# Risk (game)
**Risk** is a board game of strategy, diplomacy, and conquest in which players command armies on a world map, capture territories from one another in dice-rolling battles, and win by eliminating their opponents or, in modern editions, by completing a secret mission. It was designed by the French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse as *La Conquête du Monde* (The Conquest of the World) in 1957, and [Parker Brothers](https://www.edgepedia.org/parker-brothers) published it with a few small changes as Risk in 1959.[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Designed by Albert Lamorisse as *La Conquête du Monde* (1957); published as Risk by Parker Brothers in 1959[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/) |
| Board | A world map of 42 territories across six continents; the winning player occupies all of them[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/) |
| Players and age | 2 to 5 players, ages 10 and up[2](https://instructions.hasbro.com/en-gb/instruction/risk-game) |
| Components (current edition) | Gameboard, 300 figures (40 Infantry, 12 Cavalry, and 8 Artillery per army), a deck of 56 Risk cards, 5 dice, 5 cardboard war crates, and a game guide[2](https://instructions.hasbro.com/en-gb/instruction/risk-game) |
| Modern win condition | The player who first completes one of 12 Secret Missions and reveals the card wins[2](https://instructions.hasbro.com/en-gb/instruction/risk-game) |
| Recognition | Inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2021[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/) |
## History
Albert Lamorisse (Paris, January 13, 1922 – Karaj, June 2, 1970), a French filmmaker, film producer, and writer best known for the award-winning short film *Le Ballon rouge* ([The Red Balloon](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-red-balloon), 1956), invented *La Conquête du Monde* in 1957.[3](https://www.firstversions.com/2017/01/risk.html) He presented the game to Miro, a French game manufacturer, and Jean-Rene Vernes adjusted the rules a bit so that beginners could pick them up easily.[4](https://www.ultraboardgames.com/risk/history.php) Boisseau of Miro then approached Parker Brothers, and a first version of *La Conquête du Monde* was launched on the United States market in 1959 under the Risk name.[3](https://www.firstversions.com/2017/01/risk.html) • [5](https://www.giochidelloca.it/storia/BGS6.pdf) Great Britain received the game from Parker in 1960, although its box claimed a UK patent of 1955, which was Lamorisse's own patent.[5](https://www.giochidelloca.it/storia/BGS6.pdf)
The Strong National Museum of Play describes Risk as the first popular game involving strategy, diplomacy, conflict, and conquest, and as a progenitor of many war games that followed, such as [Avalon Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/avalon-hill)'s Axis & Allies and, by extension, strategy games called Eurogames such as The Settlers of Catan.[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/) The museum inducted Risk into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2021.[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/)
## Gameplay
Players control armies of tokens on a world map board and attempt to capture adjoining territories from other players, battling by rolls of the dice.[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/) Defeating all of the enemy troops in a territory conquers that territory and moves the attacker one step closer to global conquest.[2](https://instructions.hasbro.com/en-gb/instruction/risk-game) To win, a player must rout the other players, removing them from the game, and take control of every one of the board's 42 territories, which together make up all six continents.[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/)
**Dice combat.** Because the outcome of each combat is decided by rolling dice, a probabilistic approach can be taken to the game.[6](https://arxiv.org/abs/1204.4082) Dice odds in Risk were first investigated by Tan, fixed by Osbourne, and extended by Blatt.[7](https://arxiv.org/abs/1512.04333)
**Missions and variants.** In the current Hasbro edition, the player who completes a secret mission first, and reveals the Secret Mission card to prove it, wins; the edition features 12 Secret Missions and improved Mission cards intended to speed up the game.[2](https://instructions.hasbro.com/en-gb/instruction/risk-game) A refreshed edition offers four ways to play: the original Secret Mission variant, straight Classic conquest, a Capital mode in which losing your capital ends your game instantly, and a two-player mode with a neutral "wild" army.[8](https://hexagamers.com/best-risk-versions/) An earlier official variant, the Command Room version, lets collecting an Objective also advance the player.[9](https://www.hasbro.com/common/documents/430e4f3f6bfd10148a8ef35124427085/D5AA11E450569047F501216DFDB18687.pdf)
Part of the game's appeal is that, unlike most war games, more than two players may compete.[1](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/)
## Editions and influence
Risk has spawned dozens of themed editions and mechanical variants over the decades.[10](https://therulebook.com/best/risk-expansions/) Named editions include Risk Classic, Risk: Legacy, Risk 2210 A.D., Risk: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition, Risk: [Game of Thrones](https://www.edgepedia.org/game-of-thrones), Risk: Star Wars Edition, Risk Europe, Risk: European Edition, and Risk: Godstorm.[11](https://www.raindropchess.com/best-risk-editions/) Risk: Star Wars Edition streamlines the base game into a faster, more tactical experience set during the Battle of [Endor](https://www.edgepedia.org/endor-star-wars), played across three simultaneous theaters (space, the [Death Star](https://www.edgepedia.org/death-star) shield bunker, and the surface of Endor) in 45 to 60 minutes.[10](https://therulebook.com/best/risk-expansions/) Risk Europe is a more independent game with a feudal European map, castles, taxes, and the goal of controlling seven kingdoms.[12](https://spielwaren-zeiss.de/risiko-brettspiel-versionen-im-vergleich-welche-ausgabe-passt-zu-dir)
The map has stayed stable across editions: every Risk board using the Earth as its map has maintained the exact same province structure and connections between provinces, even where colors and the relative sizes of provinces changed.[13](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/893259/risk-revised-a-comparative-review)
**Place in the hobby.** Risk breaks a military strategy game down to its essential parts for a simple, straightforward experience, and it is easy to learn and play.[14](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3076331/risk-review-series-part-1-classic-risk) Compared with later territory-control games, all Risk units are exactly the same, which is one reason heavier games such as [Axis & Allies](https://www.edgepedia.org/axis-and-allies) are described as having far more depth.[15](https://critical-hits.com/blog/2007/01/10/axis-allies-revised-edition-a-review/) Common strategies, such as turtling in Australia, are used repeatedly by players, and for some the game becomes predictable over repeated play.[14](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3076331/risk-review-series-part-1-classic-risk)
## References
1. [Risk, The Strong National Museum of Play](https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/)
2. [Risk Game Instructions & Rules, Hasbro](https://instructions.hasbro.com/en-gb/instruction/risk-game)
3. [First Versions: Risk](https://www.firstversions.com/2017/01/risk.html)
4. [The history of the board game Risk, UltraBoardGames](https://www.ultraboardgames.com/risk/history.php)
5. [Board Game Studies 6 (2003), CNWS Publications](https://www.giochidelloca.it/storia/BGS6.pdf)
6. [On probabilities of Risk type board game combats, arXiv:1204.4082](https://arxiv.org/abs/1204.4082)
7. [Taking the risk out of RISK: Conquer Odds in the Board Game RISK, arXiv:1512.04333](https://arxiv.org/abs/1512.04333)
8. [What Are the Best Versions of Risk the Board Game?, Hexagamers](https://hexagamers.com/best-risk-versions/)
9. [Risk rulebook (Command Room version), Hasbro](https://www.hasbro.com/common/documents/430e4f3f6bfd10148a8ef35124427085/D5AA11E450569047F501216DFDB18687.pdf)
10. [Best Risk Editions & Expansions, TheRuleBook.com](https://therulebook.com/best/risk-expansions/)
11. [10 Best Risk Editions, Raindrop Chess](https://www.raindropchess.com/best-risk-editions/)
12. [Risiko-Brettspiel-Versionen im Vergleich, Spielwaren Zeiss](https://spielwaren-zeiss.de/risiko-brettspiel-versionen-im-vergleich-welche-ausgabe-passt-zu-dir)
13. [Risk Revised - A Comparative Review, BoardGameGeek](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/893259/risk-revised-a-comparative-review)
14. [RISK Review Series Part 1: Classic RISK, BoardGameGeek](https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3076331/risk-review-series-part-1-classic-risk)
15. [Axis & Allies Revised Edition: A Review, Critical Hits](https://critical-hits.com/blog/2007/01/10/axis-allies-revised-edition-a-review/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Board, card, and puzzle games › Board games › Wargames › Cross-era and grand strategy board wargames*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license