South Carolina game inventor turns fun hobby into father-son business: 'Feels extra special'
Dave Yearick created his first board game in the early '90s as a college student
South Carolina father and son take on game-inventing business together
Dave and Rudiger Yearick shared with Fox News Digital their pride in their family business The Good Game Company.
One father-son duo knows how to mix work and play.
Dave Yearick and his son Rudiger Yearick of South Carolina are founders of The Good Game Company, a creator and publisher of various board games.
The Good Game Company just released its 20th game, "Big Foot vs. Yeti Splat Attack," which is available for purchase at Target.
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Before this big-time presence on store shelves, game-making began as a small hobby for dad Dave Yearick.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dave Yearick, who is originally from upstate New York, shared how he created his first game with his friends in the early 1990s as a college student at Colgate University.
Dad Dave Yearick, right, and son Rudiger Yearick, left, are founders of The Good Game Company. (Angelica Stabile/FOX Business / Fox News)
"It was my side hustle," he said. "But it basically became my full-time job."
The original game, called "TriBond," gave players three subjects. Players were challenged with finding what each of the topics had in common — for example, a car, a tree and an elephant all have trunks.
Mattel ultimately purchased the game.
Dave Yearick is pictured with his first game, "TriBond," which was purchased by Mattel. | Fox News
Dave Yearick went on to become a freelance game inventor for 25 years, fostering a lifelong love of the craft.
"I’m one of four boys, so we played a lot of games growing up," he told Fox News Digital. "I love competition and I love a good laugh."
In 2018, Dave Yearick founded The Good Game Company to self-publish his own games.
After graduating from Liberty University, his son, Rudiger Yearick, decided to hop on board with his father and join the family business.
Son Rudiger Yearick, right, said working for his father, at left, makes the job "much more special." (Dave Yearick / Fox News)
"I’ve been working with him for about the past two years now," Rudiger Yearick said. "And I really enjoy it, because everything feels that much more meaningful."
He added, "I love board games and I love marketing and all that I do, but doing it for my family and my father is just that much more special."
Winning game-making formula
Beyond family bonding, Dave Yearick said that making a new game begins with a concept and a category.
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The duo's newest game was inspired by Hasbro’s "Hungry-Hungry Hippos," he revealed, with its fast-paced and "silly" nature of "launching and catching things."
"We’re really excited about it," he said.
The duo's game, "Big Foot vs. Yeti Splat Attack," is available at Target. | Fox News
Rudiger Yearick said he’s been immersed in the board game creation process for his entire life.
"I’ve enjoyed seeing the process from the idea all the way through the final product," he said.
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"I definitely have an extra sense of pride whenever we finish a product, especially when it does well, and other people enjoy it," he added.
"It feels extra special knowing that it came from my dad."
The Good Game Company's "Fuzzy Logic" and "Not It" are both top sellers. (The Good Game Company / Fox News)
Dave Yearick called out some of Good Game’s top sellers, including a multi-variation game called "Not It" and a party game called "Fuzzy Logic."
He is optimistic that "Big Foot vs. Yeti" will be the most successful game yet, he said.
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The Good Game Company also sells a line of outdoor "game of catch" toys, invented by Dave Yearick, called Djubi.