Games User Research Cookbook: Tools and Techniques for Better Player Experience

This book offers a comprehensive and practical guide to games user research (GUR). Blending theory and hands-on experience, it walks readers through methods, tools, and techniques tailored to the real-world constraints of small- and medium-sized game development studios to support them in delivering better player experiences.

The book is divided into three parts. Part 1 introduces core concepts to game development and explores gameplay experience, together with factors that influence player behaviour and decisions. The part ends by exploring the games user researcher’s role and its common challenges. Next, Part 2 presents readers with a ten-step end-to-end research process for a single study. From understanding stakeholders and designing methods, through recruiting participants, moderating sessions, and analyzing results, to delivering actionable insights, this section provides guidance, real-life examples, and templates for integrating research in game development practices, even when the budget and timeline are tight. Finally, Part 3 provides readers with ready-to-use “recipes” for ten research methods covering every phase of the game production cycle. Each recipe includes practical tips, pitfalls to avoid, and actual report excerpts.

Whether you're an indie developer wanting to better understand your players, or a UX designer or researcher moving from application software to the world of games, this book will provide you with all the information on how to use research to gain the insights needed to create better player experiences.

Michał Mycka is a games user researcher both by education and practice. His educational background is in psychology (master’s) and economics (PhD). Since 2012, he has provided insights for over 40 games and game-related R&D projects, covering a wide range of genres and platforms. He has worked with developers and publishers ranging from indie to triple-A, such as Gamedust, Klabater, Game Operators, and Ubisoft Reflections, among others. He teaches games user research at Collegium Da Vinci (Poland) and acts as an expert in the Creative Europe Programme.