Learning Game Design
Game design is a wide and varied topic. There are many resources to learn about game design and related areas, and game design principles can often be applied to both physical and digital games. Below are some of the most useful and favorite resources community members have found. Keep in mind, one of the best ways to improve your game design skills is to play more games and think critically about them!
BoardGameGeek.com
A special call-out is warranted for boardgamegeek.com (and its related sites rpggeek.com and videogamegeek.com). This massive website is a database of all types of board games. Each game listing includes a summary, images, credited roles, and related forums. The site also features many general and community forums, news, articles, and other information.
How to submit a game to BGG and get credit listings
Online Reading
Daniel.Games – Daniel Piechnick
A series of often harsh perspectives by the creator of Radlands.
Gametek.substack.com – Geoff Englestein
Newsletter on the math and science of gaming.
How To Design A Tabletop Game – Jamey Stegmaier / Stonemaier Games
A collection of blog articles on tabletop design. The site also contains many high quality insightful blog posts on related topics such as business and crowdfunding.
Ludology Game Design Checklist
A series of questions/topics to guide the development of your game.
RPG Theories
A blog on RPG game design.
Tabletop Game Design Journey Guidebook – Presented by Break My Game
A guidebook intended to help novice tabletop game designers understand what the full journey of making a game might look like, as well as provide resources and strategies to help avoid common struggles and pitfalls while starting, developing, and finishing their game. It also serves as a reference tool for both novice and experienced designers looking to refine, change, and improve their game design process.
The Steps – Jay Cormier and Sen-Foong Limfrom
An outline of all the steps on how to get a board game published.
Videos
Adam in Wales
A game designer and player that vlogs about game design, reviews, and business.
71 Ways to Become a Better Game Designer
Game design and related tips such as business, networking, and best practices.
Board Game Design Lab
A video series hosted by Gabe Barrett
Design Doc
A game design channel with video essays on all kinds of gaming topics.
Extra Credits
A large and entertaining video series breaking down specific video game design and industry topics.
Game Maker’s Toolkit
A deep dive into game design, level design, and game production.
GDC – Game Developers Conference
A large collection of videos on all aspects of the game industry. Most are focused on video games, which is a sizable table top game collection. Many design talks that can teach valuable lessons that apply to all kinds of games.
Georgetown University Wargaming Society
Creating war and simulation games.
How I Got My Mom to Play Through Plants vs. Zombies
A GDC video on how to make a game teach itself.
How to Make a Board Game in 2023
An overview of the game making process from idea to publishing.
Jonathan Blow: Conflicts in Game Design
The creator of The Witness and Braid talking about the tensions between gameplay and narrative.
Magic The Gathering: 20 Years, 20 Lessons Learned
A GDC video of 20 game design lessons from the senior designer of the world’s biggest TCG.
Meeple Syrup
Conversations on game design.
My Favorite Game Mechanisms by Jamey Stagmaier
A large playlist. Each video is about a game, and Stagmaier’s favorite mechanism in that game.
This Problem Changes Your Perspective On Game Dev
Figuring out a design is a search algorithm. This video teaches ways to narrow in on a game design with the highest chance of quality and the least amount of time.
Podcasts
Board Game Insider
Provides inside information and news about the hobby game industry.
Decision Space
Deep dives on both mechanics and specific games. Has a well-maintained Discord server.
Game Design Deep Dive
Interviews with a focus on historical board game designers.
The Game Design Roundtable
The art and craft of game design from the perspective of tabletop, digital, and roleplaying games.
Ludology
An analytical discussion of the hows and whys of the world of board games. Ludology explores a variety of topics about games from a wider lens, as well as discuss game history, game design and game players.
On Board Games
Discussion of board games from the viewpoints of new and expert players, reviewers, and people from the industry.
RPG Design Panelcast
Podcast focused on Roleplaying Game Design and Business
The Tabletop Takeaway
Analysis of individual published board games and their broader design approach.
Unboxed
Board game industry discussions.
Books
Achievement Relocked – Geoff Englestein
A short book on loss aversion and the endowment effect.
The Aesthetic of Play – Brian Upton
Unpacking “Situational game design”, a theory of design and games by the author.
The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses – Jesse Schell
Describes the fundamental principles of game design. Presents over 100 sets of questions, or different lenses, for viewing a game’s design.
Board Game Design Advice: From the Best in the World – Gabe Barrett
A collection of game advice from many accomplished game designers.
Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: An Encyclopedia of Mechanisms – Geoffrey Engelstein and Issaac Shalev
A fantastic reference of tabletop game mechanisms organized by category.
Challenges for Game Designers – Brenda Romero and Ian Schreiber
An explanation of game design topics with accompanying engaging practical exercises.
Characteristics of Games – George Skaff Elias, Richard Garfield, & 3 more
Understanding games by analyzing their certain common traits.
The Design of Everyday Things – Don Norman
A book that teaches thinking about design, recognizing problems, and high level design terminology, focused on product design.
Dice Games Properly Explained – Reiner Knizia
World-renowned designer Knizia’s classic on dice games and strategies.
Elements of Game Design – Robert Zubek
An introduction to the basics of game design, covering tools and techniques from commercial (video) game production.
Game Design Workshop – Tracy Fullerton
An exercise driven, non-technical approach to game design with clear and accessible guidance.
GameTek – Geoffrey Engelstein
A fascinating read to explore the world from a new perspective for designers, covering math, physics, and psychology while assessing common game situations.
Grapefruit – Yoko Ono
Hundreds of often impossible exercises in art and play, to stretch your imagination.
The Kobold Guide to Board Game Design – Selinker, Mike, Howell, etc.
A collection of essays by game designers, including Richard Garfield.
MBP Game Design – Boy Scouts of America
A Merit Badge Pamphlet made for scouts, and a good overview reference for game design.
The Molecule of More – Daniel Z Liberman and Mike Long
A book about dopamine, the main driver of human motivation.
A Pattern Language – Christopher Alexander
An attempt to build a more holistic language around physical spaces.
A Theory of Fun – Raph Koster
A well articulated theory of what people enjoy in games.
You Said This Would Be Fun – Jeff Warrender
Concepts and skills for tabletop game design.
Thematic Integration in Board Game Design – Sarah Shipp
Examines the design and integration of them from the standpoints of technical structure, narrative building, and the design process.
Think Like a Game Designer – Justin Gary
Practical information and advice from an industry veteran on the design process and industry.
Your Turn: The Guide to Great Tabletop Game Design – Scott Rogers
Guides you through the game design process, from idea to execution, of creating 6 sample games. Learn game mechanics, theories, history, and industry knowledge in an entertaining read with humor and fun illustrations.
Uncertainty in Games – Greg Costikyan
How uncertainty works in games and how it engages players and shapes experiences.
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
A short, provocative book about the creative process.
The Well-played Game – Bernie De Koven
A detailed spiritual exploration from the 1970s of what players want and do while playing a game.
The White Box Essays – Jeremy Holcomb
A collection of 25 essays on game design and production.