Joke & japes with Guildford prankster

Round & About

Guildford gamester Ben Ross has devised a new way for the whole family to laugh at, and with, each other

Life a bit too serious? Entrepreneur Ben Ross has the answer with his new Prank Wars game. 

A self-confessed prankster, Ben says: “I have always loved games. When I was brainstorming ideas for a business, it felt right. Then one day, I googled “prank game,” and nothing came up, so I fully went for it.” 

Ben’s journey to setting up his own business and launching the game began with a very personal challenge. He has suffered with a stammer which affected many of his decisions in life not least contributing to social anxiety on a daily basis which he says “resulted in a career in finance as an accountant, safe behind an Excel sheet”. 

“It was only when I turned 30 that I finally decided I needed to do something about my stammer, which is when I went on the McGuire program, a four-day intensive course to help people with stammers. It was without doubt the hardest challenge I have ever faced, the most difficult being having to hit the streets of Bristol and talk to 100 strangers using the new speaking technique taught on the course. Horrible, horrible stuff. 

“That course completely changed my path in life, which resulted in a new job, leaving that job and setting up a business, Play Theory.” 

And Play Theory has led to Pranks Wars: Family Edition, a game for fun families who love pranking each other. The game comes with 48 fully illustrated prank cards and 16 wild cards.  

“Families decide on the length of the game; it could be played over a week or longer,” Ben says explaining how it works, “During this time, the players will need to perform their pranks on the other players in the game, with the other players ultimately deciding on how well each prank is performed during the endgame ritual. The winner receives the ultimate prankster privileges, which is the prize determined by the players before the game starts; it could be no chores for a week or TV control for the weekend.” 

Ben also has plans to create Prank Wars: Couples, saying: “Everyone loves screwing with their partners; this deck will ensure you don’t run out of ideas. 

“As soon as I have the time to be a child again, no one will be safe!”