The game
A 60-year-old lesson that still surprises everyone.
You manage one stage of a beer supply chain. Your only decision: how much to order each week. But delays, incomplete information, and human psychology create massive oscillations.
A small demand bump of 4 → 8 at the customer becomes a tidal wave by the factory. That's the bullwhip effect.
Play your way
Three modes. Zero friction.
Solo
Choose a role, AI handles the rest. Learn the mechanics in 10 minutes. No account needed.
Start soloMultiplayer
Share a code, play with 2–4 people in real time. Password-protect your sessions.
Create gameWorkshop
Facilitate a class. Control pacing, assign roles, present analytics for debrief.
Host sessionSee it in action
Built for clarity, not complexity.
A clean interface that keeps the focus on decisions and their consequences. Every screen designed for learning.
Gameplay
Real-time supply chain at a glance.
See inventory, backlogs, and shipments across the entire chain. Your role is highlighted — place orders each week and watch the bullwhip effect unfold in real time.
Analytics & Replay
Your decisions, visualized.
After the game, dive into order amplification charts, cost breakdowns, and week-by-week replay. See exactly how a small demand bump cascaded into chaos.
Game Complete
Analytics & Replay
36 weeks · $372 total cost
Choose your role
AI handles the other three positions.
Closest to the customer. First to feel demand changes.
Supplies the retailer. One step removed from demand.
Supplies the wholesaler. Delays start compounding.
Produces the beer. Furthest from the customer, biggest swings.
Role Selection
Pick your position in the chain.
Choose any of the four roles — retailer, wholesaler, distributor, or factory. AI handles the rest. Or take the sandbox and control all four yourself.
After the game
See the bullwhip in your own data.
Post-game analytics reveal how a single demand bump cascaded into massive order swings, stockouts, and over-ordering.
- Order amplification across the chain
- Inventory and backlog time series
- Cost breakdown by role
- Week-by-week replay with full visibility
Same demand change → wilder swings upstream
What people say about the Beer Game
A lesson that sticks.
“The beer game demonstrates how intelligent, well-meaning people, operating in a complex system, can produce terrible results.”
“In the beer game, every player acts rationally from their own perspective, yet the system as a whole behaves irrationally. That is the core lesson of supply chain dynamics.”
Share your experience
Used the Beer Game in your classroom or team? We'd love to hear about it.
Questions
Do I need an account?+
How long is a game?+
Is this the real MIT Beer Game?+
Can I use this for teaching?+
Try it yourself.
Play as a guest in 10 minutes, or create a free account to save your progress and host sessions.
Play the Beer GameRequest a demo
Want to run workshops or need a hosted setup? Drop your email.