Hey there, all you gorgeous gamers, and welcome back! Today I’ve got a treat for you in the form of an interview! I don’t usually get to go to Gen Con, and this year is no different. But since no one else is going either, I was lucky enough to book a virtual interview with Ross from The Op! I got to sit down with him and talk about all of the AWESOME things they have in store for everyone, and what’s already available! So if you their games and want to learn more, read on!
1. What games have come out recently from The Op, & what’s still to come this year?
When Ross and I started talking, he said he could probably spend a whole hour talking about just The Op’s recent releases, and boy howdy, so could I! There are so many great things that have come out, and many more to follow:
- Hues and Cues has been a hit since its’ release. It’s a party game that can be played virtually/over stream where players give word hints to colors on a vibrant board.
- Telestrations: Upside Drawn is a new twist on their classic drawing game. Players work in teams and the player who knows the word moves the board around under the pen held by their teammate, who also has to guess the word!
- Scooby-Do: Escape from the Haunted Mansion – A Coded Chronicle Game is an escape room type game, one time play through, where nothing gets destroyed so you can pass it on or save it for another play (my preferred type of escape room games). The Coded Chronicles system is an original from The Op, and gives players tons of story and really engulfs them in the game. This theme is out now, and a version featuring The Shining (Escape the Overlook Hotel) is coming in the Fall.
- Another horror game on the horizon is Friday the 13th: Horror at Camp Crystal Lake – a push your luck game where players get into the tropes of the genre and try to collect sets without drawing Jason tokens.
- A new expansion to Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle is coming out – Charms and Potions! Which adds capability for a 5th player, a new character to play as (Ginny Weasley), and of course, plenty of potion and charm goodness.
- Harry Potter: House Cup Competition is a Euro Worker Placement game where players are Hogwarts students competing to complete challenges, raise their skills, and, of course, earn those highly coveted House Points! A very nifty House Point holder makes it easy and fun to keep track!
- If you’re familiar with Thanos or Death Eaters Rising, you may be interested to learn of both The Batman Who Laughs Rising and Plankton Rising! In the latter, players do not take damage from being hurt, but instead from not taking people’s orders in time!
- Quests of Yore: Barley’s Edition is an RPG set in the Disney’s Onward universe that “feels like being in a Disney movie” according to Ross. I’m sold!
- The Op also announced some collaborations with the National Parks Foundation, so players can look forward to a Scrabble version of that, as well as National Parks Get Wild, which has dexterity and simultaneous action (similar to Astro Trash)
- The Op is partnering with AEG to bring players a Marvel themed game of Smash Up, which has always been a fan favorite for AEG. Look forward to Hydra, Avengers, and much more!
- If you’re a Munchkin fan, get ready to expand your collection with Munchkin Disney and Munchkin Critical Role!
- Finally, Super Cats is out now, which is a tic-tac-toe/rock-paper-scissors type card game where players are cats battling an evil RoboDog.
2. Where can gamers look forward to seeing these releases?
Ross assured me that gamers can find The Op games pretty much everywhere – WOO! Friendly local game stores, chain retailers (like Target, Barnes & Noble, and more), and The Op’s online store will all have their popular titles. Plus, The Op will have virtual booths at plenty of the conventions going online this year.
3. What were the company’s goals this year with new releases?
“We love telling stories and bringing people together,” said Ross, and what a great goal to have!
Ross said the company is always looking to push themselves to do new things and Quests of Yore: Barley’s Edition was a big leap in that direction. The Op prides themselves on bringing cool licenses to great games that players look forward to putting on their tables.
They are also very excited about all of their new partnerships with AEG, National Parks Foundation, and Critical Role!
The company also launched their new website this year which was a bit step for them! With the sheer scope of their games, a solid website is a must!
Ross mentioned that The Op is also getting even more into online content like streaming, videos, and social media as a means of getting more games into more players’ hands. Ross said, “Everybody’s a gamer, they just don’t know it yet,” and I can’t help but agree!
4. How has the state of the world impacted The Op – particularly losing out on much of convention season?
GAMA was the last convention The Op was able to attend, and, like many companies, they then had to adapt to a new normal. Ross informed me that their entire team was able to move to a work-from-home situation, which allowed them to keep working despite how things were changing, and that’s great news since it meant they were able to keep giving us new games!
Along with this, and a new and improved website, they are doing The Op At Home to coincide with online conventions. This will feature game demos, livestreams, an online booth, and even giveaways! The Op is not letting anything stand in their way of continuing to make strides in gaming.
5. Which new game(s) from The Op most excites you & why?
Ross mentioned how this year’s games have him so excited to play at home! He has a Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle game group that he can’t wait to introduce the expansion to, he’s been enjoying Hues and Cues, and he loves the engaging and immersive feel to Quests of Yore: Barley’s Edition.
6. What game(s) have you personally been playing/enjoying the most lately?
During work time, Ross has really been enjoying Hues and Cues and Blank Slate the most. But on his personal time, he’s been really into Dungeons and Dragons and Warhammer. Can’t go wrong with any of those!
BIG THANKS to Ross for taking the time to speak with me about all this neat stuff. Don’t forget to check out The Op online, and look for their titles wherever games are sold in your area!
*This is not a paid/compensated promotion*
If you like what I do, consider Supporting Me.
Leave a Reply