“It felt really innovative!”: Hasbro’s Tanya Thompson and IDEO’s Matt Callahan talk Drop Trivia

Guys, it’s always lovely to catch up! Drop Trivia was one of my highlights from way back at Nuremberg, so I’m delighted we can chat about it now. How did this idea come about?
Matt Callahan, Design Director, IDEO: Thanks – it’s great to hear you loved this game! It’s one of our favourites too. The vision for Drop Trivia came about in 2020, during early covid. We were working on games that could be played both in-person and also on a remote call. We wanted to create experiences that would help bring families and friends together during that challenging time. We first came up with the trivia format and mechanics, and then worked as a team to explore the best physical forms for the game to take.

We iterated through a few different versions, and then ultimately settled on a vertical game board because it felt like a unique form factor… It illustrated the core idea of the game, and it worked great for playing both IRL and remote – which was a big draw for games at the time.

Tanya, let’s bring you in. What appealed about IDEO’s concept?
Tanya Thompson, Senior Director, Inventor Relations, Hasbro Games: Hey Billy, I’m also so happy to hear that Drop Trivia was one of your highlights! It’s so fun.

When I first saw it, what I loved is that it made trivia accessible in a party-forward, social experience. I – like many other people – am not great at trivia, but love trivia games that don’t put me in the hot seat. The team was looking for a new addition to Trivial Pursuit line-up that could appeal to players like me. When I saw Drop Trivia, I thought it would be fun to play with a team and work together to put answers in order – instead of each player having to know the exact answer.

Then there was the unique tactile experience of dropping the colourful pucks, as well as the game itself tracking and scoring through electronics and sound… So in all, it felt really innovative! The Hasbro team made some adjustments to the original design, but largely the game concept stayed the same.

The unit looks terrific – and sounds – terrific. Very satisfying pings when the pucks land! Generally speaking, trivia games aren’t known for their ‘table presence’ or tech-integration. Was this a deliberate effort to bring something fresh to this space?
Matt: Absolutely. We set out to create a fun experience that would bring a new level of tangibility, table presence and interactivity to trivia. We also aimed to invent a new trivia format that would help level the playing field between seasoned trivia-buffs, and friends and family who may not love traditional trivia games. This is a game that anyone can win, and that feels really fun and exciting on game night.

We worked hard to make sure the hardware and electronics had a satisfying and fidgety feel to them. Our super-powered team of engineers did an amazing job of getting the tactile details feeling great on our prototype. We also had an amazing partner in Hasbro who shared our vision and helped get this item over the finish line with all the sensory details feeling great.

Tanya, were those aspects also key to helping this concept ‘get over the line’?
Tanya: We’re always looking for games that have a strong visual and sensory impact – that head snap, ‘what’s that?!’ moment. Trivia games are really just starting to play in this space, so we saw a strong opportunity to bring together an iconic trivia brand with a new, unexpected form factor and interaction that could appeal to trivia fans and families looking for something new.

There’s maybe a perception that trivia games are a tough nut to crack for inventors. Do you think this category comes with challenges?
Tanya: We’ve heard that trivia is a tough category – both from inventors and retailers! But we’ve seen trivia succeed in various forms, including entertainment and the growth of eventised trivia – like bar trivia nights and the like.

So, we know there’s appetite from consumers and a strong opportunity for innovation in trivia games that feel social and fun, and we’ll continue to lean-in here with new games. Trivial Pursuit is the authority brand in the trivia genre and has been since it launched in the 1980s. It’s a lot easier to get people excited about something new that feels just a little bit familiar, so being ‘presented by’ Trivial Pursuit was a strategic priority for us when bringing this game to market.

Matt: Trivia is challenging, but all game categories come with their own unique design challenges. The specific challenges of developing trivia games are also great starting points for design if you approach the category with an eye for innovation and a creative mindset.

IDEO is a prolific studio – does Drop Trivia carry any traits that you feel makes it a typical ‘IDEO invention’?
Matt: The game feels fun and interactive – and gets people laughing together and feeling connected. It features instant-get gameplay that brings a fresh twist to a classic category, and it also stands out as a unique item on shelf. I think all of these are the mark of an IDEO invention.

I believe these qualities are the result of our unique creative process, our top tier team of designers and engineers, and the way that our process and our people allow us to show up as amazing collaborators for our clients.

Tanya: I’d add that IDEO is great at many things, including integrating tech or a twist into a classic. They were also behind Twister Air which brought augmented reality to the Twister brand as well as Connect 4 Spin which added a new spinning feature.

Tanya, before we wrap, I wanted to talk about Trivial Pursuit more broadly… Is this a brand you receive a lot of inventor submissions for?
Tanya: For all our classics, including Trivial Pursuit, we are always looking at ways to keep the brand new and fresh for today’s consumer. Drop Trivia brought an element of fun and party to the Trivial Pursuit brand. I appreciate when inventors think about our classics – and how they can stretch to deliver fun new ways to play for fans, reach new audiences, and open up new occasions to play.

And Matt, alongside Drop Trivia, what have been some other to come from IDEO this past year?
Matt: We have lots of other fun toys and games hitting the market for the ’24 Holidays… For a few more new IDEO inventions, you can check out items like DC Comics Batman Ultimate Transforming Batmobile Playset, Mattel’s Barbie Tie-Dye Reveal Plush and the Barbie Doll Pup Playset with a Toy Pup and Dog in a Wheelchair. We also have the Disney Princess Carriage to Castle Transforming Playset, CoComelon Transforming School Time Bus, VTech Sandy Snacks-a-Lot and Crystal Gem Designer Jewelry.

You’ve been busy!
Matt: Those are just a few of the items we have coming out in 24! There’s also lots more from previous years that are still on the market, and many more to look forward to in the years ahead!

Matt, Tanya, huge thanks again – and congrats on Drop Trivia!

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