Sponsored By

Design

thumbnail
Design
Satisfying frustration: How to make compelling games that encourage moral reflectionSatisfying frustration: How to make compelling games that encourage moral reflection

To inspire moral reflection, we as game designers have to go against players' inherent instinct to make strategic decisions and break a few fundamental game design principles along the way.

byKolja Bopp, Kira Wanjek
May 2, 2024
|
14 Min Read
thumbnail
Design
Peering into the demonic dual visual styles of Sorry We're ClosedPeering into the demonic dual visual styles of Sorry We're Closed
byJoel Couture
May 2, 2024
11 Min Read
key art from Slave Zero X with a bright red character
Design
Creativity from constraints: developing new games from old IPCreativity from constraints: developing new games from old IP
byAlex Lotz
May 2, 2024
9 Min Read
Key art from Cataclismo. A masked woman and two archers stand in front of a fantasy castle.
Art
Cataclismo shows how devs can be inspired by their home regionsCataclismo shows how devs can be inspired by their home regions
byBryant Francis
May 2, 2024
4 Min Read
A screenshot of Roblox avatars in digital fashion outfits.
Design
Roblox devs say socialization is what makes the creator-led sandbox tickRoblox devs say socialization is what makes the creator-led sandbox tick
byBryant Francis
May 1, 2024
6 Min Read
thumbnail
Design
Postmortem: Go! Make Your First Game!Postmortem: Go! Make Your First Game!
byMatthew Hammans
Apr 30, 2024
5 Min Read
Design
Deep Dive: Creating an asynchronous multiplayer in Solium Infernum
Deep Dive: Creating an asynchronous multiplayer in Solium Infernum
Apr 30, 2024
|
10 Min Read
byAnthony Sweet
Design
The Art of the Spiral: Failure Cascades in Simulation Games
The Art of the Spiral: Failure Cascades in Simulation Games
Apr 30, 2024
|
8 Min Read
byJames Muirhead
Design
Postmortem: Ultra Ball
Post Mortem: Ultra Ball
Apr 29, 2024
|
12 Min Read
byJames Rowbotham
A screenshot from Little Problems: A Cozy Detective Game. The player character sleeps in a bed.
Design
The cozy descendants of Lucas Pope's games
The cozy descendants of Lucas Pope's games
Apr 29, 2024
|
10 Min Read
byBryn Gelbart
Raph Koster with a word bubble saying "Play the game I think is most fun: the game of makin ggames."
Design
Raph Koster wants developers to get back to 'the game of making games'
Raph Koster wants developers to get back to 'the game of making games'
Apr 26, 2024
|
6 Min Read
byBryant Francis
Design
Making the berry sweet return to Celeste on its sixth anniversary
Making the berry sweet return to Celeste on its sixth anniversary
Apr 25, 2024
|
4 Min Read
byJoel Couture
Key art for Against the Storm. An anthropomorphized Beaver and Lizard look up at the image of a mask floating over a volcano.
Production
How the small team behind Against the Storm kept scope in check
How the small team behind Against the Storm kept scope in check
Apr 25, 2024
|
5 Min Read
byBryant Francis
Design
Murder on Space Station 52 - Paper to Pixel: Making a Scene
Murder on Space Station 52 - Paper to Pixel: Making a Scene
Apr 24, 2024
|
3 Min Read
byChristopher Mathes
Design
Beyond the battle: Why do we need to create a safe game environment
Beyond the battle: Why do we need to create a safe game environment
Apr 24, 2024
|
5 Min Read
byDana Sydorenko
Design
Deep Dive: Expanding accessibility for As Dusk Falls’ PlayStation port
Deep Dive: Expanding accessibility for As Dusk Falls’ PlayStation port
Apr 23, 2024
|
12 Min Read
byAoife Gleeson, May Wong
Design
The Six Stages of Player Rationality
The Six Stages of Player Rationality
Apr 19, 2024
|
6 Min Read
byEdward Castronova
Production
Developing Disaster Golf
Developing Disaster Golf
Apr 19, 2024
|
4 Min Read
byDouglas Guzman, Kyle Grenier
a collection of colorful screenshots showing creative tools
Design
Solo-Devs and risk-takers (an artistic exploration of experimental tools)
Solo-Devs and risk-takers (an artistic exploration of experimental tools)
Apr 19, 2024
|
18 Min Read
byNathalie Lawhead
Players battling it out in Overwatch 2
Design
Overwatch 2 players who use 'unapproved peripherals' could receive permanent bans
Overwatch 2 players who use 'unapproved peripherals' could receive permanent bans
Apr 19, 2024
|
3 Min Read
byChris Kerr
Design
Book Excerpt: Game Design Workshop, 5th Edition
Book Excerpt: Game Design Workshop, 5th Edition
Apr 18, 2024
|
5 Min Read
byTracy Fullerton
Design
Postmortem: The Sirena Expedition
Postmortem: The Sirena Expedition
Apr 18, 2024
|
15 Min Read
byDavid Thatcher
Design
Bringing Lotería from the Kitchen Table to Mobile Phone Screens
Bringing Lotería from the Kitchen Table to Mobile Phone Screens
Apr 18, 2024
|
5 Min Read
byAudrey White
Design
The Joy and Pain of Game Mastery
The Joy and Pain of Game Mastery
Apr 17, 2024
|
8 Min Read
byJosh Bycer
A thief looks down from the rooftop in a fantasy city.
Design
Warren Spector says the next logical step for immersive sims is multiplayer
Warren Spector says the next logical step for immersive sims is multiplayer
Apr 16, 2024
|
6 Min Read
byBryant Francis
Design
How SUDA51 and Hitman inspired cult indie shooter Children of the Sun
How SUDA51 and Hitman inspired cult indie shooter Children of the Sun
Apr 16, 2024
|
5 Min Read
byRené Rother
Design
Charting the Journey of SOUL COVENANT: A New Frontier in VR JRPGs
Charting the Journey of SOUL COVENANT: A New Frontier in VR JRPGs
Apr 15, 2024
|
4 Min Read
byMasaru Ohnogi
Design
Pre-Production and Brainstorming Optimization
Pre-Production and Brainstorming Optimization
Apr 12, 2024
|
5 Min Read
byAnjali Tyagi
An image of a flow chart.
Design
How to build branching narrative without breaking the bank
How to build branching narrative without breaking the bank
Apr 12, 2024
|
6 Min Read
byBryant Francis
A figure ponders a neon cyberpunk skyline
Design
CD Projekt interested in multiplayer components, but insists single-player games are still king
CD Projekt interested in multiplayer components, but insists single-player games are still king
Apr 11, 2024
|
3 Min Read
byChris Kerr
Design
Why Risk of Rain Returns is taking the series back to 2D
Why Risk of Rain Returns is taking the series back to 2D
Apr 11, 2024
|
7 Min Read
byJohn Harris
Key art for The Rogue: Prince of Persia, featuring a styilized version of the titular Prince.
PC
Ubisoft wall-runs onto the roguelike bandwagon with The Rogue: Prince of Persia
Ubisoft wall-runs onto the roguelike bandwagon with The Rogue: Prince of Persia
Apr 10, 2024
|
5 Min Read
byAlessandro Fillari
Design
How to design giant robots in shooters: a comprehensive War Robots retrospective
How to design giant robots in shooters: a comprehensive War Robots retrospective
Apr 10, 2024
|
26 Min Read
byErik Paramonov
Design
Superhero team-ups and failing the fantasy
Superhero team-ups and failing the fantasy
Apr 8, 2024
|
12 Min Read
byRobert Green
Programming
Demystifying 3D Character Rigging for Games
Demystifying 3D Character Rigging for Games
Apr 5, 2024
|
16 Min Read
byHannah George

Latest News

Viessa, Lepic, and Ajax in The First Descendant.
Business
The First Descendant launches with 10 million players in its first weekThe First Descendant launches with 10 million players in its first week
byJustin Carter
Jul 12, 2024
1 Min Read
Screenshot of Terraria's "Journey's End" update.
Business
Re-Logic's Terraria has sold 58.7 million copies in 13 yearsRe-Logic's Terraria has sold 58.7 million copies in 13 years
byJustin Carter
Jul 12, 2024
1 Min Read
Get daily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inbox
Subscribe to Game Developer Newsletters to stay caught up with the latest news, design insights, marketing tips, and more
Stay Updated

Trending

thumbnail
Design
SKALD: Against the Black Priory is an old school CRPG with modern sensibilitiesSKALD: Against the Black Priory is an old school CRPG with modern sensibilities
byJoel Couture
Jul 11, 2024
12 Min Read
thumbnail
Design
Book Excerpt: Designing Games Meant for SharingBook Excerpt: Designing Games Meant for Sharing
byIoana-Iulia Cazacu
Jul 9, 2024
25 Min Read
A farmlike Homestead from Guild Wars 2.
Design
Guild Wars 2's player housing pushes decorating over land grabsGuild Wars 2's player housing pushes decorating over land grabs
byBryant Francis
Jun 28, 2024
7 Min Read
Latest Podcasts
See all

Cooking Games Spotlight: Deep Dives, Interviews, and More

A goat host character presides over a retro TV set
Production
Psychonauts 2's cooking show level serves inspiration for all aspiring devsPsychonauts 2's cooking show level serves inspiration for all aspiring devs
byDanielle Riendeau
thumbnail
Design
The Unrealized Potential of Cooking in GamesThe Unrealized Potential of Cooking in Games
byLeonardo Ferreira
thumbnail
Design
Exploring ancient Mexica culture through cooking in Cacao CafeExploring ancient Mexica culture through cooking in Cacao Cafe
byJoel Couture

Featured Blogs

thumbnail
Design
Are space shooter games still 'a rite of passage'?Are space shooter games still 'a rite of passage'?
byAndrew Sataiyah
Jul 12, 2024
9 Min Read
thumbnail
Design
Training the game designers of tomorrow (Part 2/5)Training the game designers of tomorrow (Part 2/5)
byPascal Luban
Jul 10, 2024
7 Min Read
thumbnail
Design
The Trouble of Tunnel Vision Gamers and Developers: Not Seeing the Forest for the GamesThe Trouble of Tunnel Vision Gamers and Developers: Not Seeing the Forest for the Games
byJosh Bycer
Jul 9, 2024
12 Min Read

Game Developer Essentials

thumbnail
Programming
How to get better fps on PC while porting games to consolesHow to get better fps on PC while porting games to consoles
byKostyantyn Oleschenko, Olexandr Makeevand 1 more
The logo for Ironwood Studios.
Production
What it means to direct a game that was someone else's creative visionWhat it means to direct a game that was someone else's creative vision
byBryant Francis
A series of matches burning out.
Production
What the game industry must do to prevent occupational burnoutWhat the game industry must do to prevent occupational burnout
byBryant Francis
Chris Zukowski at the GDC mic
Marketing
The secret to using Steam as a developer is to make Valve earn their 30 percentThe secret to using Steam as a developer is to make Valve earn their 30 percent
byImran Khan
Daily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inbox
Stay Updated