Game Design
Ongoing coverage on Game Design.
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Path of Exile used to think 'live service was entirely upside, in all cases', but 10 years of experience and games like Baldur's Gate 3 have shown him another way
Chris Wilson, co-creator of Path of Exile, has re-evaluated his stance on live service games, acknowledging their drawbacks after a decade of experience and observing titles like Baldur's Gate 3. While he initially saw live service as purely beneficial, he now recognizes the complexities of community feedback and the pressures of constant updates, noting that finished, single-player games offer a different, valuable experience.
Snabbkollen – Vad är viktigast i remakes?
This article discusses what fans consider most important in video game remakes, presenting a poll on whether fidelity to the original, updated graphics, improved gameplay mechanics, better audio, or new content is prioritized. The results show a near even split between fidelity, graphics, and gameplay, with other factors receiving much lower percentages.
Undersökning - Tredje gången gillt med Indiespelklubben! Vad tycks?
This article discusses the importance of indie games, highlighting titles like Paper Klay and Mina the Hollower. It also touches upon various game releases, remakes, DLC, and hardware news, including updates on Lords of the Fallen 2 and the Nintendo Switch 2.
Riot walks back putting League of Legends' controversial 'last hit indicators' into ranked play, for now
Riot Games has reversed its decision to implement controversial 'last hit indicators' into ranked League of Legends play following significant community backlash. The feature, which marks when minions are within lethal damage range, will remain in non-ranked modes for further testing and data collection. The company stated that while they believe the tool doesn't degrade skill expression, they will gather more feedback before making a final decision on its inclusion in ranked matches.
Danger Blooms in Attack of the Vine! The Next Set for The Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game
Ravensburger announced the upcoming set for the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game, titled Attack of the Vine!, featuring characters from Pixar's Monsters, Inc., Up, and Turning Red. The set, which concludes a year-long storyline, will have a prerelease on July 17, 2026, with a full release on July 24, 2026. This new set introduces new mechanics and will cause a rotation in the competitive format, making older cards unavailable for Core Constructed decks.
From Arcade Tokens to Loot Boxes: How Casinos Wrote the Rules of Modern Gaming
This article analyzes how casino design principles, from arcade tokens to modern loot boxes, have influenced contemporary video game mechanics and user experience. It highlights the evolution of reward structures, visual presentation, and feedback systems, drawing parallels between casino games and titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, and Genshin Impact. The piece emphasizes the shared pursuit of engaging and accessible player experiences across both industries.
Marathon PvE mode “Vault Breaker” coming in July
Bungie announced that its extraction shooter Marathon will receive a new PvE mode called "Vault Breaker" on July 21st. This experimental mode can be played solo or with a crew and features its own progression system separate from the main extraction mode. The studio also confirmed that Marathon Season 3 will launch on September 22nd.
Fallout designer Tim Cain "fumbled" through his career and "didn't think about a sequel" to the first apocalyptic RPG or Arcanum while making them
Fallout co-creator Tim Cain reflects on his career, admitting he "fumbled" through it and rarely thought about sequels for games like Fallout or Arcanum while developing them. He now advises younger developers to plan their careers more strategically, despite his own passive approach yielding significant success.
Grand Theft Auto 6’s Story Might Be Split Into Chapters According to Ultimate Edition Description
Grand Theft Auto 6's campaign may adopt a chapter-based structure similar to Red Dead Redemption 2, as suggested by the description for its Ultimate Edition. This would mark a significant departure from the franchise's traditional mission-to-mission narrative flow. The Ultimate Edition, priced at $100, will include exclusive in-game items and bonuses tied to the story of protagonists Jason and Lucia.
ShackStream: Pragmata on The Stevetendo Show! Episode 720
The Stevetendo Show is continuing its playthrough of Pragmata, focusing on the relationship between characters Hugh and Diana and the Pragmata project. The stream aims to finish the game and unlock equipment upgrades, potentially concluding the playthrough this episode. Future streams will feature The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, described as an old-school Legend of Zelda-like game.
After upsetting everyone by threatening to ruin Diablo 4's most powerful loot in its next season, Blizzard has decided that maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all
Blizzard Entertainment has revised its planned changes to Diablo 4's Uniques loot system following negative player feedback from a week-long playtest. The initial plan to make Uniques less powerful with random stats has been altered to preserve their thematic identity while allowing for some stat customization. The upcoming Season 14 will also introduce Mythic Uniques with maxed-out stats as a new chase item.
The Steam Machine Has Already Lost Is Biggest Advantage Before Launch
The upcoming Steam Machine is set to launch without the significant advantage of its exclusive SteamOS, unlike the original Steam Deck. While the Steam Deck's success was largely due to its seamless, controller-friendly operating system in an uncontested market, the Steam Machine will face competition from more powerful handhelds and the ability for users to install SteamOS on any PC. This diminishes the Steam Machine's unique selling proposition, making its premium price point questionable despite Valve's broader goal of expanding Steam's reach.
The creators of Tetris & the Rubik's Cube collaborated on a puzzle that combines their work
Alexey Pajitnov, the creator of Tetris, and Ernő Rubik, the inventor of the Rubik's Cube, have collaborated on a new puzzle game presented by Megahouse, a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Entertainment. This marks the first meeting between the two legendary puzzle designers. The new cube challenges players to create tetromino shapes on each side instead of matching colors.
"The combinations are in the trillions": Star Wars Galactic Racer’s creative director on speeder specialisation, storycrafting, and having “a bit of a smash”
Star Wars: Galactic Racer creative director Kieran Crimmins discusses the game's blend of arcade racing and roguelike elements, emphasizing the deep customization options for speeder builds. He highlights how players can create unique combinations, with trillions of possibilities, and how the game encourages aggressive playstyles. Crimmins also touches on the story's post-war setting and the studio's goal of innovating within the racing genre.
Blizzard Knows Diablo 4 Season 14’s Mythic Changes Are Controversial, But It’s For The Game’s “Long-Term Health”
Blizzard Entertainment is implementing significant, albeit controversial, changes to Mythic items in Diablo 4 Season 14, titled Death Awakening. These changes aim to increase build diversity and ensure the game's long-term health by making more Unique items viable and reducing the dominance of existing best-in-slot Mythics. The developer is adjusting the system based on player feedback, including ensuring Mythic items now have two set affixes and improving crafting.
Hideo Kojima Hints at OD Accessibility Features
Hideo Kojima discussed his upcoming horror title OD, revealing plans for accessibility features that will allow players easily scared by horror content to still enjoy the game. He mentioned that the concept for this new game system originated during the development of Death Stranding. Kojima also confirmed that Jordan Peele is involved as a writer for the project.
Nicolas Cage skin added to Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 despite Activision promise
Activision has added a Nicolas Cage skin to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, despite previous promises to reduce random crossover content. This move has drawn criticism from fans who felt the series was drifting from its authentic military roots. The article also touches on other controversial skins added in previous seasons, including characters from Fallout, RoboCop, and Half Baked.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's subtle queer characters were all about presenting people "inhabiting this world in an authentic manner"
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi stated that the inclusion of queer characters was to present people inhabiting the world in an authentic manner, enhancing realism. He emphasized that the goal was to portray these characters with sincerity and care, rather than simply adding representation for its own sake. Hamaguchi believes that the presence of diverse, authentic relationships contributes to the world's overall realism and that players pay close attention to the nuances of these depictions.
007 First Light’s Most James Bond Detail Is One Players May Never Notice
The soundtrack for 007 First Light, developed by The Flight in collaboration with IO Interactive, meticulously captures the essence of James Bond. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios with musicians who have worked on previous Bond scores, the music aims to be both timeless and contemporary, reflecting the game's narrative and geographical elements. The sound design system allows the music to dynamically adapt to Bond's current state, from stealthy exploration to intense combat.
Path of Exile co-creator "would have scoffed at something like Baldur's Gate 3" 10 years ago, but now he knows why live service isn't necessarily "the future"
Chris Wilson, co-founder of Grinding Gear Games, has re-evaluated his stance on live-service games, admitting he would have dismissed titles like Baldur's Gate 3 a decade ago. While Path of Exile exemplifies a player-friendly live-service model, Wilson now acknowledges the drawbacks of the monetization strategy and the pressures it creates, contrasting it with the appeal of complete, finished games.
