Cryptozoic Entertainment and Decipher Announce Partnership to Relaunch
How To Host A Murder® Game Series
Long-Running Murder Mystery Party Game Returns in 2025 with Updated Versions of Existing Episodes and New Licensed Episodes
Laguna Hills, CA — February 28, 2025 — Cryptozoic Entertainment, leading creator of tabletop games, trading cards, and collectibles, and Decipher today announced a partnership to relaunch the long-running How To Host A Murder® party game brand.
With over 20 releases and more than 50 million players since 1985, How To Host A Murder is the most famous running series of boxed murder mystery games ever published. Originally published by Decipher, the releases by Cryptozoic will update the brand’s aesthetics, but the core gameplay will remain the same: Players gather for a light role-playing experience where they take on the roles of suspects, all attempting to expose which one of them is the murderer. The setting is humorous, with up to eight players dressing in costumes and acting out their parts in exaggerated ways. Each self-contained episode’s box contains a host guide, player manuals, a sheet of secret clues, guest invitations, name tags, diagrams, and more.
The initial relaunch will feature four classic episodes, each sold separately: The Watersdown Affair, Class of ’54, The Chicago Caper, and Saturday Night Cleaver. Licensed versions based on several major IPs are in development, with announcements to be made in the coming months.
“We are pleased to be working with Cryptozoic to revitalize How To Host A Murder® with updated packaging and new licensed properties while maintaining the high quality that made it the most recognizable and best-selling dinner party mystery game in the world,” said Decipher CEO Warren Holland.
“How To Host A Murder is a timeless brand, so we are thrilled our friends at Decipher trusted us to bring the game back into the world,” said Cory Jones, CCO and co-founder of Cryptozoic. “Millions of former players will love experiencing the game again and new generations will discover the fun and intrigue of getting together with friends to solve a murder. The new licensed releases will bring the How To Host A Murder gameplay to beloved IPs, creating an unforgettable and unique experience for fans.”
Cryptozoic will relaunch Host To A Murder later in 2025, with major retail partnerships already in the works.