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The free hot takes debate game Hear Me Out

Deck
Players
4
Defense time
Rounds
4 players · 1 turn each
  1. Set up the game

    Add 3 to 12 names, pick a deck or Mixed, and choose 20, 30 or 45 seconds.

  2. Defend the claim

    Read the card out loud, tap Start and argue until the timer runs out.

  3. Count the convinced

    The group says how many of them you won over. That number is your points.

Hear Me Out at a glance

Players
3 to 12 (best with 4 to 10)
Game length
About 20 minutes a game
Phones
One phone
Where it works
In the same room, on a video call
Who it’s for
Friends, families and coworkers (clean, nothing 18+)
Price
Free. No app, no sign-up
Languages
English and Spanish

How to play Hear Me Out

Hear Me Out is a debate game for people who don't like debates. Every card is a silly claim, like “Cereal is a soup” or “Pigeons are underrated.” You don't have to believe it. You just have to defend it until the timer runs out and see how many people you win over. You need 3 to 12 players and one phone.

  1. 1Type in everyone's name, from 3 to 12 players.
  2. 2Pick a deck: Food, Everyday life, Style & home, School & work, Animals & nature or Totally absurd. Mixed shuffles them all together.
  3. 3Choose the defense time (20, 30 or 45 seconds) and the number of rounds (1, 2 or 3). In each round, every player defends one claim, so three rounds means three turns each.
  4. 4On your turn, read the card out loud. It starts with “Hear me out:” and then the claim. Tap Start and make your case until time is up.
  5. 5The phone asks, “How many of you are convinced?” The rest of the group answers, and someone taps the number, from zero up to everyone else in the game. That's your score for the turn.
  6. 6After the last round, the scoreboard shows everyone's total and the winner.

A turn takes about a minute, so six players and two rounds fill roughly 15 minutes. Play one short game before dinner, or set up another one as soon as the first ends.

Hear me out topics

Every claim in the game, sorted by deck: Food, Everyday life, Style & home, School & work, Animals & nature and Totally absurd. Mixed pulls from all six. Browse these silly debate topics to pick favorites, borrow a few for a class warm-up or get ideas for your own.

Food · 35 questions

  1. Cereal is a soup.
  2. Breakfast for dinner beats dinner.
  3. A hot dog is a sandwich.
  4. Pineapple belongs on pizza.
  5. Pizza should be eaten with a knife and fork.
  6. Toast is just bread with a tan.
Show all 35
  1. Ketchup is tomato jam.
  2. Popcorn is a vegetable.
  3. Ice cream tastes better in winter.
  4. Oatmeal raisin is the best cookie.
  5. Waffles are better than pancakes in every way.
  6. Sandwiches taste better cut into triangles.
  7. Garlic bread is better than the pasta it comes with.
  8. Dessert should come before dinner.
  9. Leftovers taste better than the original meal.
  10. Crunchy peanut butter is the only real peanut butter.
  11. Spaghetti should be broken in half before cooking.
  12. Brownie edges are better than the middle.
  13. Candy corn is delicious.
  14. A salad is not a meal.
  15. Pie beats cake every single time.
  16. Lasagna is a cake.
  17. Sprinkles make any food better.
  18. A burnt marshmallow is a perfect marshmallow.
  19. The crumbs at the bottom of the chip bag are the best part.
  20. Fruit counts as dessert.
  21. Corn on the cob should be eaten in circles, not rows.
  22. Breakfast is the most overrated meal of the day.
  23. Muffins are just cupcakes without the frosting.
  24. Milk goes in the bowl before the cereal.
  25. Soggy fries are better than crispy fries.
  26. Snacks are better than meals.
  27. Anything can be a taco if you fold it with confidence.
  28. Chocolate belongs in the fridge.
  29. Overripe bananas are the best bananas.

Everyday life · 35 questions

  1. Mondays are better than Fridays.
  2. Naps are a waste of a perfectly good afternoon.
  3. Making your bed every morning is pointless.
  4. The snooze button is the worst invention ever.
  5. Folding laundry is relaxing.
  6. Doing the dishes is the best chore.
Show all 35
  1. Rainy days are better than sunny days.
  2. Being early is just another way of being late.
  3. Every phone call could have been a text.
  4. Weekends should be in the middle of the week.
  5. Grocery shopping is the most underrated hobby.
  6. Staying in beats going out.
  7. Umbrellas are more trouble than they're worth.
  8. Birthdays should last a whole week.
  9. Reading the last page first is the best way to start a book.
  10. Spoilers make movies better.
  11. Puzzles should be done without looking at the box.
  12. The middle seat is the best seat on a plane.
  13. Board game rules are just suggestions.
  14. Cleaning up is the best part of a party.
  15. Gift cards are the best gift.
  16. Surprise parties should be banned.
  17. Every clock should be set five minutes fast.
  18. Winter is the best season.
  19. Small talk is the best kind of talk.
  20. Group chats should have a bedtime.
  21. The day after a holiday is better than the holiday.
  22. Sitting in traffic is great thinking time.
  23. Being bored is good for you.
  24. Phones should take Sundays off.
  25. The middle of the night is the most productive time of day.
  26. Rereading a favorite book beats reading a new one.
  27. The best part of any trip is coming home.
  28. Packing at the last minute is a skill.
  29. The longest line always moves the fastest.

Style & home · 35 questions

  1. Socks with sandals are a fashion statement.
  2. Overalls are the perfect outfit.
  3. Pajamas count as real clothes.
  4. Toilet paper should hang under, not over.
  5. Holiday lights should stay up all year.
  6. Every house needs a slide.
Show all 35
  1. Beige is the boldest color.
  2. A disco ball improves any room.
  3. Carpet in the bathroom is a great idea.
  4. Throw pillows are useless.
  5. A messy room is a cozy room.
  6. Sweatpants are formal wear.
  7. Wearing shoes inside the house is fine.
  8. A cape makes any outfit better.
  9. A reindeer sweater is the height of fashion.
  10. Fake plants are better than real plants.
  11. The bed is the best place to eat dinner.
  12. The couch is more comfortable than the bed.
  13. The junk drawer is the most important drawer in the house.
  14. Fridge magnets are art.
  15. Wrinkled shirts are a style choice.
  16. Dishes should always soak overnight.
  17. The big overhead light should never be turned on.
  18. A fan should run every night, even in winter.
  19. Rearranging the furniture is the best weekend plan.
  20. Bow ties should be everyday wear.
  21. Rain boots look best on sunny days.
  22. Orange is the most underrated color.
  23. Patterns should always clash.
  24. Wallpaper belongs on the ceiling.
  25. The hallway is the best room in the house.
  26. Slippers are fine for a trip to the store.
  27. Pockets are the most important part of any outfit.
  28. Mittens are better than gloves.
  29. Shoelaces are overrated.

School & work · 35 questions

  1. The best time to do homework is right before it's due.
  2. Standing meetings are the only good meetings.
  3. Pencils are better than pens.
  4. Group projects are the best kind of project.
  5. Recess should come first thing in the morning.
  6. Emails should have a five-sentence limit.
Show all 35
  1. Naps should be part of every workday.
  2. Pop quizzes are fun.
  3. Doodling is the best way to pay attention.
  4. Math is the most creative subject.
  5. Cursive is the coolest way to write.
  6. Spelling doesn't matter as long as people understand you.
  7. Lunch should be the longest part of the school day.
  8. Snow days should be planned in advance.
  9. Offices need ball pits.
  10. The reply-all button should be removed from email.
  11. Highlighting the whole page is a great way to study.
  12. No meeting should happen without snacks.
  13. Field trips should happen every week.
  14. Summer break is too long.
  15. The front row is the best seat in the room.
  16. Spinning in your desk chair helps you think.
  17. Fridays should be pajama day.
  18. Sticky notes are the greatest invention of all time.
  19. Juggling should be a school subject.
  20. Every test should be open book.
  21. Working with music on beats working in silence.
  22. Video calls are better with cameras off.
  23. School should start at noon.
  24. Writing a to-do list counts as getting work done.
  25. Blank paper beats lined paper.
  26. Every finished task deserves a sticker.
  27. Show-and-tell should exist at work.
  28. Chalkboards are better than whiteboards.
  29. Name tags should be worn every day at work.

Animals & nature · 35 questions

  1. Cats are better than dogs.
  2. Penguins are the most fashionable animal.
  3. Pigeons are underrated.
  4. Spiders are the best roommates.
  5. Squirrels are secretly running every park.
  6. Crows would make excellent detectives.
Show all 35
  1. A zebra is black with white stripes.
  2. Bees deserve a raise.
  3. Owls only look wise.
  4. Sloths have life figured out.
  5. Ducks are the most talented animal.
  6. Mosquitoes deserve a second chance.
  7. Cloud watching is better than any movie.
  8. Mountains are better than beaches.
  9. Moths are just butterflies that work the night shift.
  10. Frogs are cuter than kittens.
  11. Raccoons are misunderstood.
  12. Chickens are just tiny dinosaurs.
  13. The ocean is scarier than space.
  14. Sunsets are better than sunrises.
  15. Camping beats any hotel.
  16. Worms work harder than any other animal.
  17. A rock is the best pet.
  18. Octopuses are aliens, and nobody can prove otherwise.
  19. Plants have feelings.
  20. Gardening is a sport.
  21. Weeds are just plants nobody has complimented yet.
  22. Sharks are basically ocean puppies.
  23. Fireflies are better than fireworks.
  24. Every puddle should be jumped in.
  25. Fallen leaves should never be raked.
  26. Turtles are the fastest animal if you give them enough time.
  27. Ants are better organized than any office.
  28. Mud is the best toy in the world.
  29. Jellyfish have the easiest life in the ocean.

Totally absurd · 35 questions

  1. Lost socks are on vacation.
  2. The moon is the sun's night light.
  3. A spoon can do everything a fork can do.
  4. A day should be 25 hours long.
  5. A straw has one hole, not two.
  6. Shopping carts should have turn signals.
Show all 35
  1. Unicorns would make terrible pets.
  2. Traveling to the past beats traveling to the future.
  3. Invisibility is the most useless superpower.
  4. Talking to animals is the best superpower.
  5. Ghosts are just very shy houseguests.
  6. The letter Q could retire and nobody would notice.
  7. Robots deserve weekends off.
  8. Elevator rides should be tiny dance parties.
  9. The floor is a perfectly good shelf.
  10. If a tree falls and nobody hears it, it still makes a sound.
  11. Teleporting would be boring.
  12. The alphabet is in the wrong order.
  13. Wednesday needs a mascot.
  14. Clouds should have names, like storms do.
  15. Garden gnomes move around at night.
  16. Knock-knock jokes are the highest form of comedy.
  17. Odd numbers are friendlier than even numbers.
  18. The number eight is just a zero wearing a belt.
  19. Whispering makes any sentence more exciting.
  20. The box is better than the gift.
  21. A secret knock is better than a doorbell.
  22. Hide-and-seek should be a professional sport.
  23. Pillow forts are real architecture.
  24. Trampolines should replace sidewalks.
  25. If cats could talk, they would only complain.
  26. The sky would look better green.
  27. Trees are dancing, just very slowly.
  28. Pets should have middle names.
  29. A bagel is a donut that went to college.

How to win a defense

Points come from real people changing their minds, at least for one card. That's harder than it sounds and much more fun. These tricks help, whether you're defending pineapple on pizza or the idea that a straw has one hole.

  • Open with your best reason. The first few seconds decide whether people lean in or start shaking their heads.
  • Fight about the definition. Is a hot dog a sandwich? That depends on what counts as a sandwich, so define it your way and then show the hot dog fits.
  • Use one real example. “Last winter I ate ice cream outside and it never melted once” beats any big theory.
  • Give the other side one point. “Sure, the middle seat has no window. But it gets both armrests.” Admitting a weakness makes the rest sound fair.
  • Commit fully. A confident defense of a ridiculous claim is far more convincing than a shy defense of a reasonable one.
  • Talk to the skeptic. Find the person with crossed arms and make your case to them. If they crack, others follow.
  • Save a closing line. End with something short and quotable, so it's still in their ears when the phone asks who's convinced.

One tip for the listeners: be honest, and be generous. Agree before the first turn on what “convinced” means. For most groups, “you made me think twice” is enough. That keeps the scores fair and the defenders brave.

House rules and variations

The game works as it is, but these house rules change the feel. None of them need extra setup, just a quick agreement before the first card.

  • Rebuttal round. When the timer ends, one listener gets a single sentence to argue the other side before the count. If the defender still wins people over, those points were earned.
  • Teams. Type in team names instead of player names, with at least three teams. Each team sends one speaker per turn, every other team huddles and counts as one listener, and speakers rotate every round.
  • The judge. A host who isn't playing holds the phone, reads each card out loud, starts the timer and taps the number. Leave the judge's name out of the setup. The judge also decides whether a half-convinced shrug counts.
  • Hands up on three. Everyone who's convinced raises a hand at the same moment, so nobody waits to see what the others do.
  • Straight face. If the defender laughs at their own argument, the count goes down by one. Keeping a straight face is part of the skill.

Ways to play

The same cards work for a loud party and a quiet meeting room. Here's how to set the game up for different crowds.

Party

Start with Mixed, 30 seconds and three rounds. Newcomers understand the game after watching a single turn. For the next game, try Totally absurd, which gets the biggest laughs.

Classroom debate warm-up

Put the game on the projector and use the judge rule. With more than 12 students, play in teams. Everyone practices an opening line, an example and a closing on topics like “Pop quizzes are fun,” where nobody's feelings are on the line.

Team meeting

School & work or Food with 20-second defenses makes a quick, light icebreaker. Want something longer? Follow it with Two Truths and a Lie.

Video call

Share your screen so everyone sees the card and the timer. Convinced players raise a hand on camera or type “yes” in the chat, and the host taps the number.

When to play Hear Me Out

It fits wherever people are relaxed, a little chatty and in no mood for a long rulebook.

  • To open a game night. One round with 20-second defenses gets everyone talking before the bigger games come out.
  • At the dinner table. The Food deck was made for it, and everyone has an opinion about soggy fries.
  • With family over the holidays. The claims are clean and silly, with no politics and nothing personal, so teens, parents and grandparents can all play.
  • In a big group. Up to 12 players fit in one game, and everyone answers on every turn, so nobody sits out for long.
  • When people are shy. Defending a ridiculous claim is easier than talking about yourself. Nobody gets embarrassed arguing about whether a zebra is black with white stripes.

If your group loves a good argument, Red Flag or Green Flag puts everyday habits to a secret vote and Would You Rather makes everyone pick a side. For a game about the people in the room, try Most Likely To.

Write your own hear me out claims

After a few rounds, someone will start a sentence with “Hear me out” about something that isn't on a card. That's a good sign. To play a homemade claim, the defender reads it instead of the card on screen, and the timer and the count work the same way.

  • Make it arguable. “Pizza is tasty” is too easy, and “Pizza is a planet” goes nowhere. Aim for something people reject at first and then quietly wonder about.
  • Keep it to one short sentence. Under ten words sounds like a hot take. Anything longer starts to sound like a speech.
  • Be specific. “Brownie edges are better than the middle” works much better than “Brownies are good.”
  • Try a definition fight. Claims shaped like “A is a B” start the best arguments, because everyone has a different definition of B.
  • Aim for a grin. The best claims make the defender smile before they say a word.
  • Keep it about things, not people. Food, habits, animals and objects are fair game. Nobody in the room is a topic, and politics, religion and anything mean stay out.

Unpopular opinions about snacks, chores and socks make the best fuel. Keep a list on your phone, and your next game night starts with a few claims nobody has heard yet.

Questions

What is the Hear Me Out game?

It's a party debate game built on hot takes. Each player gets a silly claim, like “Ketchup is tomato jam,” defends it against the clock, and scores a point for every person they convince.

How does scoring work?

After each defense, the phone asks, “How many of you are convinced?” The group answers with a number from zero up to everyone else, and that number goes on the defender's score. The highest total after the last round wins.

How many players do you need?

From 3 to 12. More players means more listeners to win over on every turn, and a bigger crowd to argue with.

How long does a game take?

About a minute per turn. Three players and one round are done in a few minutes, while twelve players over three rounds can run past half an hour.

Do I have to agree with the claim I'm defending?

No, and it's often funnier when you don't. The game is about how well you argue, not what you believe.

Is Hear Me Out family-friendly?

Yes. The claims are about food, animals, home, school and plain silliness. There's nothing about politics, religion or anyone in the room, so it works for family gatherings, classrooms and offices.

Can we play on a video call?

Yes. Share your screen so everyone sees the card and the timer. Convinced players raise a hand on camera, and the host taps the number.

Is it free? Do I need an app?

It's free and runs in the browser on any phone, tablet or laptop. There's nothing to download and no account to create.

More games like Hear Me Out

Red Flag or Green Flag Secret vote, loud debate
Two Truths and a Lie Spot the lie
Would You Rather Impossible choices
Most Likely To Point on three
Good for:IcebreakersSleepover gamesFriendsgiving games