Here at Casual Game Revolution, we love a very good success story. When regular, on a regular basis individuals have an amazing concept, we imagine they should be heard. This is why we jumped on the likelihood to interview Eric Olsen, a instructor from Boise, Idaho, who just lately printed his sport, Glyphics, in partnership with Big G Creative.

Eric had an concept for a celebration sport whereas caught at residence along with his household throughout COVID. Two years later, his sport is now professionally printed and accessible on Target cabinets in all places. We had been curious to search out out extra about this course of and whether or not he has extra video games within the works. Here is what he instructed us:

CGR: Hi Eric! Please inform us about your self and your gaming preferences. What is your favourite sport?

I like so many video games it’s laborious to decide on a favourite. Some of the video games that I actually get pleasure from for sport nights with family and friends embrace KOT, Alhambra, 7 Wonders, Lords of Waterdeep, Sushi Go, Wits & Wagers, and Rage. Maybe rotate in a basic like Taboo now and again. I additionally get pleasure from technique video games like Chess, Go, and Stratego, and phrase video games together with Boggle, Scrabble, and Bananagrams.

CGR: Please inform us extra about your sport, Glyphics. How did you first give you the thought?

My children and I had been sitting across the kitchen desk. There had been a couple of odds and ends on the desk. I put them collectively to make an image (I even have an image of that very first thing I made. No concept I used to be going to make a sport — simply taking an image to take an image, however I’m glad I’ve it!). My children (12 and 14 on the time) guessed what I made. Then they needed to take a flip. I assumed, “Gee, that’s fairly enjoyable — possibly I may make extra stuff if I used all of the crap within the junk drawer.” I shortly realized the shapes within the junk drawer had been fairly restricted and began to consider how I may get extra shapes. Then one factor led to a different. I borrowed a 3D printer and began making a couple of early playing cards and it developed from there.

Eric’s first idea construct of Glyphics, utilizing on a regular basis family objects

CGR: What made you resolve to noticeably pursue it as an expert sport?

I believed the thought was nice, however, as you recognize, typically another person has already had the identical nice concept. I talked to my spouse and shelled out $800 for a top-notch patent search. When that got here again detrimental I made a decision I’d go all in! (I used to be nervous to open the e-mail from the patent search firm.)

CGR: Please inform us concerning the course of you adopted for pitching your sport to publishers. Did you go straight to publishers, or did you first think about self-publishing?

My creation course of concerned a LOT of playtesting with family and friends. I’ve a bunch of associates that I meet up with yearly simply to play video games all weekend. They had been invaluable all through the complete course of from serving to me consider the playing cards and items to refining the foundations and brainstorming names. My household additionally helped out lots. I imagine I bought an distinctive sport due to all of the enter from family and friends.

Examples of clues given throughout a sport of Glyphics (offered by Eric). Can you guess what they characterize?
Solutions (learn every one backwards): enigne erif, asiL anoM, enob ynnuf, esrohaes, sgod dna stac gniniar

When I began, I knew completely nothing about getting a board sport right into a retailer. I didn’t find out about sport publishers. Because I knew I knew nothing, I reached out to attempt to discover a mentor. I despatched an e-mail to Bananagrams. Surprisingly they reached again out to me and I ended up having a few superb conversations with Rena Nathanson, the CEO of Bananagrams. I reached out to them as a result of they’re nonetheless a family-run enterprise. She mentioned a few of my choices with me and was extraordinarily encouraging. Through Rena, I met Mike Fisher and David Blanchard at GPI (Grand Prix International), a extremely respected sport manufacturing firm that’s now additionally creating a reputation for itself within the business as a frontrunner in inventive sport growth. I believed in my sport so strongly I used to be ready to self-publish. However, I labored out a win/win scenario with GPI. They acted as my agent and Glyphics was snatched up in a short time by Big G!

The elements of the ultimate sport, printed by Big G Creative

CGR: Where will you go from right here? Do you have got plans to design extra video games?

I didn’t notice that sport growth was a “factor” one may do. When I spotted how a lot I loved the inventive course of I began making extra video games. My second and third video games have a number of publishers (together with a couple of of the giants) . However, I’m contemplating taking not less than considered one of them and self-publishing on Amazon as a result of they’re each card video games. One is a push-your-luck sport with a very cool twist. The different is a brand new model of an older sport. My fourth sport is simply beginning to get proven. I actually prefer it. There are a couple of publishers keen on it already. It makes use of coloured scrabble tiles (plenty of 3D printing once more)! I’ve one other half-dozen in growth, together with my first preschool-age sport. If it really works out, I’d like to strive sport growth full-time sooner or later.

Eric Olsen discovers his sport at Target for the primary time

There you have got it. Eric Olsen is a reminder that gaming desires actually do come true. We want him the very best of success and look ahead to seeing plenty of nice informal video games from him sooner or later!