Game Refinery

MAY 4, 2023

We’ve been writing about the growth of ‘hybrid’ mobile games – when a title merges two or more genres to create an entirely new gameplay experience – since 2020, but hybrid games have evolved a lot since then, especially when it comes to the game genres that are being merged together.

Mobile Gaming 252

Mobile Gaming Mobile Mobile Mechanics 252

Logic Simplified

JULY 31, 2023

There is one area every game designer must focus on to ensure that their games are captivating enough to entertain and provide an impactful experience to the user: game mechanics. When creating a new game, video game mechanics are often considered the most important factor. What are game mechanics?

Mechanics 90

Mechanics Puzzle Games Game Design 90

PreMortem.Games

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

Polish indie studio Eleven Puzzles has been making a name for themselves as the creators of some fine cooperative puzzle games, like Unsolved Case and Unboxing the Cryptic Killer. “The initial idea was very simple and primitive, we just wanted to make a game set in a laboratory. We love the freedom that comes with remote work.

Puzzle 138

Puzzle Mechanics Communications Studios 138

PreMortem.Games

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

First-time Swedish developer Far Out Games has meticulously crafted a neon-drenched Americana, complete with pink motels, sun-soaked suburbs and classic diners, all ready to be obliterated by you and your unstoppable delivery truck. We think it brings a certain atmosphere to the game that ties everything together in a nice way.”

Open World 104

Open World Games Studios Development 104

Ask a Game Dev

DECEMBER 27, 2024

They're similar to, for example, randomly-determined critical hits that deal additional damage or dizzying your opponent in fighting games. Statistically speaking, the killstreak rewards are designed so they won't greatly affect overall game results, but they're really cool to activate and the players engaging with them have a lot of fun.

Mechanics 52

Mechanics Dev Fighting Balance 52

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 28, 2024

Set in a beautiful, Slavic-inspired world, Selfloss by Kazakhstan-based indie studio Goodwin Games is an adventure that explores themes of grief, healing, and resilience. Reflecting on the game’s core concept, Khoroshavin shares, “The very first idea was that I want to make a game about an old protagonist that can traverse via boat.

Prototyping 104

Prototyping Indy Games Concepts 104

iXie gaming

MARCH 2, 2025

While 3D dominates modern game development, 2.5D continues to evolve, leveraging AI, modern rendering techniques, and cutting-edge game engines to push the boundaries of game design. Works While 2D and 3D have traditionally been viewed as separate paths in game development, 2.5D From indie studios to AAA developers, 2.5D

Art 52

Art Game Design Game Designer Hitbox 52

PreMortem.Games

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Void Sails by indie developer Ticking Clock Games is a single-player action-adventure RPG that takes players on a thrilling journey through mysterious worlds, where they captain a flying ship across uncharted space. The name Ticking Clock Games serves as a reminder for the team to stay on track and meet deadlines.

Point and Click 104

Point and Click Games Feature Balance 104

iXie gaming

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Multiplayer games are becoming more complex every single day – but so is the challenge of maintaining a stable, high-performance environment. After all, that small amount of time is all it takes to win or lose a game! Critical Hidden Challenges in Scaling Multiplayer Games What kind of troubles should you watch out for?

Cross platform 52

Cross platform Data Balance AI 52

Game Wisdom

OCTOBER 16, 2024

Mechanics of Luck and Skill: Balancing Gameplay in Online Casino Games Josh Bycer josh@game-wisdom.com Luck and skill work in unison in the world of gaming. Players design and experience games as a result of both elements. This, of course, doubly applies to online casinos.

Balance 52

Balance Mechanics Games 52

PreMortem.Games

JANUARY 30, 2025

Ive always loved creating things, and game development felt like the perfect mix of art, storytelling, and problem-solving, he explains. While the ability to shape every aspect of the game without compromise is a major advantage, he acknowledges the downside: Wearing all the hats can be overwhelming. That done is better than perfect.

Development 138

Development Playtesting Prototyping Point and Click 138

Game Refinery

OCTOBER 26, 2023

The ever-changing nature of the mobile market means that new monetization mechanics are constantly emerging and evolving. One of the most popular monetization mechanics is the subscription-based battle pass , which was introduced via Valve’s DOTA 2 in 2013 but popularized by the worldwide phenomenon, Fortnite.

Mobile Gaming 220

Mobile Gaming Mobile Mobile Co-op 220

Brand Game Development

SEPTEMBER 24, 2019

This week while working on my current board game design, a lot of things have come into focus. Now it’s time to start tweaking board game rules. This is where board game design often becomes very tricky. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators.

Balance 130

Balance Games Communications Mechanics 130

Deconstructor of Fun

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

Written by Ahmetcan Demirel , the maestro of product management and a podcast host ( Game Dev Diary ) from Germany! With a knack for puzzles, arcades, and simulation games. The puzzle genre is a powerhouse in mobile gaming, generating over $7 billion annually in in-app purchases (IAP). Succeed in the market.

Puzzle 52

Puzzle Mechanics Tile Games 52

PreMortem.Games

APRIL 17, 2023

Fresh out of school Kaighen Finley started his own web & game development company Team iNtuition. Game development is a natural medium for my range of skills and interests”, he says and so he ‘pivoted sharply’ into game development after two years. I function well like that.” Why did you become a solo developer?

Game Developer 197

Game Developer Game Development Development Games 197

AWS Games

DECEMBER 19, 2024

Grabbing the attention of gamers is challenging in a crowded market, but QORPO s unique video gaming experiences stand out. Leveraging many managed services from Amazon Web Services (AWS), the game developer, publisher, and solutions provider accelerated creative game development for popular titles like Citizen Conflict.

AI 85

AI Feature Technology Cross platform 85

Brand Game Development

JULY 17, 2017

After spending a lot of time last week talking about how to make games, let’s talk about how to make them well. When it comes to games, there are a handful of truths that are very important to realize. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators.

Communications 130

Communications Game Developer Game Development Development 130

PreMortem.Games

MARCH 29, 2024

The low-poly racing game, developed by Polish indie developer Pixel Perfect Dude , feels like a love letter to the PlayStation 1 era of rally games, where you could actually name the top drivers and the cars they drove. “Ah Achieving the right balance was not an easy feat according to Szpiczakowski. “We Ah yes those co-pilots!”,

Pixel 156

Pixel Racing Terrain Asset 156

iXie gaming

MARCH 2, 2025

Live-service games have transformed the gaming industry, shifting from standalone releases to dynamic, continuously evolving experiences. How do top game studios maintain a constant flow of high-quality assets without bottlenecks? Seasonal events and in-game monetization strategies demand an ever-expanding asset library. (ii).

Art 52

Art Asset Texture AI 52

Deconstructor of Fun

DECEMBER 2, 2024

What defines a game’s success post-launch today? Sure, the product still reigns, but as Daniel Tchernahovsky, VP, of Global BD at AppLovin , sees it, today’s game success hinges on two strategic questions. First: what’s your creative edge—what’s going to make your game stand out in an endless market of competitors?

Mechanics 52

Mechanics AI Games Studios 52

PreMortem.Games

JANUARY 3, 2024

Based in the city of Ohrid in North Macedonia, the two brothers Bobby and Zhanko Mojsovski work hard on their next game, the bodycam survival-horror shooter Chasmal Fear. Our games are made for the players. “We noticed that most bodycam games were either hyper-realistic shooters or found-footage games. .

Horror 211

Horror Build Playtesting Animation 211

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 16, 2024

Bitmap Books is known for its catalogue of visually stunningly books on the art, history and culture of video games. Their latest offering, the upcoming book A Tale of Two Halves: The History of Football Video Games , is no exception. Each release demonstrates a genuine love for the subject matter and great attention to detail.

Balance 156

Balance Games Writing Editing 156

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 25, 2024

If there ever was a fitting metaphor for the trials and tribulations that indie developers face while creating their debut game, it’s Ascending Inferno , the upcoming release by Australian developer Oppolyon Studio. As first-time indie developers, their journey mirrors the very game they’ve crafted.

Studios 118

Studios Indy Mechanics Games 118

Brand Game Development

MARCH 13, 2017

Brandon: The following is the second guest post by Burt Yaroch of the Healthy Gaming Network. Today he shares with us a game he really enjoys: Colony. Burt: I’ve fallen in love with Colony by Bezier Games, designed by Ted Alspach, Toryo Hojo, and N2 (the pen name for Yoshihisa Nakatsu). Need help on your board game?

Mechanics 130

Mechanics Games Advertising Build 130

Brand Game Development

DECEMBER 11, 2017

Board game development is a very individual process. Every single developer has different methods for creating their games. This article is the sixth of a 19-part suite on board game design and development. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators.

Mechanics 130

Mechanics Writing Concepts Games 130

iXie gaming

APRIL 16, 2024

Establishing a sustainable and balanced game economy is crucial to the success of any game, as it helps drive player satisfaction and engagement. However, the gaming world has been evolving constantly. As a result, there has been a growing need to embrace new approaches to creating sustainable game economies.

Balance 52

Balance Games Data Game Design 52

Brand Game Development

JUNE 20, 2019

In fact, I’ve even said: “ don’t build a board game, build a business.” Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators. Allow me to introduce you to Jeff Beck of Grandpa Beck’s Games. Check it out and see what you think!

Asset 130

Asset Mechanics Games Balance 130

Brand Game Development

JANUARY 13, 2020

That is by no means a small amount to raise, but what’s interesting is that Spirit Island has remained on the Board Game Geek Hotness list off and on for almost three years. Clearly, there is much more to this game than what immediately meets the eye. Need help on your board game? You’re next, agriculture games!).

Game Design 130

Game Design Game Designer Games Balance 130

Grid Sage Games

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Beta 11 was a huge milestone in Cogmind development, having completed a comprehensive review of all items and their stats and mechanics in order to rebalance where necessary, a process I wrote about in detail last year. As part of this drive, for months I’ve been creating over 100 new items, most of them including new mechanics.

Balance 52

Balance Mechanics Beta Alpha 52

PreMortem.Games

JANUARY 15, 2024

The creator of Let Bions Be Bygones (LBBB) is indie game studio Bohemian Pulp , the brainchild of co-founders and life partners, Đorđe and Jasmine Marković. “I decided to make a game that I can do by myself. “We’re “I decided to make a game that I can do by myself.

Pixel 138

Pixel Point and Click Art Games 138

Brand Game Development

OCTOBER 20, 2017

Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. This week, I posted How to Work Alone in the Board Game Industry. Need help on your board game? Join my community of over 2,000 game developers, artists, and passionate creators. Click here.

Point and Click 130

Point and Click Games Mechanics Dev 130

PreMortem.Games

OCTOBER 9, 2023

They are both well aware of the irony of two engineers developing a parody engineering game, but that hasn’t stopped Cillín Farrell and Neil Mackenzie from devoting the majority of their spare time doing just that. With the game’s 100% physics-based building system, players can solve each mission in infinite ways. As long as it works.

Engineering 129

Engineering Engine Build Mechanics 129

iXie gaming

MAY 24, 2024

In the vast realm of gaming, where virtual worlds intersect with reality, lies a complex web of data analytics. Developers have long utilized game analytics for various purposes, such as understanding player behavior, enhancing user experience, and improving game design.

Data 52

Data Balance Games Game Developer 52

Deconstructor of Fun

DECEMBER 16, 2024

In this latest episode of the podcast, Mishka Katkoff sat down with Cameron Stewart, Group Vice President, US Game Development, at SciPlay, to uncover the keys to their continued success in the social casino space. A Balanced Growth Philosophy This doesnt mean SciPlay isnt evolving. This allows you to focus on what really matters."

Code 52

Code Cross platform Games Platformer 52

Brand Game Development

OCTOBER 12, 2020

Last week , I shared with you games I played during my formative years, and how those games made an impact on my taste in boardgames as an adult. I wasn’t expecting to discover the impact those childhood games made on my preferences as an adult. Need help on your board game? So…game plan change!

Point and Click 130

Point and Click Games Mechanics Editing 130

Brand Game Development

NOVEMBER 24, 2017

Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. Last week, I talked about how time-consuming and difficult it can be to get a board game working. It takes a long, long time for a board game to be fun. None of these issues are enough to break the game.

Point and Click 130

Point and Click Games Dev Mechanics 130

Brand Game Development

DECEMBER 22, 2017

Dev Diary posts are made to teach game development through specific examples from my latest project: Highways & Byways. After all, I’m checking to make sure there are no serious balance issues that come out of repeated plays. I’ve already play-tested this game a ton. Need help on your board game?

Point and Click 130

Point and Click Dev Games Mechanics 130