Counter Culture
Every shopper has a secret most-they'll-pay — offer high for profit, read whether they accept, counter or walk, and narrow in on their number before they leave.
How to play
Customers step up one at a time, each an archetype with a hidden top price for the item they want. You name a price: too high and they walk, just right and you pocket the margin. Their reaction — accept, counter, or scoff — narrows the inferred range, so each offer is also information. Bank enough profit each week to pay the loan shark, who raises the rate every time you do.
- Read the customer archetype and their inferred price range
- Offer a price, or pass on a bad prospect
- Reactions tighten your estimate of their hidden cap
- Hit each week's debt target or go out of business
Controls
- Desktop: type an offer or use the Lowball / Best guess / Push it buttons, then Offer or Pass.
- Phone & tablet: tap the quick-offer buttons and Pass — touch supported.
Game modes
- Daily: one shared seeded shop per day
- Practice: fresh shops to grind
Tips & strategy
- Open near your best guess; a near-miss counter tells you the cap is just above your offer
- Don't chase every sale — passing a stingy archetype can beat taking a thin margin
- Bank a cushion above the debt target early, because the shark's rate climbs each week you pay
What you'll learn
Counter Culture is about pricing, negotiation and reading willingness-to-pay, the heart of how deals get made.
- Skills: pricing, negotiation, willingness to pay, market economics
- Best for: roughly grades 7–12 (ages 12+)
- For parents & teachers: pricing and negotiation, learned by haggling.
About Counter Culture
Counter Culture is an original free browser game about pricing, negotiation and reading willingness-to-pay, where each haggle is a little deduction puzzle. Built in-house for PlayPendium.
A free, original browser game on PlayPendium — no download, no install. Browse all games →
