Dropout CEO and Game Changer host Sam Reich has teased the upcoming ninth season of his acclaimed improv game show, describing it as an “acid trip” packed with games so bizarre that some are simply “unexplainable.” Speaking to Polygon ahead of a production cycle set to begin in October, Reich revealed that Dropout finally greenlit ideas it had deemed too strange for years, promising content designed to test viewers’ “weirdness appetite.”
The revelations come shortly after the conclusion of Game Changer’s eighth season, whose standout episodes have already cemented the show’s reputation as one of Dropout’s most inventive programs. As Reich prepares to return behind the controls once again, fans are left wondering what kind of surreal challenges await contestants and audiences alike.
A Topeka Detour That Became a Season Highlight
The eighth season’s episode “What’s the Catch” began as an ordinary prize giveaway before twisting its rewards into punishments. Contestant Jacob Wysocki found himself subjected to a private improv show, with Reich personally driving him around—until the catch demanded that everything take place in Topeka, Kansas. Rather than faking the trip for comedic effect, Reich chose authenticity over convenience.
“There was a moment between Jacob and I after the fact where we talked about faking it,” Reich told Polygon. Dropout briefly considered pretending to visit Kansas on camera but worried the audience would notice. “I care about authenticity more than I prioritize a lot of other things,” he said. “I want for us to put on screen what actually happened.”
“We’ve got no other choice.”
Sam Reich, Dropout CEO and Game Changer host
The round-trip flight to Kansas proved an “absolute waste of time,” yet Reich insisted it was necessary. True to the Midwest experience, the return journey was disrupted by tornadoes in the region—though he noted they did manage to spot two dogs hanging out with a pig along the way.
Favorites From Season 8
Beyond the Topeka detour, Reich cited several other moments that defined his favorite season yet. He pointed to Lou Wilson’s dynamic with random bystander Phil in “Don’t Wake Standards & Practices,” Josh’s dramatic meltdown in “Rulette 2,” and bringing Ron Perlman into the fold for “Night Shift.” Above all, he praised “Count the Rice” as one of the show’s best-ever episodes.
“They’re really gonna test the audience’s weirdness appetite,” Reich said of season nine, signaling that Dropout intends to push its creative boundaries even further. The commitment to constant novelty is exhausting for a CEO who hosts two of the company’s marquee shows, Game Changer and Make Some Noise.
“There’s no off position on the content switch. We must feed the beast at all times.”
Sam Reich
The Balance Between Performance Art and Game Design
Game Changer has long oscillated between two guiding principles: performance art and game design. Reich identified “Don’t Cry” and “Who Wants to Be Jacob Wysocki” as pieces of performance art dressed up like games. Entering season eight, he wanted to flex his growing mastery of game design, a move that paid off in episodes like “Count the Rice,” which layers unexpected mechanics at every turn.
“By the time we lob [a game] up for the players, there’s only so much that we can do to affect the outcome,” Reich explained. He described himself as a perfectionist by nature but found freedom in the show’s inherent unpredictability.
“The reason why the show is good for me is because it can’t be perfect.”
Sam Reich
Looking Ahead
Filming for Game Changer’s ninth season begins in October, and Reich has high expectations for what lies ahead. He described the upcoming games as “peculiar” and “surreal,” noting that Dropout finally greenlit concepts it had rejected for being too weird across previous seasons.
“Some of them are just unexplainable,” he said. While every episode must remain distinct—a challenge Reich embraces—he has ample room to experiment, resulting in some truly off-the-wall challenges. Whether the new season swings back toward performance art or leans fully into intricate game design, one thing is certain: Game Changer’s ninth season promises to be unlike anything viewers have seen before.
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