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.”
 

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 HARRY POTTER™ HOGWARTS BATTLE™ 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.