everything, so keep an eye on younger children’s games. Anyone playing by link can report a line.

Why is it called Consequences?

The game is named for its last lines: what the consequence was, and what the world said about it. It is often said to have inspired the surrealists’ “exquisite corpse”, a drawing and writing game built the same way.