Let's Play Container @ The Missing Piece

About this event

Container is a classic economic strategy game of industrial production, maritime shipping, auctions, commodity speculation, and player-created markets. The new 2026 edition brings this acclaimed—and long unavailable—design back to the table.

We'll play the short version to accommodate a weekday evening. Just as good, not as long!

Each player controls both a factory and a shipping company. You manufacture colored containers, set your own prices, purchase goods produced by other players, resell them from your warehouses, and load them onto ships bound for a developing island. When a ship arrives, its cargo is auctioned to the other players.

The economy is almost entirely created by the players. There are no fixed market prices: a container is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. Money is tight, loans are costly, and every purchase puts cash into the hands of a competitor. Secret value cards give players different incentives, while oversupply can make the container you collected most heavily worthless at the end of the game.

The individual actions are straightforward, but their consequences are not. Container rewards pricing judgment, negotiation, timing, reading your opponents, and recognizing when the market is about to boom—or collapse.

At a Glance

• Players: 3–5

• Playing time: Approximately 60–90 minutes after the teach

• Style: Competitive economic strategy and market simulation

• Theme: Industrial production, international shipping, and commodity trading

• Mechanics: Auction and bidding, commodity speculation, pricing, pick-up and delivery, negotiation, and hidden objectives

• Interaction: Very high; nearly every transaction involves another player

• Complexity: The rules are fairly approachable, but the economic decisions are deep and sometimes unforgiving

Learning the Game If you are not familiar with Container, please watch one of these how-to-play videos:

• How to play Container

• Monique and Naveen teach and play through

I'll review the rules at the start.

Important

• Please be on time. Lateness inconveniences everyone.

• Parking is relatively easy; there are no 2-hour limits after 6pm. However, you will probably have to park 2-3 blocks away unless you use pay parking.

• Cancelation. If you need to cancel, please do so as soon as you know. People on the waitlist and playing that day will appreciate it! Signing up for this event means other people are counting on you to attend. No-shows without good reason will be marked as no-show for the event. No-show marks will adversely affect your reputation.

• Support Missing Piece. Purchasing something isn't a requirement, but it's nice to do since we're using the space. Please support the business if you can!

From Seattle Board Games