r/gamedesign

Community Overview

About r/gamedesign

For topics related to the design of games for interactive entertainment systems - video games, board games, tabletop RPGs, or any other type. /r/GameDesign is not a subreddit about general game development, nor is it a programming subreddit. This is a place to talk about Game Design and what it entails. Use this community to network, discuss crafting rulesets and general game design, and share game design tips with other game designers. Designers of all experience levels are welcome!

The community at a glance

r/gamedesign is a Subreddit for Game Designers with roughly 304K members. It has been around since 2008. It uses a forum format for communication. It is the 5th largest community in the Game Design topic page.

Roughly 36K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Game Design, Design, and Game. Product recommendations often mention laptop, third person camera, and game making software.

On Reddit
Established 2008
304K Members

Subreddit Analysis

via GummySearch
Yearly: +36K members
Growth: +13.4% / year

Member growth over time

All time (yearly)

  • 2013: 7K members
  • 2014: 7K members
  • 2015: 8K members
  • 2016: 10K members
  • 2017: 11K members
  • 2018: 15K members
  • 2019: 33K members
  • 2020: 46K members
  • 2021: 36K members
  • 2023: 48K members
  • 2024: 25K members
  • 2025: 29K members
  • 2026: 28K members

Past year (monthly)

  • Nov: 3K members
  • Dec: 3K members
  • Jan: 3K members
  • Feb: 3K members
  • Mar: 3K members
  • Apr: 3K members
  • May: 3K members
  • Jun: 3K members
  • Jul: 3K members
  • Aug: 3K members
  • Sep: 3K members
  • Oct: 122 members

Topics

  • Game Design
    69 posts in the past month
    #1
    Game Design
    69
  • Design
    57 posts in the past month
    #2
    Design
    57
  • Game
    38 posts in the past month
    #3
    Game
    38
  • Looking For
    31 posts in the past month
    #4
    Looking For
    31
  • Annoying
    28 posts in the past month
    #5
    Annoying
    28

Flair

  • Discussion
    35 posts in the past month
    1. Watched someone play Hitman: Codename 47 for the first time and now I can't stop thinking about it
    2. Favorite exmaples of diegetic ui?
    3. "unintended" meta mechanics
    #1
    Discussion
    Watched someone play Hitman: Codename 47 for the first time and now I can't stop thinking about it · Favorite exmaples of diegetic ui? · "unintended" meta mechanics
    35
  • Question
    24 posts in the past month
    1. Penalties for losing other than respawning?
    2. How to build tension without a corpse run
    3. how do you make encumbrance feel like a decision instead of bookkeeping?
    #2
    Question
    Penalties for losing other than respawning? · How to build tension without a corpse run · how do you make encumbrance feel like a decision instead of bookkeeping?
    24
  • Resource request
    3 posts in the past month
    1. I need your ideas: best chess expansion mechanics
    2. Playing Card Based Memory System
    3. Sound and speech sources
    #3
    Resource request
    I need your ideas: best chess expansion mechanics · Playing Card Based Memory System · Sound and speech sources
    3
  • Blog
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Can you reconstruct a game's stat progression from only a few known values? I tried it with Pokemon
    2. Idleblog: A blog about various game design topics in strategy and mmorts game design
    #4
    Blog
    Can you reconstruct a game's stat progression from only a few known values? I tried it with Pokemon · Idleblog: A blog about various game design topics in strategy and mmorts game design
    2
  • Meta
    1 post in the past month
    1. Weekly Show & Tell - September 26, 2026
    #5
    Meta
    Weekly Show & Tell - September 26, 2026
    1

Product recommendations

  • laptop
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Best laptop for running Unreal Engine
    2. Best laptop for running Unreal Engine
    3. List of the Best Laptops For Video Game Design Under $1500
    #1
    laptop
    Best laptop for running Unreal Engine · Best laptop for running Unreal Engine · List of the Best Laptops For Video Game Design Under $1500
    3
  • third person camera
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Which game have the best third person camera?
    2. Which game have the best third person camera?
    3. Which game have the best third person camera?
    #2
    third person camera
    Which game have the best third person camera? · Which game have the best third person camera? · Which game have the best third person camera?
    3
  • game making software
    2 posts in the past month
    1. What is the best game making software for a beginner?
    2. What is the best game making software for a beginner?
    #3
    game making software
    What is the best game making software for a beginner? · What is the best game making software for a beginner?
    2
  • best skill icon
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Help me decide the best skill icon for my game: AI vs Artist
    2. Help me decide the best skill icon for my game: AI vs Artist
    #4
    best skill icon
    Help me decide the best skill icon for my game: AI vs Artist · Help me decide the best skill icon for my game: AI vs Artist
    2

Frequently asked questions

Who is r/gamedesign for?
Best for Game Designers enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion.
Is r/gamedesign free to join?
This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
How many members does r/gamedesign have?
Roughly 304K members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
What platform is r/gamedesign on?
r/gamedesign runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
What topics does r/gamedesign cover?
On the Hive Index, r/gamedesign is organized under Game Designers.
How do I join r/gamedesign?
You can join r/gamedesign by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
What are the Game Design communities like?
Communities for game developers and designers at indie studios and beyond. Discord is the primary hub, with communities for feedback on prototypes, finding collaborators like artists and musicians, getting indie game jobs, and talking craft across all stages of development.