Chapter 015 - 2005.02.12

  • This day, I was pitching ideas at the NYC Toy Fair -

    • with my agent.

  • After a few years of pitching ideas -

    • to one particular rep/ owner -

      • of one particular game company -

        • and touting my previous successes -

          • the woman finally caved -

            • and threw me a bone.

  • She and her company had secured -

    • the Desperate Housewives board game license.

  • She was giving a few of her best inventors -

    • the assignment creating the best game.

  • Marc Cherry, show creator,

    • would be selecting the winning submission.

  • After I got home -

    • I went straight to work.

  • First needed to watch the show -

    • which I had not been doing.

  • Fast forward a month or so -

    • and I got the word -

      • Marc had selected my creation.

  • Mine would be the one that would be further developed.

  • They were claiming it would sell more than a million units.

  • We were given an extremely low royalty percent -

    • because of the expected mega-sales.

  • Marc was quite difficult to work with.

  • He wanted what he wanted -

    • with no regard for playability.

  • He directed an extremely complex game be produced -

    • nearly impossible to play.

  • Here's what ultimately was produced:

  • Sales were way off the mark -

    • at about 431K units sold.

  • I netted about $13,000 -

    • for many months of long stressful work.

  • The win opened up other doors for me though.

  • Through the same company,

    • I did another seven games -

      • several for Disney brands.

  • None of them were great games -

    • as we were forced into a certain mould.

  • But the more successes I accumulated -

    • the more other game companies -

      • gave us a chance and paid attention to novel ideas.