Gacha is the name for random rewards delivered in games, particularly service games. The word is derived from the Japanese word gachapon, an onomatopoeia of “gacha” for the sound of turning a crank on a toy vending...

Nicholas’s Guessing Game is a thought experiment that makes the design process faster and more efficient. When you have identified a new feature that you want to build, ask team members to write down a guess for...

There are many different stages of game development. Here’s my favourite: For me, there are five major phases: concept, production, launch, live and sunset. These can be broken down further like this: The five phases of game...

Pivot is the most overused word in business. It is mistakenly used to cover up mistakes or to justify expensive failures as learning experiences. This is only OK if the team had set out to learn that...

Freeloaders are valuable to your game. Embrace them; don’t kick them out. Here is a list of just some of the value that they provide. You can find out more in other books I have written, including...