Are you a writer staring at a blank page? A gamemaster needing a fresh campaign hook? Or simply someone who loves to ponder the infinite possibilities of "what if"? You've come to the right place!
Welcome to the 2025 'What If' Generator!
Alternate history is a fascinating genre that explores how history might have unfolded differently if a key event had changed. But what if those changes were... well, a little absurd? That's where our generator comes in!
We've curated 80 wild, wacky, and downright bizarre alternate history prompts designed to spark your imagination and send your stories or campaigns down truly unexpected paths. Forget the usual "what if Hitler won" scenarios; we're diving into the truly ridiculous!
What Exactly is Alternate History?
At its core, alternate history (or "allohistory") is a genre of speculative fiction that explores how events might have turned out differently if one or more historical events had been altered. These changes, known as "points of divergence," can be massive (a war's outcome) or seemingly minor (a single person's decision). The fun lies in exploring the cascading consequences.
How to Use These Absurd Prompts
There's no wrong way to use these!
- For Writers: Pick a prompt that intrigues you and start brainstorming. What are the immediate consequences? The long-term societal shifts? Who are the new heroes or villains?
- For Gamemasters: Use a prompt as the foundation for a new campaign setting. What factions emerge? What new challenges do players face? How does the world's absurdity impact gameplay?
- For Fun: Simply read through them and let your mind wander. Discuss them with friends. They're excellent conversation starters!
The 2025 'What If' Generator: 80 Absurd Alternate History Prompts
Get ready to twist reality!
Historical Figures & Their Bizarre Twists
- 1. What if Napoleon Bonaparte became a stand-up comedian instead of an emperor?
- 2. What if Marie Curie discovered the secret to eternal youth instead of radioactivity?
- 3. What if William Shakespeare wrote only instruction manuals for IKEA furniture?
- 4. What if Albert Einstein's true passion was competitive synchronized swimming?
- 5. What if Cleopatra opened a chain of successful fast-food restaurants?
- 6. What if Genghis Khan was a renowned interior decorator?
- 7. What if Leonardo da Vinci invented the internet in 1492?
- 8. What if Queen Victoria was secretly a professional wrestler?
- 9. What if Julius Caesar was obsessed with collecting rare stamps?
- 10. What if Joan of Arc led a successful crusade... against bad fashion?
Technological & Scientific Oddities
- 11. What if the wheel was never invented, but teleportation became common in ancient Rome?
- 12. What if dinosaurs never died out, but instead evolved into sentient, jazz-playing musicians?
- 13. What if the Industrial Revolution was powered by highly motivated squirrels?
- 14. What if the first moon landing discovered a fully operational Starbucks?
- 15. What if the Black Death was cured by a specific type of disco music?
- 16. What if alchemy actually worked, and gold was the most common element?
- 17. What if the internet was invented in the 18th century, but only accessible via carrier pigeons?
- 18. What if instead of cars, everyone traveled by personal, domesticated clouds?
- 19. What if gravity stopped working every Tuesday for precisely 30 minutes?
- 20. What if plants developed sentience and demanded equal rights in 1950?
- 21. What if all electricity was generated by people dancing?
- 22. What if photosynthesis produced highly addictive glitter?
- 23. What if the first successful flight was achieved by a giant, sentient hot dog?
- 24. What if the printing press only printed recipes for invisible ink?
- 25. What if all mirrors showed you a slightly different, alternate version of yourself?
Societal & Cultural Shifts
- 26. What if the Roman Empire never fell, but became a massive theme park?
- 27. What if the only form of currency was compliments?
- 28. What if all major wars were settled by competitive baking contests?
- 29. What if pets gained the right to vote in 1900?
- 30. What if humanity discovered that the Earth is actually a giant, sentient potato?
- 31. What if dreams were legally binding contracts?
- 32. What if everyone woke up one day speaking only in rhyming couplets?
- 33. What if the invention of the selfie stick led to world peace?
- 34. What if all historical documents were written in emoji?
- 35. What if the world's oceans turned into giant bowls of soup?
- 36. What if fashion trends were dictated by deep-sea creatures?
- 37. What if every time someone told a lie, a small, harmless mushroom grew on their nose?
- 38. What if instead of money, people traded in unique dance moves?
- 39. What if the concept of "personal space" was outlawed?
- 40. What if all music was spontaneously generated by the weather?
- 41. What if historical reenactments became the primary form of news?
- 42. What if every human had a personal theme song that played constantly?
- 43. What if the concept of "work" was replaced by "play"?
- 44. What if all food tasted exactly like chicken?
- 45. What if libraries were illegal, and knowledge was spread only through interpretive dance?
Environmental & Geographical Anomalies
- 46. What if the Sahara Desert was actually a giant, thriving rainforest?
- 47. What if the moon was made of cheese, and people regularly harvested it?
- 48. What if volcanoes erupted glitter instead of lava?
- 49. What if the North Pole was a tropical paradise?
- 50. What if all rivers flowed uphill?
- 51. What if clouds were solid and walkable?
- 52. What if the Earth's core was made of a giant, sentient gummy bear?
- 53. What if the Great Barrier Reef was a massive, sentient musical instrument?
- 54. What if all mountains were actually giant, sleeping animals?
- 55. What if the sky was permanently plaid?
Everyday Absurdities & Random Events
- 56. What if socks never lost their partners in the laundry?
- 57. What if all traffic lights were replaced by synchronized swimming routines?
- 58. What if every time you sneezed, a random historical figure appeared for 5 seconds?
- 59. What if coffee made you sleepy and tea made you hyperactive?
- 60. What if all food packaging was made of edible, delicious materials?
- 61. What if instead of speaking, everyone communicated through interpretive mime?
- 62. What if shadows had their own independent lives and sometimes rebelled?
- 63. What if all household chores were performed by tiny, invisible dragons?
- 64. What if dreams were broadcast live to everyone around you?
- 65. What if your reflection in the mirror was actually a portal to another dimension?
- 66. What if every time you opened a door, you entered a random historical period?
- 67. What if all furniture could talk, and they had strong opinions on decor?
- 68. What if rain was always made of confetti?
- 69. What if all inanimate objects had feelings and expressed them loudly?
- 70. What if the only way to travel was by juggling?
- 71. What if all pets could suddenly speak fluent Latin?
- 72. What if every time you said "hello," a small, harmless explosion occurred?
- 73. What if all historical monuments were actually giant, sentient robots?
- 74. What if the only way to pay for things was by singing a jingle?
- 75. What if all famous paintings occasionally winked at you?
- 76. What if your favorite fictional character suddenly became your neighbor?
- 77. What if all phones could only make calls to historical figures?
- 78. What if the concept of "luck" was a tangible, tradable commodity?
- 79. What if all shoes had tiny, built-in jetpacks?
- 80. What if the universe was just a giant simulation run by a bored teenager?
Unleash Your Inner Storyteller!
We hope these 80 absurd alternate history prompts have ignited a spark in your creative mind. The beauty of "what if" lies in its boundless potential. There are no wrong answers, only new stories waiting to be told.
So, pick a prompt, grab your pen (or keyboard), gather your players, and start building your own wonderfully weird alternate reality. What bizarre timeline will you explore first?
Share your favorite absurd "what if" scenarios in the comments below!
