How can you design games responsibly?

In my experience, responsable game design comes from three things. Knowing your audience, knowing your scope and knowing your teammates. Very few great games are made alone, its hard to know your audience without research and identifying user/consumer personas, and its imperative to know the scope and vision of your project. If not, you’re going to be all over the place.

Ethical treatment must happen outside and inside the team. As a Game Designer you must design an experience and hack it into your player’s mind. This can either be a positive force to promote healthy habits and teach important lessons… but there’s also the potential to unwillingly (or willingly) distress players. Certain topics are sensitive and there are m games where they’re shown or exploited in an unfavorable light. Always think about the implications of your core concept. While doing an Ideation process, don’t limit yourself to what you see on paper. Do your research, find what makes your target players tick, and try to board complex topics with the right mindset. Even violence and gore. There’s always a when and a why.

Well for one, what exactly does being responsible mean for your audience? Once you know your audience then you can tailor the experience towards them. Every game is meant for everyone. If you creating a children's game then you know not to add jump scares with loud sounds to go with it. Make sure you do your research on your audience locally and internationally, this will help with cultural no no's and other assets that may get your game banned or rejected.

Doubling down on research, remember there IS a way to board complex subjects respectfully, as long as you can turn them into cohesive elements in your story or during gameplay. Things that are “just there” for flavor and can’t be properly explained to the player besides being “edgy” stand out like a sore thumb.

One overlooked responsibility of the Game Designer (and, sadly, leads in general) is Effective Communication. You can “talk without speaking” as the song goes, and that usually causes your team to feel neglected and confused. Lean on them, and they’ll respond. Sell the idea to your team, let them nurture it as well from their respective roles and experiences. If your game becomes their game as well, teams thrive. This includes recognition as well. We all want to belong somewhere.

Don’t take things at face value, and don’t limit your sources to just Gaming. Other fields and industries have a vast amount of Knowledge ready to be harnessed. When in doubt, talk to a peer, message that colleague, ask that friend, contact that person in LinkedIn. Don’t ask for solutions, ask for advice. Ask for experience.