Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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GTA 6’s Jason And Lucia’s Relationship Is Deeper Than You Think
Grand Theft Auto 6's relationship system between protagonists Jason and Lucia is described as dynamic and optional, offering a spectrum of interaction rather than a binary romantic choice. While players can choose not to pursue a romantic relationship, they remain partners in crime throughout the story, with relationship states strengthening through shared activities like holding hands or sharing meals.
World of Warcraft: Forever has recaptured the original MMO's magic, something I thought was impossible
The author expresses renewed enthusiasm for World of Warcraft, particularly with the beta of World of Warcraft: Forever. This new iteration successfully blends nostalgic elements with fresh content and design choices, recapturing the magic of the original MMO in a way that previous Classic versions only hinted at.
I am now certain The Blood of Dawnwalker's time limit should've just been a setting, after hearing about Rebel…
The author believes the time limit mechanic in The Blood of Dawnwalker should have been an optional setting rather than a core feature. While the prologue offered an interesting challenge, the full game's time limit is less impactful, leading to disappointment that Rebel Wolves did not offer players more control over its difficulty.
Rebel Wolves Gave Dawnwalker Players More Time to Explore
Rebel Wolves rebalanced the time limit mechanic in The Blood of Dawnwalker before launch after player feedback indicated it was too restrictive. While the main story now offers more breathing room, the prologue retains the original, stricter system as a demonstration. Skill upgrades still consume in-game time to maintain meaningful progression.
Tim Cain: 'Among other things that Steve Jackson Games didn't like about Fallout was Vault Boy'
Fallout co-creator Tim Cain discussed the controversy surrounding the game's mascot, Vault Boy, and how Steve Jackson Games objected to its inclusion. Jackson's company felt Vault Boy was tonally unfitting and requested its removal, a point of contention that contributed to the breakdown of the licensing deal with Interplay.
EA Sports NHL 27 Interview – Connected Franchise, Player Feedback, Post-Launch Plans, And More
EA Sports discusses NHL 27's Connected Franchise mode, acknowledging player feedback regarding the absence of CPU-controlled teams and outlining plans for future updates. The developers also detail the team AI, goalie tuning, and presentation enhancements, while confirming target resolutions and frame rates for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
Former Starfield Lead Systems Designer Claims It Wasn’t “Near Successful Enough” For A Sequel
Former Starfield Lead Systems Designer Kurt Kuhlmann believes the game was not commercially successful enough to warrant a sequel, stating it was "nowhere near successful enough." He also expressed regret that a potential Starfield 2 could have better realized director Todd Howard's original vision for the game.
The Best News For Saw: Genesis Is We Have To Wait Longer To Play It
Bloober Team has announced that Saw: Genesis, their asymmetrical multiplayer horror game, has been delayed from its planned 2026 early-access launch to 2027. The studio cited the need for more development time to meet their satisfaction with the game's quality. The article expresses that while the delay is warranted due to a lackluster preview and the competitive market, the anticipation for the game remains.
Massively Overthinking: Does action combat have too much of a negative effect on MMORPG scales?
This article discusses whether action combat negatively impacts the scale of MMORPGs, using Guild Wars 3's design as a focal point. Developers and writers debate if the emphasis on movement and momentum is worth the potential loss of large player numbers, with opinions varying on whether a compromise is possible or necessary.
"I don’t think Starfield was anywhere near successful enough to do a Starfield 2," former Bethesda dev…
Former Bethesda lead systems designer Kurt Kuhlmann believes Starfield was not successful enough to warrant a sequel, suggesting a Starfield 2 could have better realized Todd Howard's vision. He points to the game's lack of coherence, particularly with its outpost system, as a key area for improvement that was not addressed from Fallout 4.
8 strong Elder Scrolls opinions: With over 2,500 combined hours (and not all as stealth archers), we shout at each other…
Five PC Gamer editors share their strong opinions on The Elder Scrolls series, accumulated over 2,500 hours of gameplay. Discussions cover the series' shift away from traditional RPG mechanics, the quality of main quests versus side quests in Skyrim and Oblivion, the merits of Oblivion's spellmaking, and the potential for a future Elder Scrolls TV show.
Rainbow Six Tactics game director says players can't repeatedly play their favorite Operators because of the game's fatigue and injury system — 'It's a way to push players to use their tools and shuffle their roster'
Rainbow Six Tactics will implement fatigue and injury systems to prevent players from repeatedly using their favorite Operators, encouraging roster diversity. Game director Martial Potron stated these mechanics emphasize the human element of the special agents and push players to utilize their full toolkit. The game is set to release in 2027 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
Control Resonant embarrasses me, specifically, with a launch day hotfix negating my main review complaint
Remedy Entertainment released a launch day hotfix for Control Resonant that addresses player feedback regarding enemy health pools and combat feel. The update, deployed ahead of the game's official launch, aims to make combat more engaging by increasing protagonist Dylan Faden's strength and reducing enemy 'sponginess,' effectively negating a primary complaint from the game's review.
Ex-Dragon Age lead settles the score on Origins' most controversial sequence: The Fade is "filler" and…
Former Dragon Age: Origins co-director Mark Darrah has stated that the game's controversial Fade sequence is "filler" and "not very good content." He suggested that the dream sequence part from the Mage Tower could be cut or dramatically reduced, admitting it was done quickly and hasn't aged well. This opinion from a lead developer solidifies the general consensus among players that the sequence was a rushed attempt to pad the game's runtime.
'We all thought we were bringing extraction to the masses, and we didn't'
Bungie is rethinking the design of its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, acknowledging that the initial launch did not resonate with players due to its difficulty and lack of broader appeal. The team plans to incorporate more Bungie-like elements, including dedicated PvE modes, improved onboarding, and a greater emphasis on story, aiming for a more holistic player experience.
Once upon a time The Blood of Dawnwalker's timer mechanic was a lot tougher, and it's because of all those pre-release complaints that it was made easier
The Blood of Dawnwalker director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz revealed that the game's timer mechanic was made less restrictive due to pre-release player complaints. While the prologue retained its original difficulty, the main game was rebalanced to provide more player buffer, a decision the author of this article finds disappointing.
'It's Not Great Content': Ex-Dragon Age Exec Says He'd Now Change or Ditch Several Key Moments From the Series
Former BioWare executive Mark Darrah believes several key moments in the Dragon Age series could be changed or removed. Having worked at the studio for over 20 years, Darrah expressed his critical views on certain narrative choices within the beloved fantasy RPG franchise.
The Blood of Dawnwalker's divisive time mechanic was once much stricter, but it was loosened because of "fear" around the game
Game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz revealed that The Blood of Dawnwalker's time limit was initially much stricter but was loosened due to developer fear of player complaints. The prologue retains the original, more restrictive design to showcase the intended experience, while the main game was rebalanced to offer a buffer and avoid player frustration.
Activision’s Halo Must Go Beyond Bungie
Xbox has struggled to recapture the magic of the Halo series for 15 years since Bungie's departure. The article argues that Activision's next Halo game needs a significant reimagining, drawing parallels to the successful reboot of Doom (2016).
Survival game buildings, Part 1
This article discusses the architectural similarities between real-world structures and player-built constructions in survival games. The author, Chris Livingston, uses a defunct restroom as an example, noting its resemblance to a first-night build in a survival game.
