Games User Research

by Anders Drachen (editor), Pejman Mirza-Babaei (Editor), Lennart Nacke (Editor)

Games live and die commercially on the player experience. Games User Research is collectively the way we optimise the quality of the user experience (UX) in games, working with all aspects of a game from the mechanics and interface, visuals and art, interaction and progression, making sure every element works in concert and supports the game UX.This means that Games User Research is essential and integral to the production of games and to shape the experience of players. Today, Games User Research stands as the primary pathway to understanding players and how to design, build, and launch games that provide the right game UX.Until now, the knowledge in Games User Research and Game UX has been fragmented and there were no comprehensive, authoritative resources available. This book bridges the current gap of knowledge in Games User Research, building the go-to resource for everyone working with players and games or other interactive entertainment products. It is accessible to those new to Games User Research, while being deeply comprehensive and insightful for even hardened veterans of the game industry. Inthis book, dozens of veterans share their wisdom and best practices on how to plan user research, obtain the actionable insights from users, conduct user-centred testing, which methods to use when, how platforms influence user research practices, and much, much more.

Genres: Design, Game Design, Nonfiction, Research, Gaming, Games

548 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 26, 2018

Reviews

[Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview of the subject, with useful examples from industry professionals. Some topics covered multiple times, but with individual perspectives. I loved that it included chapters on testing with players who have special needs, mobile games, and virtual reality, and each chapter has a wealth of references to additional reading.

[Michael Taroni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was truly a revelation for a young student who started to get interested in the Game User Research world. It's not a simple book to read, but the information present here is incredibly useful for both junior and seniors alike. I actually used this book to learn the very basis on how to do think-aloud protocols (which I tested with my parents and friends).

[Dani (Current Chapter) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing nonfiction about User Research in the gaming industry with a lot of interesting and actionable information. I recommend if you want to learn more of how to apply User Research concepts for any type of game.

[Agness.c · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally found it very useful. It is a mixture of essays covering different aspect of games user research, from approach to methods and case studies. With visual examples of reporting and documentation provided along the way.

[Jonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book.

[Kelsey Hlavaty (readingwithkelsey)]

~not rating because i read this for work~