Complexity and Simplicity in Games (part 5)

If you’re a new game designer, what should you do? If your game is simple, then you should focus on what makes it fun and appealing and try to make it easily accessible to pick-up-and-play casual gamers, probably the type of game that would be available for phone apps. You can always move from there, if it generates a following, and look to PC and console systems next. If your game is complex, you’ll probably want to go in reverse order, targeting PC gamers first, then consoles, then the phone app market. Know your game genre best, though, and go where that genre has the largest following. There is no surefire formula for building a game, but if you’re just starting, avoid too much complexity if you can. A steep learning curve will often turn away potential buyers who are unfamiliar with your game IP. Once it’s established and you have a bit of a following, though, you may have the freedom to develop a deeper, more complex game with less of a marketing risk. Don’t be deterred from pursuing the development of a complex game, but keep in mind and understand what lures people to simple games, and implement some of the same tricks as you win their favor towards your game.