Player Experience
Ongoing coverage on Player Experience.
Latest coverage
Crimson Desert's quarry is giving players "PTSD," probably because they keep missing the key secret: "You don't need to kill hundreds of enemies"
Players of Crimson Desert are experiencing significant difficulty and frustration with the early-game Karin Quarry mission, with many describing it as having a "PTSD"-inducing effect due to overwhelming enemy numbers. The article suggests the mission may be poorly explained, as there is a secret shortcut to completing it that players are missing, leading them to bang their heads against a challenge they are not yet equipped for.
Why Small Design Choices Change Player Behaviour - Walkthrough, Tips, Review
This article explores how small design choices in video games significantly influence player behavior by affecting comfort, clarity, and confidence. It highlights that intuitive interfaces, sensible pacing, and clear reward systems are crucial for engagement, especially in casual and indie titles. Ultimately, good design reduces player hesitation and fosters a sense of control, leading to longer play sessions and a more positive impression.
Massively Overthinking: What’s the most important takeaway from the last MMORPG you quit?
The Massively OP staff discusses their experiences quitting MMORPGs, exploring reasons ranging from developer decisions and corporate agendas to limited time and a loss of personal connection. Key takeaways often involve understanding what makes a game truly engaging beyond its mechanics, with many highlighting the importance of community and shared experiences over gameplay alone.
Indie Dev Pushes Quick Achievement Fix — This Is How Post-Launch Support Should Work
An indie developer, aiocane.dev, has released a patch to fix broken achievements in their Steam game, demonstrating responsive post-launch support. This quick resolution of a player-impacting bug highlights the importance of timely fixes for indie developers to build trust, encourage player retention, and maintain positive reviews.
Baby Steps' designers trolled players by placing stacks of cans at the top of 'plausible' climbing challenges they didn't even bother testing, and players managed to climb them all—except one
Baby Steps' co-creator Gabe Cuzzillo discusses the game's design philosophy, which embraces 'indifference to the player' by including seemingly pointless collectibles and intentionally difficult, untested climbing challenges. While most challenges were eventually overcome by players, one stack of cans proved impossible, leading to creative player attempts and a unique design outcome.
Perfect Ten: My favorite vanilla World of Warcraft memories
This article reflects on fond memories of the original World of Warcraft, highlighting ten specific experiences from its early days. It contrasts these nostalgic moments with the current state of MMORPGs and player cynicism, emphasizing the unique impact of early game landmarks and quests.
Google Cloud's vision for AI in the game industry
Google Cloud envisions AI transforming the game industry by reducing friction and creating new opportunities for developers, rather than replacing them. Jack Buser highlighted AI's potential in pre-production, business strategy, and player experience, predicting that AI will fundamentally change game genres within three to five years.
Just like XCOM, superhero comedy Dispatch cheats random percentages of success in the player's favor: 'anything that had over a 76% success chance would automatically succeed'
The game Dispatch, developed by AdHoc Studios, employs a mechanic similar to XCOM where random success percentages are subtly manipulated in the player's favor. This approach aims to mitigate the frustration of perceived unfairness from true randomness, though the developers noted that in the finale, these 'invisible helpers' are disabled to increase difficulty.
Indie Developer Drops Major Update with 5-Language Support
Indie developer Bando has released an update for their game, adding comprehensive multi-language support in English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, and Chinese, alongside a new settings menu and bug fixes. This update highlights the importance of proper localization and quality-of-life features for player experience and global market reach.
Tencent Games Showcases Tech Advancements Shaping Future Player Experience at GDC 2026
Tencent Games will present its technological advancements at GDC 2026, focusing on AI-powered tools for game creation, engine innovation, and player protection. The company will showcase solutions like VISVISE for 3D animation, MagicDawn for enhanced visuals, and ACE for anti-cheat systems. Tencent Games will also highlight its commitment to sustainable growth and talent development through various sessions and initiatives.
When David Meets Goliath: Apex Legends’ Broken Matchmaking Ruins the Story
Apex Legends players are experiencing severe matchmaking issues, with Silver-ranked players being placed in matches against Predator-ranked opponents. This breakdown in the ranked system disrupts the player's sense of progression and narrative, leading to frustration and players abandoning matches. The community is calling for Respawn Entertainment to address the problem to restore faith in the competitive ecosystem.
