Jackbox’s ‘Party Pack 8’ Will Feature Its First Head-To-Head Group Game, ‘Poll Mine’

Jackbox Games has survived a world in social distancing mode, and its latest party pack appears set to put groups back in rooms together and ramp up the competition. The Chicago-based publisher is slowly revealing the games from its latest party pack, and on Friday they revealed the first true head-to-head team game in its stable.

The announcement was made on a livestream that gave context to some strangely labeled doors they’d showed off earlier in the week, with a dark animation of skull-adorned doors juxtaposed with phrases like “giant beach ball or knights in front of a sign labeled “honey mustard.”

Those doors are part of a game called Poll Mine, a survey game which will feature 2-10 players divided evenly into teams tasked with escaping a “magical mine” with a “maniacal witch” on your trails.

“In front of you stands 8 doors,” the description on the site reads. “The only way to pick the safe path is to determine which home appliance is the least trustworthy… according to people you’re playing with.”

According to the site, your team chooses from three categories from options such as “favorite ice cream topping” or “most annoying movie trope.” Then there’s some voting, as is often the case in Jackbox. And players will then need to figure out who answered what in order to pick the right door. But there’s a twist in this one. Here’s the description of gameplay from the site:

This is the peril of The Poll Mine. Jackbox Games’ very first head-to-head team game. After being divided into two groups of adventurers, you have to select your top three choices.

…

While you mark down your opinions, the other players will do the same, and the path to escape will be marked by the top three most popular answers… OR is it 2nd through 4th?… OR do you have to start at the bottom? The criteria will change based on the whims of our wickedly devious host.

You and your team will have to open doors until you find the options you’re looking for, but be careful while you debate, the other group of players is listening and may steal your insights to find the right door and leave you in the dark. FOREVER!

The game supports up to 10 players, which means a lot of yelling (or whispers) among friends. And Jackbox also touted livestreaming options and audience capabilities for up to 10,000 viewers.

It’s certainly an interesting attempt at a head-to-head team game, and Jackbox is known for trying something new with its packs of five games in an attempt to create party game magic. It will join an already-revealed title, Job Job, in Jackbox Party Pack 8. That one seem to be a game about the job interview process.

It will all make much more sense when you can actually try it for yourself. Which will be an option this fall when it’s available along with the rest of Jackbox Party Pack 8 on basically every platform imaginable.