I insist a lot on the importance of entertainment when we design new games. I spoke on this blog regarding the satisfaction of core instincts, and I am aware that someone would need something more actionable and practical. The easy resource is KPIs, which often are seeing like targets to hit. They aren’t in my opinion: they are diagnostic tools for spotting flaws in your gameplay, indicators.
For every feature, we first define the specific utility it provides, and then we measure its impact on player behavior.
| Player Instinct | The Utility Provided | Impact (examples) |
| Acquisition (Urge to collect) | Giving the player interesting things to collect that drive progression. | Completion Rate (Quests, levels, and the final game). |
| Social Connection (Gregariousness) | Maintaining engagement and fostering community. | Stickiness and high D7 Retention. Track the specific flows to connect with others and also the number of social interactions. |
| Assertiveness & Mastery | The feeling of power and competence within a core system. | Win Rate and Feature Usage. |
| Curiosity | Satisfying the urge to discover new things. | High Session Length. Qualitatively, the best sign is playtesters who genuinely want more at the end of a prototype. Check also heuristics after a playtest |
Prototypes are essential, especially when playtested and attached to heuristics. By leading with the projected impact on player behavior, we demonstrate business value. This is how we continue the pursuit of l’avenir, the radical, unexpected break from the past.