Creator Science

#106: Bop-It Inventor Dan Klitsner – How to create and commercialize games

Jun 28, 2022

Dan Klitsner, the mastermind behind Bop It, shares his journey as a game inventor with a knack for creating interactive experiences. He delves into the nuances of game commercialization, revealing the differences between licensing and direct sales. Exploring the evolution of play, he reflects on the nostalgic pull of classic games and the impact of social media on creativity. Klitsner's insights into prototyping and innovative gameplay design offer a behind-the-scenes look at bringing fun ideas to life, all while engaging his massive TikTok following.

01:11:34

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Episode guests

Dan Klitsner

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Episode notes

Intro

4min

The Evolution of Interactive Play

12min

Handheld Gaming Evolution

6min

The Evolution of Game Creation

14min

Navigating Prototyping and Licensing for Inventors

5min

Creative Play on TikTok

6min

Innovative Ideas and Cultural Impact of Bop It

4min

Bop It: Legacy and Innovation

14min

Dan Klitsner is the inventor of Bop It and more than a dozen different versions of Bop It including Bop It Extreme, Bop It Blast, Bop It Tetris, and even Bratz Bop It. Since 1996, Bop It has sold more than 30 million units worldwide.

Dan estimates that he's seen hundreds of his game ideas go to market and has given up to 40,000 total concept pitches. And today, Dan has nearly 500,000 followers on TikTok.

In this episode, we talk about how Dan broke into the world of game creation, how the game industry works, the difference between licensing and selling direct to consumers, and how Dan’s passion for Play is what keeps him going all these years later.

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Full transcript and show notes

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→ #40: Matty Benedetto

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