Overcomplicating Game Development?

People overcomplicate game development.Listen, if you are a new studio:Avoid:- Making a game on a niche genre- Monetization first strategy- Disregarding user acquisition and marketing- Rushing the whole processInstead:- Start spending more time on research- Rely on data for your design process- Prioritize communication between departments- Don’t skip a phase (yes, especially QA)- Understand it takes time to ship a good gameFocus on these for your early titles.Build from there.PS: Time-Money-Number of games varies depending on which platform you are making a game.

Gökhan Üzmez September 7

Journal

List of excellent Game Dev Portfolios to learn from

This one's a goodie. Here is a list of excellent game dev portfolios to learn from! ➡ high-quality PDF with clickable linksI'm at Burning Man this week and completely out of contact! To continue to spread the love, I have scheduled a single, highly valuable Game Development or Careers resource to be posted every day on my behalf.

Willem Delventhal September 6

Journal

New Korean Game Releases in Late 2024

As we enter the second half of 2024, the Korean gaming industry is gearing up for significant changes, with several highly anticipated titles set for release. This period is crucial for developers as they aim to build on the successes of the first half of the year while strengthening their business strategies through new game launches. These new titles will span multiple platforms, including mobile, PC, and consoles, as companies push to expand their global presence. Many of these games leverage popular IPs or bring fresh innovations to the market, offering players diverse experiences. Nexon: Mobile Adaptations of Popular IPs and New Genre Challenges Nexon is preparing to launch several highly anticipated games in late 2024. Among these is Mabinogi Mobile, a mobile adaptation of the beloved Mabinogi IP, which originally debuted as a PC MMORPG in 2004. Known for […]

Myoungwon Kim September 5

Journal

Level Design: MASSIVELY Valuable Doc with EVERYTHING

Willem's Week of GameDev Resources: Day 1! For all my Level Designers out there, here is a MASSIVELY valuable doc with EVERYTHING you need to know about your craft! ➡ Get it hereI'm at Burning Man this week and completely out of contact! To continue to spread the love, I have scheduled a single, highly valuable Game Development or Careers resource to be posted every day on my behalf.Follow for 7 in total!What do you think of this one, Level Designers? Learn anything new? What's your favorite Level Design resource?

Willem Delventhal September 4

Journal

This is especially true when you’re on a convention floor

This is especially true when you're on a convention floor or otherwise have a deadline.

Willem Delventhal September 3

Journal

What does the Gaming Industry need most right now?

Last Sunday, I asked you: "What does the gaming industry need most right now?"The post received 600+ comments from youThe most liked comment was from Cole:"Stop-making-games-to-appeal-to-shareholders-and-get-back-to-making-games-that-appeal-to-players" (It's the longest word in English!)For the rest, I generated a word cloud.Let’s spread this transformative vibe.

Sergei Vasiuk September 2

Journal

What do you do for a living?

I will admit... this is one of the perks I enjoy about being a game dev

Willem Delventhal September 2

Journal

A cool design resource: Combo Chart

I was looking at the stats on an Elden Ring enemy and discovered a cool design resource: a combo chart, basically a State Diagram of enemy movesets ⚔ State Diagrams are a game design staple. We use them for all kinds of things, from showcasing a games skill progression to mapping out the growable plants in a gardening system to displaying a games hub world and which levels the player can access when. (I'm curious, what else have you seen them used for?) They're a great tool for visually mapping out a complex system and getting a gut check on how it will work. Additionally, they're excellent for communicating between team members, making it extremely clear what needs to be created. 🗺 All that said, I've never seen one used to document the movements, and even more so how the […]

Willem Delventhal September 1

Journal

Master these for success.

30+ Tools cheat sheet, highlighting 6 main pillars of game development that I find useful for the Video Games Industry.Game development is a form of Art.6 Pillars are essential for a strong foundation:ResearchDesignArtDevelopmentLive Ops DataMonetizationMaster these for success.

Gökhan Üzmez August 26

Journal

Classic Retention vs. 24-Hour vs. Rolling Retention

Here is a breakdown of the three main types of retention: 1. Classic RetentionTracks how many users return on specific days after their first play.• Formula: (Users on Day X / Users on Day 0) * 100%• Example: Day 7 Retention = 30%, meaning 30 out of 100 users return exactly on the 7th day.• Use Case: Identifying when users drop off to improve retention strategies.2. 24-Hour RetentionFlexible for analyzing user interest after events or milestones within any 24 hours.• Formula: (Users in last 24 hours / Users in previous 24 hours) * 100%• Example: 24-Hour Retention = 40%, meaning 40 out of 100 users active within the last 24 hours return.• Use Case: Assessing engagement post-event or update.3. Rolling RetentionMeasures users who return on or after a specific day, reflecting long-term engagement.• Formula: (Users active on & after Day […]

Anton Slashcev August 25

Journal

Core vs. Meta in Mobile Games

Here’s a breakdown of time distribution in different games:1. Manor Matters: Core - 51.5%, Meta - 48.5%2. Gardenscapes: Core - 56.0%, Meta - 44.0%3. Design Home: Core - 60.9%, Meta - 39.1%4. Seekers Notes: Core - 61.9%, Meta - 38.1%5. Solitaire Grand Harvest: Core - 68.6%, Meta - 31.4%6. Slotomania: Core - 74.0%, Meta - 26.0%7. Royal Match: Core - 74.1%, Meta - 25.9%8. Caesars Casino: Core - 74.7%, Meta - 25.3%9. House of Fun: Core - 77.6%, Meta - 22.4%10. June's Journey: Core - 78.1%, Meta - 21.9%11. DoubleDown: Core - 79.5%, Meta - 20.5%12. Fishdom Solitaire: Core - 81.5%, Meta - 18.5%13. Toon Blast: Core - 81.9%, Meta - 18.1%14. Texas Poker: Pokerist: Core - 82.5%, Meta - 17.5%15. Bingo Blitz: Core - 83.9%, Meta - 16.1%16. Best Fiends: Core - 85.1%, Meta - 14.9%17. WSOP: Core - […]

Anton Slashcev August 19

Journal

How is The Gaming Entertainment Curve?

Today is my birthday, and I want to host a small-talk party in a gamer's way. Let's mix and mingle! 🙌 Share your gaming evolution or where you prefer to be now. I'll start first:Casual Gamer ↳ In 1989 with "Nu, Pogodi" (Wolf & Eggs)Fighter Gamer ↳ In the early '90s with Mortal KombatFPS Gamer ↳ In the mid '90s with DOOMSports Gamer ↳ In the late '90s with FIFA, NFL, NBARPG Gamer ↳ In the mid 2000s with World of WarcraftPuzzle-Platform Gamer ↳ In 2007 with PortalAction/Adventure Gamer ↳ In the late 2010s with HorizonSlow-Vehicle Shooter Gamer (NOW) ↳ With World of TanksWhat's your gamer vibe right now? Let me know below ⬇️

Sergei Vasiuk August 19

gamedevelopment

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