The creator of Monkey Island, Ron Gilbert, told how you can encourage gamers to buy games thanks to gameplay streams.

According to the game designer, it’s all about human psychology: viewers see someone playing a game, and they have a desire to do something in it that the author of the broadcast does not do.

When gamers ask themselves, “What would I do if I were a streamer?”, they have a desire to buy and play this game themselves. They want to do things in it that streamers didn't do.

Ron Gilbert

Game designer

Gilbert added that the non-linearity in small elements of game design, such as options in dialogues and solutions to small puzzles, encourages the audience to play your game differently.

“It’s a matter of depth of play. If you make a narrative game, and there is enough depth in it, then streams become a good advertisement for your project,” said Ron Gilbert.

Gilbert also said that he was very pleased with how streamers helped the success of his latest game Thimbleweed Park, made in the style of retro adventure. More information about Thimbleweed Park can be found in our publication.

Source: Gamasutra

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