I WANTED TO INVENT SOMETHING FUNNIER THAN CAT VIDEOS!
HAZEL REYNOLDS, 34, FROM BRIGHTON, WANTED TO LURE HER LITTLE SISTER OFF HER IPAD…
Heading home for Christmas 2014, I was looking forward to spending time with my little sister, Rose, then 12. But she was glued to her iPad. The only time she switched it off was when we played silly family games. So I decided to invent a game so good, it was funnier than the cat videos she loved. Randomise was my second idea. Players are given random identities and have to draw, act and describe themselves. Rose loved it and I loved the quality time with her, connecting and playing.
In August 2015, I put the idea for Randomise on Kickstarter. I raised enough money to get it on sale in time for Christmas and in the new year we joined Amazon
Launchpad, designed to help start-ups. They were supportive and took over fulfllment while I was pregnant with Charlie, now four. Within a year, Randomise was one of Amazon’s top ten bestselling card games in the UK and my husband, Chris, 36, left his job to join me.
Ideas for new games are about putting interesting ideas into my brain in the form of
devouring books and when restrictions allow, galleries and museums. Then, time and space to percolate. We have play-testers, including Rose, who is now 18 and one of my most enthusiastic play-testers.
I invent silly, funny, family friendly games. There’s Frozen Unicorns, where everyone poses as something silly. Our most recent launch is A Little More Conversation, a gentle conversation starter. Soundiculous is our bestseller and the idea came to me while Chris and I were making animal noises to entertain Charlie.
Lockdown meant a huge surge in orders, but it’s not about profit. It makes my day when I hear Frozen Unicorns has brought grandparents and grandchildren together over Zoom. It’s a privilege to bring families together. We give 10% of profits to charity and in the first lockdown sent free games to 300 children whose birthday parties were cancelled. I hope our games help lift spirits. GAMELYGAMES.COM