Instead of adhering to rigid academic definitions, creators should focus on whether their target audience perceives the experience as a valuable game. The players are the final arbiters of a product's category and value, rendering internal debates about definitions moot.
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Aspiring creators often get stuck on "what problem am I solving?" This is a flawed premise. Providing entertainment, joy, and an escape from reality is an incredibly valuable contribution—just as valid as solving a practical business or life problem for your audience.
The company's core philosophy is not to create entertaining games, but to create "games that make the people you're playing with entertaining." This principle guides their design to focus on facilitating interaction and connection, treating the game as a catalyst for a social experience rather than the experience itself.
The guiding principle for the game was that every card must create an interaction between players. This intentional design choice ensures people play against each other, not just against the game's rules. It fosters a social, dynamic, and often confrontational experience that keeps players engaged.
As AI democratizes content creation, the sustainable strategy for creators is to build an IP framework—a world with rules and a vibe—that empowers their community to co-create within it. This shifts the focus from top-down content to fostering a creative ecosystem, as exemplified by Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto.
Employees often reserve their best strategic thinking for complex hobbies. By intentionally designing the work environment with clear rules, goals, and compelling narratives—like a well-designed game—leaders can unlock this latent strategic talent and make work more engaging.
To foster deep engagement, creators must transition from owner to community steward. Explicitly framing the platform as belonging to the audience encourages active participation and transforms passive consumers into co-creators invested in its success.
Club Penguin's founders lived by a simple rule: 'If it doesn't matter to an eight-year-old, it doesn't matter.' This filter forced them to reject prestigious but irrelevant opportunities like speaking at certain conferences, keeping them focused on their true customers: kids and their parents.
Contrary to the classic view of games as competitive, modern player data shows that motivations like self-expression and companionship are far more prevalent. Riot Games' success with cosmetic skins exemplifies the financial power of catering to this new hierarchy of player needs.
In the game "Disney Friends," adding a simple points meter and sparkles catered to mastery-driven players without alienating relationship-driven players. This demonstrates how minor UX tweaks can successfully accommodate diverse, even conflicting, user needs within the same product.
Don't overcomplicate defining value. The simplest and most accurate measure is whether a customer will exchange money for your solution. If they won't pay, your product is not valuable enough to them, regardless of its perceived benefits.
