Carlsbad, CA January 23, 2026 -- At Gen Con 2024, we released a small card game by Eric Olsen. With 94 cards, a shiny box, and a unique marketing plan, we hoped that we could drum up a little buzz that would maybe carry the game through the end of the year.
Now, as we head into 2026, those initial goals for Flip 7 feel like a distant, quaint memory. So we thought it was about time to reflect on the weird and wonderful journey that Flip 7 has taken us on!
- A Spiel Des Jahres finalist
- Over 2 million sales
- Released in 19 different languages
- Thousands of copies given away!
Flip 7: How did we get here?
Published at Jan 20, 2026
An instant hit? Not quite…
Eric’s original prototype was quite different from the game we know today. For such a seemingly simple game, Flip 7 went through a surprisingly long development cycle.
David Blanchard, now The Op’s Director of Party and Family games, was involved with helping Eric pitch his prototype long before he came to work at The Op. David saw immediate potential in the product, but struggled to get publishers to bite.
“Finding success with a party card game is HARD AF. If you want to be in the mass retailers like Walmart or Target, you’re going up against a combination of new sensations like Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza or Exploding Kittens. As well as decade-old classics that have been ingrained into our collective subconscious like Uno, Phase 10, Skip-Bo, and Dutch Blitz.”
“If you pay attention to the peg hook section of games at mass, you’ll notice there isn’t a lot that changes over there - it’s a forest of evergreens. So I think the publishers I was showing the game to were also largely passing due to how competitive that space is and just how hard it is to have a product that breaks through."
The Magic of Playtesting
The game finally made it in front of The Op Games’ team, including Tony Serebriany, VP of Inventor Relations. The prototype stayed with the team for a long time as they tried to figure out how to realize Flip 7’s full potential.
“We had a great open dialogue with Eric all throughout our development work; asking lots of questions, making some suggestions, and asking him to try some of the things we were trying,” recalls Tony.
“In the development, we unlocked two key things: how cards are dealt to players, and changes to the Special Action Cards.”
“Originally, everyone was dealt 7 cards face down, and simultaneously, everyone would choose if they wanted to flip a card. There were some great reveal moments for sure; however, the order of operations was a bit unclear and messed with the concept of the Flip 7 bonus. We addressed all of this by changing to a single dealer each round which would rotate throughout the game, making everyone focus on every card as it was delivered. This changed the game experience dramatically for the better.”
“As for the adjustments to the Special Action Cards, originally Eric had designed the Freeze/Flip Three as a single card that could only affect the player it was dealt to.” Throughout development, these actions were split up into their own cards, and the rules changed to allow players the option of assigning action cards to other players. “The ability to keep or assign to another player, this was magic!!!”
David remarked the game was “play-tested probably over 1,000 times collectively before we sent it off to print. We knew we were onto something big. Thankfully, we were right!”
A Great Game Isn't Enough
Once Flip 7 had been playtested and refined, the next hurdle was the marketing. Anyone who publishes games will tell you that it’s not enough to just make a fun game– you need to get people to play it, and then hopefully, to talk about it.
Brian Greenwald, VP of Marketing, had an unconventional idea for jumpstarting that initial momentum.
“We knew early on how great of a game it is, all we needed to do was get it into the hands of people and have them play it. So, we gave it away – literally! At Gen Con, we created a promotional version, which was a FULL version of the game, and gave them away. The game spread like wildfire as people were sharing it with their groups, and we saw firsthand that usually half of the group pulled out their phone and purchased it.“
A Small Game With a Huge Impact
We’re still seeing the ripple effects of this marketing strategy as we continue to give the game away to this day, as Ray Billings, Head of Content, can attest.
“I think the single most valuable copy we ever gave away was the copy I gave to Spencer Agnew from Smosh! They were skeptical at first to take anything as they already have a mountain of games back at their studio. But I promised them that they wouldn’t regret taking home this tiny card game. And boy, has that butterfly effect been a crazy ride!”
Smosh is one of the original personality-based YouTube channels, now boasting tens of millions of subscribers. “They are an incredibly important gateway to the tabletop hobby. Many young people are curating their first board game collections based on what they see played on Smosh. And they also happen to have the perfect dynamic for Flip 7! Their great comedic instincts and Flip 7’s inherently dramatic gameplay make for a highly engaging video that showcases what Flip 7 does best.”
“Smosh fans fell in love with the game instantly, and it’s created a really fun online community around the game. They have played a big part in spreading the word, and reading their stories about how the game has made their lives better, even in the smallest of ways, is my favorite part of my day.”
What's Next for Flip 7?
At the end of 2025, we launched the first licensed version of Flip 7, and frankly, we were shocked again! Branching out with an established title is always nerve-wracking, so we were thrilled that the community was so excited about Flip 7: The Grinch.
“The Grinch was our first IP choice for multiple reasons,” explains Andrew Esposito, Senior Product Marketing Manager. “The first being that Dr. Seuss’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ is a timeless classic that is beloved by all. Second, we have a wonderful collection of Grinch products in our catalog, and Flip 7: The Grinch Edition helps to strengthen that line.”
“The future is bright for Flip 7. We are excited to release new versions of the game throughout 2026. One of the things we’re most excited about is how we can expand the game while maintaining its approachability for all players. Whether that’s adding one or two new rules for our fantastic licensed versions coming in 2026, or creating something entirely new from the ground up, the possibilities are endless. Who knows, Flip 7 might even come back someday … With a Vengeance.”
Thank YOU!
We want to extend the most sincere thank you to all of our players. Again, a great game is nothing without a community to play it and share it with others. Thank you for being a part of Flip 7!
As Eric Olsen says, “being at the center of Flip 7's success feels a little bit like being swept along in a dream. It's the type of story you read about, not the type of story where you're the main character. I had high expectations for Flip 7, but I never could have imagined this past year. It's simply been crazy and awesome. It allowed me to retire from my job as a math teacher and devote myself full-time to games.”
"And it is not just the big moments. Truthfully, all the small moments of friends, family, and complete strangers sharing Flip 7 stories are what I love the most. It's still weird to sign games for fans and pose for pictures at conventions, but it's all in the name of fun. I love my own game nights with friends and family, and I'm just getting used to the idea that millions of people worldwide are out there laughing (and sometimes cursing) and creating lasting memories with Flip 7! And I hope that continues to happen long after I'm gone. Wouldn't that be a nice legacy?”
Flip 7 Available Now!
About Usaopoly (aka The Op Games)
The Op, also known as Usaopoly, is a family entertainment company and leading publisher and manufacturer of board games and puzzles for over 25 years! Our diverse portfolio includes award-winning and best-selling titles such as TELESTRATIONS®, BLANK SLATE™, HUES & CUES™, TAPPLE and Flip 7™ as well as licensed versions of MONOPOLY®, CLUE®, MUNCHKIN®, TRIVIAL PURSUIT®, DICE THRONE, SMASH UP, and more. The Op continues to partner with marquee brands and licensors such as Hasbro, Disney, Marvel, Nintendo, Warner Bros., Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon. The Op is passionate about bringing family, friends, and fans together to create memorable experiences through play! Learn more at www.TheOp.games.
