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AWS BuilderCards

AWS BuilderCards, 2nd Edition, is a fun and educational deckbuilding card game, designed to teach how different AWS services work together to build well-architected workloads.

AWS BuilderCards

Welcome, Builder!

This is your first day as a freshly hired IT architect! Your task: Build up a team and create lots of shiny, innovative and most importantly, cloud, native applications! But wait, there's still the on-premises infrastructure you have to deal with... Use your resources wisely, acquire more AWS Services each turn, build Architectures and claim the Well-Architected points as long as they're still available!

Rules for base game and add-ons

Builder’s Guideline

Quick reference cards (A5)

Resilience Expansion

These mats work with all game expansions and add-ons.

PDF for self print (A3)

Console

Player Mat x2

High-res PNG for professionally printed neoprene mats
While 14\"x24\" is a standard format for neoprene playmats, you may need to find a printer who can produce custom sizes for the other formats.

Complete Mat for a 2-Player Game 24”x28”

2x Player Mat (cutting needed) 14”x24”

Console Mat 14”x24”

Player Mat big (with building area) 14”x24”

Player Mat small 6”x20”

Play your deck like you draw your AWS Architecture diagrams

AWS BuilderCards highlights AWS Service interactions, by granting additional buffs for applying combinations!
An AWS architecture diagram showing the integration of Amazon API Gateway, AWS Lambda, Amazon SNS, Amazon EC2, Amazon OpenSearch Service, and Amazon DynamoDB within an AWS Cloud environment. The workflow demonstrates how requests flow through API Gateway to Lambda, then to SNS, and onward to EC2/OpenSearch or Lambda/DynamoDB endpoints.

Made to fit into your work schedule

As IT professionals, we understand the demands of your work environment. Time is precious, and finding opportunities to connect with colleagues and unwind can be a challenge. Keeping that in mind, we designed AWS BuilderCards to last 30 minutes or less. By strategically selecting and combining various AWS service cards, you'll learn how to architect robust and scalable solutions, all while engaging in friendly competition and fostering camaraderie among your team. Extend your knowledge about AWS, connect with your coworkers, and recharge during your workday.
Coworkers playing the AWS BuilderCards board game together, using cards and mats to foster teamwork and social bonding in 2024.

Strengthen social bonds with your coworkers

AWS BuilderCards can also be used to facilitate team-building activities and social events. Why not incorporate the game into your next offsite meeting or team retreat? Whether you're a seasoned AWS veteran or just beginning your cloud journey, "AWS BuilderCards" offers a refreshing and educational experience tailored to the unique needs of the IT industry. By sharing laughs, strategizing together, and engaging in friendly competition, you'll forge new connections and deepen existing ones.
Two people playing the AWS BuilderCards board game on a wooden table, with cards and game mats featuring AWS cloud services and resources. The focus is on gameplay and educational engagement with AWS concepts.

Learn how to play

Feedback and Requests

We’d love to hear your feedback and requests about AWS BuilderCards!
Leave your feedback here

AWS BuilderCards rules

Download the PDF
Two illustrated chaos event cards from the AWS BuilderCards Resilience Expansion deck, featuring playful disaster and mitigation scenarios related to AWS Elastic Disaster Recovery (DRS) and container services such as Amazon ECS and Amazon EKS.

FAQ

Learn about AWS BuilderCards

If you are looking for a single copy, you can get AWS BuilderCards at selected AWS events.

We are very close to making the game available more broadly.

If you want to play AWS BuilderCards as a part of an internal company or community event (>30 attendees), please contact your AWS representative or drop us an email at aws-buildercards@amazon.com.

The QR code points to the website of the AWS content represented on the card. If you hold a service card in your hand that you want to learn more about, simply scan the card and start reading. The QR code contains the same URL that is printed on the bottom of the cards.
The base game, AWS BuilderCards, covers core services common in many workloads. To give our customers the opportunity to play and build with additional services, we are actively developing games expansions and booster packs.
With the second Edition, we are providing a short manual on one of the cards. Still, we’re constantly improving the game balance and accessibility of AWS BuilderCards. This is why we are deliberately going with an online-first approach. To learn how to play, you can watch the video and download the latest rules here . You may also download and print game mats – a convenient way for new players to learn the game. The play mats for the 2nd Edition also contain game instructions.
You can play without any existing AWS knowledge or skills. It is recommended to be at least 12 years old in order to play. However, it’s really fun when AWS Architects play and discuss!
As AWS BuilderCards, 2nd Edition features various game add-ons and colectible cards, it is important for us that all cards are consistent in size, material and color. Therefore we can’t provide the cards for self-print.

Contact us.

Whether you’re a team of one or one thousand, we’d love to learn more about your game development needs. 
Get in touch
White line art of two speech bubble icons with sparkling accents on a pink and red gradient background, representing communication or contact for AWS Games.

Disclaimer:

AWS BuilderCards are for entertainment purpuses only.
AWS Services may have additional capabilities from what is illustrated in cards or game mechanics.

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