Cards Against Humanity Family Edition is here: How to get it for free

Cards Against Humanity
(Image credit: Cards Against Humanity)

Cards Against Humanity is the last game I ever expected to have a family friendly version. But it seems like everything else that could never happen has happened, so why not? 

Today (April 2), the folks at the Chicago-based card game Cards Against Humanity did the unthinkable, and released Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition. What kinds of families is it for? Well, the team notes, "We’ve never met your kids, but we designed the game for people ages 8 and up."

Yes, for all the parents who like to play Cards Against Humanity online, but thought they couldn't bring this lewd game to their quarantined family table, there's finally an answer that isn't called Apples to Apples.

In terms of what profanity is in the game, The team rates the content as PG, and it's been "play-tested with families."  In terms of profanity, they say that "Crap" and "boobies" are as racy as the game gets. 

Of course, since all parenting styles differ, the CAH team advises that "parents... look through these cards before you play with your family and remove anything you don’t like, since different kids have different sensitivities." Speaking of which, you'll learn how "family friendly" this version may be while going through the download steps, which use some a fairly colorful profanity.

And don't worry, this isn't just a censored version of the classic. The product page says the team "rewrote the entire game from scratch and extensively play-tested it with children so adults and kids can have fun together."

Oh, and best of all, it's free. Of course, the company would like to make money on it some day, and says "Our greatest hope is that our daily lives will return to normal, humankind will unite to end war, and Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition will be available for purchase in stores nationwide."

One reason why it might be free right now is that the team refers to Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition as a beta. Here's how to get it and play now.

How to get and play Cards Against Humanity: Family Edition

  1. Visit this page.
  2. Click Download & Print for Free.
  3. Agree to "stay at home unless absolutely necessary for the duration of the Coronavirus pandemic." (seriously)
  4. Click I Agree again (it's under a message we probably shouldn't repeat here).
  5. Type in your email address, and sign up for an email when it's physically available. 
  6. Or don't, and click "I don't want to give you my email address"
  7. If you pick that option, you'll have to agree to "Stop buying all the toilet paper."
  8. Choose which size cards you want. Small Card PDF will have you split a page of paper between 20 cards, while Large Card PDF is 9 cards per page. 
  9. You can even select a "low ink version" that uses grey ink and not black ink.
  10. Print the PDF that appears in your web browser.

Again, read the cards for yourself, before deciding whether it's a perfect way to spend the night with your kids. Since this is a beta version, CAH is also asking for feedback, which can be sent here.

Oh, and if you're looking to order the original, non-PG Cards Against Humanity boxes, see the latest deals below. 

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.