Creating Motivating Experiences: From Psychological Theory to Game Development Practice

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 4:45 PM to 6:15 PM · 1 hr. 30 min. (Europe/Berlin)
Stage 12 - Confex Level 2
Workshop
~All~Game DesignUX

Information

This workshop introduces Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan) and shows how autonomy, competence, and relatedness drive player engagement. Through practical examples, participants will learn how to evaluate whether their game design decisions support psychological needs and how to apply SDT to improve motivation and player experience. Developers will leave with practical insights they can immediately apply to their own game projects.
Topics
~All~Game DesignUX
Session Type
Workshop
Target Audiences
Game designers, UX designers, gameplay programmers, and producers who want to better understand player motivation and design more engaging game experiences. Particularly relevant for developers working on player engagement, retention, and player experience design, from indie to AAA.
Experience Level
Beginner
Key Take Aways
- Learning how the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness shape engagement and player experience. - Discovering practical ways to support self-motivation while avoiding motivational design pitfalls. - Gaining actionable tools to evaluate and improve your designs using established psychological principles.
Available to Ticket Type(s)
  • gcdev Student Pass
    • gcdev Content Pass
      • gcdev Trade Pass
        • gcdev Press Pass
          • gcdev Speaker Pass
            • gcdev VIP Pass

              Registered attendees

              Adam Dolin
              Adam Dolin
              Creative ConsultantGameDevDolin
              Alice Ruppert
              Alice Ruppert
              Writer and ConsultantThe Mane Quest
              Amber Pasternack
              Amber Pasternack
              PhD Researcher in Games StudiesUniversity of Glasgow