Let's be honest. The original What Do You Meme? box is great, but after about three rounds with the same group of friends, you start to see the same "Side-Eyeing Chloe" or "Distracted Boyfriend" cards over and over. It gets stale. Fast. You know exactly which caption is going to win before it’s even read aloud because your best friend always picks the raunchiest option and your sister always goes for the puns. The magic of a meme is its timeliness, and the internet moves at light speed while a cardboard box stays stuck in 2016. That is exactly where a What Do You Meme expansion pack steps in to save your social life from the death of repetitive jokes.
The Brutal Truth About Why You Need More Cards
If you’re still playing with just the core set, you’re basically watching reruns of a sitcom that wasn't even that funny the fifth time. The game relies entirely on the element of surprise. When someone drops a fresh image card that perfectly captures the "pain" of a specific modern situation, the room explodes. When they drop a card everyone has seen twelve times? Crickets. Or maybe a polite chuckle.
Expansion packs aren't just "more of the same." They are the patches and updates for your physical gaming experience. Think of it like a software update for your living room. You wouldn't run an operating system from a decade ago, so why are you still laughing at memes that peaked during the Obama administration?
Buying an expansion is honestly a strategic move. Different packs cater to different "vibes" of the night. If you’re hanging out with coworkers, you definitely don't want the "NSFW" deck—unless you’re looking to get a very awkward call from HR on Monday morning. On the flip side, if it’s a late-night party with drinks involved, the "Fresh Memes" packs or the "Adult" themed ones are the only way to keep the energy up.
Not All What Do You Meme Expansion Packs Are Created Equal
Seriously. Some are legendary, and some just... exist. You have to be picky.
The Fresh Memes Expansion Pack (there are several volumes now, like Vol. 1 and Vol. 2) is usually the safest bet for general play. These packs focus on staying current. They grab the images that actually trended on TikTok and Instagram recently. They feel relevant. But then you have the niche ones.
Take the Game of Thrones or Real Housewives packs. These are highly specific. If your group doesn't watch Bravo, the Housewives cards are going to be a total flop. You’ll spend more time explaining who Nene Leakes is than actually playing the game. It kills the momentum. But, if you are a group of Bravo stans? That expansion pack becomes the greatest $15 you’ve ever spent. It transforms the game into an inside joke machine.
There’s also the NSFW Expansion Pack. It’s the one everyone wants to buy but no one wants to admit they own when their parents come over. It pushes the boundaries way further than the core game. It’s crass. It’s loud. It’s exactly what a group of adults needs after a few drinks, but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. Honestly, it makes the original game look like a Sunday school lesson.
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How the Mechanics Actually Change When You Mix Decks
Most people just shuffle everything together. That's a mistake.
If you dump five expansion packs into the main box, you end up with a massive, unwieldy tower of cards that’s impossible to shuffle. Plus, the "power level" of the jokes gets diluted. The best way to use a What Do You Meme expansion pack is to swap them out. Taking out thirty of the "stale" cards from the original box and replacing them with thirty fresh ones from an expansion keeps the deck size manageable while ensuring every hand someone draws feels "new."
A Quick Look at Popular Themes
- The TikTok Edition: High energy, very Gen Z, lots of "main character energy" jokes.
- The Stoner Expansion: Pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Very niche, very "vibey."
- The Career/Office Packs: Perfect for "team building" (the kind where you actually roast your boss).
- The Basic Expansion: Focuses on the "Live, Laugh, Love" aesthetic and the humor of mundane adulthood.
The sheer variety is what keeps the brand alive. According to data from various retail trackers, What Do You Meme? remains a top-tier party game because they realized early on that "meme culture" is disposable. By releasing these packs, they turned a one-off purchase into a subscription-style hobby without the actual subscription fee.
The "E-E-A-T" of Meme Gaming: Why This Matters
Look, anyone can write a product description. But if you've actually sat through a four-hour gaming session where the "Bad Luck Brian" card was played for the tenth time, you know the frustration. Expert gamers—and by that, I mean people who actually host parties—know that the "Judge" in What Do You Meme? has a huge influence on which packs you should use.
If your "Judge" for the round is a 40-year-old accountant, playing a card from the TikTok Expansion might result in a blank stare. If your Judge is a 19-year-old college student, they might not even know the "Success Kid" meme from the original deck. Understanding the demographics of your friend group is the "Expertise" part of choosing your expansion.
Dealing with the Quality Control Issue
One thing people rarely talk about is card stock.
When you buy a What Do You Meme expansion pack, you’ll notice that sometimes the finish on the cards is slightly different from the original run. This happens because the company, What Do You Meme? (owned by Relatable), has shifted manufacturers over the years to keep up with massive demand. It’s a small detail, but for the "card sharks" out there, it can be annoying if you can "see" which card is from which deck based on the sheen of the back. It's not a dealbreaker, but it's something to keep in mind if you're a perfectionist.
Also, be wary of "fakes" on massive marketplace sites. Because these games are so popular, third-party sellers often push knock-off expansions that have blurry images or typos. Always make sure the box has the official Relatable branding. The real ones have crisp, high-resolution photos. The fake ones look like they were printed on a home inkjet in 2004.
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Is It Actually Worth the Money?
Think about it this way: a movie ticket costs what, fifteen bucks? A cocktail at a decent bar is the same. A What Do You Meme expansion pack usually retails around that same price point and gives you hours of entertainment for a group of 3 to 20 people. From a "cost-per-laugh" perspective, it’s one of the most efficient investments you can make for your social life.
But don't just buy them all at once. That's how you get "meme fatigue." Buy one. Play it until those jokes feel familiar. Then buy another. It keeps the "new game smell" alive for months.
Setting Up Your Next Session
When you finally get your hands on a new pack, don't just throw it at your friends. curate the experience. If you’re having a themed party—say, a 90s night—maybe leave out the ultra-modern TikTok cards and focus on the more "relatable" lifestyle cards.
The secret to a great What Do You Meme? night isn't just having the most cards; it's having the right cards for the people in the room.
Actionable Steps for a Better Game Night
- Purge the Dead Weight: Go through your main box. If there’s a card that hasn't made anyone laugh in three sessions, toss it into a "retired" box.
- The 70/30 Rule: When mixing in a What Do You Meme expansion pack, try a ratio of 70% core cards to 30% expansion cards. This keeps the "classic" feel while injecting enough new humor to keep people on their toes.
- Rotate Your Judges Fast: Don't let one person judge for too long. New cards mean new perspectives, and you want to see how different people react to the fresh humor.
- Check the Room: Before the first card is dealt, look at your expansion options. If your grandma is playing, maybe leave the NSFW pack in the drawer for tonight.
- Storage Matters: Keep your expansions in their original boxes or use dividers in the main big box. Mixing them all together permanently makes it a nightmare to filter the game for different audiences later.
The reality is that What Do You Meme? is a living game. It's supposed to evolve. By selectively adding expansion packs, you aren't just adding "more stuff"—you're tailoring the humor to fit your specific life. Whether it’s the "Bigger Better Edition" or a tiny 15-card niche pack, the goal is the same: stop the awkward silences and keep the group laughing at things that actually make sense in today's weird internet culture.