This is not an essay about anyone's bad judgment. It is a case study in what happens when listening to players turns, almost imperceptibly, into taking dictation. It takes the better part of an hour to earn a locked door in Arc Raiders. Scavenging the rusted sprawl of the Rust Belt for a key by … Continue reading Arc Raiders and the Tragedy Ostrom Said We Could Avoid
The first part of my PhD project has been accepted as a Work-in-Progress paper at the CHI PLAY 20ß26, York, UK. Access the poster now.
Broken systems are rarely defended by the people who believe in them. They're maintained by the people who don't. On Mamdani, the games industry, and the quiet machinery of the unrecorded meeting.
Only days after the mobile giant Love and Deepspace announced its sixth love interest, Valko, its developers released a statement on June 30th, 2026 saying they would not move forward with him and will be scrapping the character entirely. Infold is known for delivering high-quality mobile games, and Love and Deepspace is no exception. Its … Continue reading Love and Deepspace, and When Not to Listen to Your Players
As a player with nearly 100 hours logged on Steam and as a professional user researcher, I naturally look for patterns. And ARC Raiders offers a compelling case study in how behavioral data and feedback loops can shape matchmaking.
Love and Deepspace demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of F2P monetization strategies, effectively balancing emotional engagement, fairness, and optional spending to create a sustainable and player-friendly model.
How gratitude, identity, and trust *not pressure* drive the world’s most profitable free-to-play ecosystems. By Natali Panic-Cidic What if the key to monetizing free-to-play games isn't pushing players to pay, but making them want to? It might sound counterintuitive, but that’s exactly what a growing body of academic and industry research is revealing. The most … Continue reading The Heart of Free: Rethinking F2P Business Models for the Next Generation of Games
“We’re All Family Here” and Other Lies You’ll Hear Before Burnout You finally landed an interview at a company you’ve admired for years. The logo is iconic, the projects are legendary, and the recruiter swears the “culture” is unmatched. But then...red flags start waving. Loudly. Whether you're a veteran or new to the industry, knowing … Continue reading Red Flags in Gaming Industry Interviews (and Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Them)
Author’s Note: This article is written in response to a widely shared opinion piece about game design that, while unnamed here, made several claims that merit clarification and rebuttal. This is not a personal critique, but a professional response aimed at fostering a more accurate understanding of the discipline. Recently, a blog post titled "Form … Continue reading Rethinking Form and Function in Game Design: A Response
Platforms, including LinkedIn, are now quick to shame anyone who even touches AI for creative or experimental purposes. But instead of using this moment to have real conversations about consent, authorship, and ethics, the outrage often feels performative, driven more by ego than principle.
