The Escapist Magazine

The success of a game now seems to hinge on how "addictive" it is, not just whether a game is fun. Rob Zacny ponders whether the trend of such manipulative gameplay is ethical.

Boss battles are a staple of nearly every genre of videogames. Andrew Webster explores the boss's impact on game design by talking to the developers behind indie titles Super Meat Boy and Boss Rush.

Blizzard is removing many obscure stats in World of Warcraft with Cataclysm and Jeff Groves is all for it. He explains why simpler mechanics make for more important strategic decisions and, therefore, make games more fun.

Although many are unaware of it, there is an unspoken social contract between a game's designers and the players. Andrew Bell investigates what players expect, and how a designer can let them down.