How do you prioritize game features?

1 Define your core loop

Your core loop is the main activity or mechanic that your players will repeat throughout your game. It should be fun, engaging, and rewarding, and it should align with your game's genre, theme, and goals. Your core loop is the foundation of your game, and it should be the first thing you prioritize. You can use a diagram or a flowchart to map out your core loop and identify its key elements, such as inputs, outputs, feedback, and rewards. This will help you focus on the essential features that support your core loop and avoid adding unnecessary or distracting features that dilute it.

2 Use a feature matrix

A feature matrix is a tool that helps you compare and rank your features based on two criteria: impact and effort. Impact is how much your feature contributes to your game's value proposition, player satisfaction, and differentiation. Effort is how much time, money, and resources your feature requires to implement and maintain. You can use a simple grid or a spreadsheet to plot your features on a matrix and divide them into four categories: high impact, low effort (quick wins); high impact, high effort (major projects); low impact, low effort (fillers); and low impact, high effort (time sinks). You should prioritize the quick wins first, as they will deliver the most value for the least cost. Then, you should evaluate the major projects and decide which ones are worth the investment and which ones can be scaled down or scrapped. You should avoid the time sinks, as they will waste your resources and offer little return. You can use the fillers to polish your game or add some variety, but only after you have completed the more important features.

3 Get feedback and iterate

Prioritizing game features is not a one-time process, but a continuous cycle of testing, feedback, and iteration. You should not rely on your assumptions or preferences, but on actual data and insights from your target audience and stakeholders. You should use various methods of feedback, such as surveys, interviews, playtests, analytics, and reviews, to measure how your features perform and how your players respond to them. You should use feedback to validate your priorities, identify problems and opportunities, and adjust your plans accordingly. You should also be flexible and willing to change your priorities based on new information, feedback, or circumstances. Prioritizing game features is not a rigid formula, but a dynamic and creative process that requires constant learning and improvement.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?