Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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RPG Players Are Recreating Female Character Hairstyles IRL And The Results Are Hilarious
Players are humorously recreating the often unrealistic and physics-defying female character hairstyles found in RPGs through real-life videos. While many games struggle with hair animation, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is highlighted for its improved hair physics and diverse options. The article discusses the ongoing challenges and hopes for better hair animation in future RPGs.
A Metal Gear Solid mod finally lets us play as Grey Fox in the PS1 classic, and it's not just his disappointing VR…
A new mod for the original PlayStation 1 Metal Gear Solid allows players to control Grey Fox, the Cyborg Ninja. This mod, developed by Perfect Pizza, goes beyond simply porting Grey Fox from Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions, adding new abilities like an arm cannon, a buffed High Frequency Blade with ricochet capabilities, and custom animations and codec calls. The mod utilizes the PSX decompilation project to modify the game's C code, with the goal of eventually enabling a full campaign playthrough as Grey Fox.
Games for Change Reveals 2026 Festival Speakers as Global Leaders Gather to Reimagine Play
Games for Change has announced additional speakers for its 23rd annual festival, themed "Reimagining Play," taking place July 21-22, 2026, in New York City. The event will feature leaders from UNICEF, thatgamecompany, and Annapurna, among others, discussing how games drive social impact and innovation beyond entertainment. The festival will include panels, a new Playtest Lab for early-stage works, and the Games for Change Awards.
Warframe of Mind: In praise of Warframe’s optimistic nihilism
This article discusses the concept of 'optimistic nihilism' as presented in the game Warframe. It argues that despite the game's bleak and broken universe, where true salvation is impossible, the narrative encourages players to find meaning and make positive impacts in smaller ways. This message of finding love and caring for others in a chaotic world is presented as a palliative response to real-world awfulness.
The 100-Yen Democracy: What Mario Gave Us
This article reflects on the legacy of Super Mario and Nintendo's philosophy, emphasizing the importance of sincerity towards players over mere efficiency. It argues that Nintendo's focus on mature technology and accessible design, championed by figures like Gunpei Yokoi and Hiroshi Yamauchi, fosters a unique form of democracy in gaming. The piece highlights how Shigeru Miyamoto's humanization of Mario encourages players to find courage within themselves, contrasting this with modern business models that risk diluting the value of entertainment.
Diskutera – Vad gör ett piratspel till ett piratspel?
This article discusses what defines a pirate game, questioning whether it requires specific historical settings or elements like sailing and plundering. It explores whether the genre can be expanded beyond traditional maritime themes, asking readers for their personal definitions of a pirate game.
Black Flag's combat may have been a total cakewalk, but at least it had its novelty
This article analyzes the combat changes in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced, arguing that while it offers some improvements like kicks-on-demand, it fundamentally misunderstands the original game's combat by removing weapon variety and situational tools. The author contends that the removal of temporary weapons and the simplification of combat mechanics detract from the core Assassin's Creed experience, making Resynced feel like a different game rather than a true remake.
5 Live Service Games to Quit in 2026 | TAG
This article provides a framework for players to quit live service games they no longer enjoy, arguing that obligation and FOMO should not dictate continued play. It identifies five specific games—Destiny 2, Diablo 4 seasonal, Warframe, Lost Ark, and older MMOs—as candidates for quitting in 2026, and offers a step-by-step guide to breaking free from the cycle of retention-engineered gameplay.
Black Flag Resynced should have followed Resident Evil 4's lead – risks make a remake stronger
This article analyzes Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced, arguing that while it's a fun remake, it missed an opportunity to innovate like Resident Evil 4 Remake. The author suggests that a greater willingness to take risks and iterate on the original's design, rather than strictly adhering to faithfulness, would have resulted in a stronger product. The piece contrasts Black Flag Resynced with successful remakes like Resident Evil 4 and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which used the original as a springboard for creative new takes.
Upcoming PS5 RPG Will Please The Witcher Fans, Potential GOTY
The upcoming PlayStation 5 RPG, The Blood of Dawnwalker, developed by Rebel Wolves (featuring former CD Projekt RED veterans), is generating significant excitement with early previews. Comparisons to The Witcher series are frequent due to the development team's background. The game is slated for a September 2026 release and is being praised for its narrative execution, quest design, and combat system.
WoW's game director thinks its UI overhaul has been 'successful so far,' even if it's 'not…
World of Warcraft Game Director Ion Hazzikostas stated that the game's UI overhaul has been largely successful, despite initial community controversy regarding addon restrictions. While acknowledging ongoing work and some exceptions, he believes the changes allow more players to engage with content without relying on external tools. Blizzard plans further improvements to the base UI and addon interface in upcoming patches.
YGG Unveils vibecode.game Platform For AI Game Development
Yield Guild Games has launched vibecode.game, a new platform designed to enhance discoverability and community engagement for AI-powered browser games. The platform's debut is marked by the VibeBlitz game jam, a collaboration with Minds by Animoca Brands, offering $5,000 in prizes and running from July 13 to August 10. Animoca Brands also introduced its Game Designer Mind AI tool, which simplifies game concept creation from simple prompts.
Crafted by a 30-year industry veteran formerly of Vanillaware — a "playable book" fantasy RPG "Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle" launches on Steam!
The full version of the fantasy RPG Veritas Tales: Witch of the Dark Castle, developed by Digitalis Publishing and published by 15 Industry, has launched on PC via Steam. Created by Yoshio Nishimura, a 30-year industry veteran formerly of Capcom and Vanillaware, the game features over 300 illustrations and a 150,000-word script. It is priced at $16.99 and is available at a 10% launch discount for two weeks.
Games Inbox: Is The Elder Scrolls 6 going to be worth the wait?
Readers express concerns about the lengthy development of The Elder Scrolls 6, criticizing Bethesda's recent game output and treatment of developers. The discussion also touches upon the shift to digital-only distribution, the impact of layoffs at Microsoft and Bethesda, and the future of subscription services like Game Pass.
Control Resonant Director Says “Many” of Its Toughest Bosses Are Optional, Teases Huge Surprise
Remedy Entertainment director Mikael Kasurinen revealed that many of the bosses in the upcoming Control Resonant are optional and can be fought in any order, contributing to a Mega Man-style progression. The game, set to release on September 24th, will focus on gaining personal control rather than rescuing characters or the city, with a significant surprise planned for the midpoint. Despite competition, Remedy has no plans to delay the release date.
Monkey Island: En tillbakablick
This article analyzes the groundbreaking humor and design of the Monkey Island series, particularly The Secret of Monkey Island. It highlights how Lucasarts, through creators like Ron Gilbert, Tim Schafer, and Dave Grossman, innovated the point-and-click adventure genre with postmodern, self-referential comedy and puzzles that integrated humor into gameplay. The analysis also touches upon the evolution of the series' art style and narrative through its sequels, including Return to Monkey Island.
17 years later, Minecraft is finally adding somewhere to sit
Minecraft is introducing craftable cushions and new straw beds in its latest preview build, allowing players new ways to rest. These additions come as Mojang, an Xbox-owned studio, is impacted by significant layoffs affecting numerous gaming companies.
Casually Classic: Four goals that WoW Classic Plus must pursue to succeed
This analysis outlines four key goals for the success of World of Warcraft Classic Plus: retaining its core 'Classic' feel, appealing to a diverse player base beyond just endgame raiders, safeguarding its economy from exploitative practices, and offering more horizontal progression and achievements. The author emphasizes that Classic Plus must evolve while staying true to its roots to ensure long-term viability and player satisfaction.
Paralives Team Might Have Shed Some Light On Why The Sims Ditched Its Open World
Paralives' communication manager Gab Boyer-Antoni discussed the challenges of creating an open world, suggesting it's a primary reason why The Sims 4 moved away from the open-world design seen in The Sims 3. Boyer-Antoni highlighted the complexity of managing intertwined systems in a living world. The article also touches on Paralives' early access progress and upcoming content updates.
Riot believes League of Legends 'mage bot' strats are "healthy diversity" and "need to be viable"
Riot Games has decided against planned Brand buffs for League of Legends patch 26.14 due to concerns about mage bot lane strategies, but maintains that this approach offers healthy diversity. Lead Gameplay Designer Matt 'Phroxzon' Leung-Harrison explained that while frustrating for traditional marksmen, mages in the bot lane provide a necessary strategic option and prevent the game from becoming too formulaic.
