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 296K 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 34K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Game Design, Design, and Game. Common discussion themes are Solution Requests. Product recommendations often mention laptop, third person camera, and game making software.
Community Topics
Community Features
This community has a forum
Subreddit Analysis
via GummySearchMember 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: 20K members
Past year (monthly)
- Aug: 2K members
- Sep: 2K members
- Oct: 2K members
- 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: 1K members
Themes
- Solution Requests1 post in the past month
- Best Personal Projects for UI design student?
#11Solution RequestsBest Personal Projects for UI design student?
Topics
- Game Design69 posts in the past month
- What's one gaming feature you wish every developer would include?
- How do you design meaningful player choices when the optimal path is almost always obvious?
- Enemy AI features that can make a stealth game feel unique?
#169Game DesignWhat's one gaming feature you wish every developer would include? · How do you design meaningful player choices when the optimal path is almost always obvious? · Enemy AI features that can make a stealth game feel unique? - Design57 posts in the past month
- How do you design meaningful tradeoffs without making one choice feel obviously correct?
#257DesignHow do you design meaningful tradeoffs without making one choice feel obviously correct? - Game38 posts in the past month#338Game
- Looking For31 posts in the past month#431Looking For
- Annoying28 posts in the past month#528Annoying
Flair
- Discussion79 posts in the past month
- Mina the Hollower had an 800+ Page Design Doc
- Most games reward clever resource use, but almost none punish you for hoarding resources too safely
- When players are given the choice to be good or evil, they always choose to be good. Are there any games that manage to prevent this?
#179DiscussionMina the Hollower had an 800+ Page Design Doc · Most games reward clever resource use, but almost none punish you for hoarding resources too safely · When players are given the choice to be good or evil, they always choose to be good. Are there any games that manage to prevent this? - Question58 posts in the past month
- What's one gaming feature you wish every developer would include?
- We needed players to be able to kill nobles without losing. We solved it with medieval indulgences.
- what's a game mechanic you wish more games used?
#258QuestionWhat's one gaming feature you wish every developer would include? · We needed players to be able to kill nobles without losing. We solved it with medieval indulgences. · what's a game mechanic you wish more games used? - Article6 posts in the past month
- How my homemade anti-piracy system brought me thousands of new players
- Solving "Feel-Dumb" Moments (the Machine Guarding technique)
- Why Devs fight to preserve Irrelevant Options (and how to fix it)
#36ArticleHow my homemade anti-piracy system brought me thousands of new players · Solving "Feel-Dumb" Moments (the Machine Guarding technique) · Why Devs fight to preserve Irrelevant Options (and how to fix it) - Resource request3 posts in the past month
- Looking for games with opposing explicit and implicit objectives
- Game Design 101 Book/YouTube Recommendations?
- Combat system for a sci-fi nation text RP
#43Resource requestLooking for games with opposing explicit and implicit objectives · Game Design 101 Book/YouTube Recommendations? · Combat system for a sci-fi nation text RP - Meta3 posts in the past month
- Weekly Show & Tell - June 27, 2026
- Weekly Show & Tell - June 20, 2026
- Weekly Show & Tell - June 13, 2026
#53MetaWeekly Show & Tell - June 27, 2026 · Weekly Show & Tell - June 20, 2026 · Weekly Show & Tell - June 13, 2026
Product recommendations
- laptop3 posts in the past month
- Best laptop for running Unreal Engine
- Best laptop for running Unreal Engine
- List of the Best Laptops For Video Game Design Under $1500
#13laptopBest laptop for running Unreal Engine · Best laptop for running Unreal Engine · List of the Best Laptops For Video Game Design Under $1500 - third person camera3 posts in the past month
- Which game have the best third person camera?
- Which game have the best third person camera?
- Which game have the best third person camera?
#23third person cameraWhich game have the best third person camera? · Which game have the best third person camera? · Which game have the best third person camera? - game making software2 posts in the past month
- What is the best game making software for a beginner?
- What is the best game making software for a beginner?
#32game making softwareWhat is the best game making software for a beginner? · What is the best game making software for a beginner? - best skill icon2 posts in the past month
- 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
#42best skill iconHelp 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
Community Reviews
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 296K 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.
Added 12/23/2021
Monthly Stats
- 10
- Views /mo (+100%)
- 10
- Visitors /mo (+150%)
- 0
- Referrals /mo
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