Games User Research

edited by Anders, Drachen, Pejman Mirza-Babaei, & Lennart E. Nacke

The Games User Research Book

Presenting Games User Research

A Holistic, Community-Driven GUR Ecosystem
Games User Research is not just another book on how to do generic UX for games. It’s a thoroughly detailed GUR Practitioner’s Strategy Handbook: The first unified, authoritative guide edited and contributed by leading industry experts and academics. Here’s what makes it uniquely indispensable:

  • Holistic Scope: From setting up GUR processes and labs, to mastering individual methods, to learning from real-world case studiesβ€”this book guides you from Day 1 of planning research to post-launch evaluation and UX maturity.

  • Community-Vetted Expertise: Dozens of professionals from EA, Ubisoft, Sony, Valve, Quantic Foundry, IGDA SIG, and top academic institutions share their hard-won best practices. No single author’s perspectiveβ€”this is the distilled wisdom of an entire GUR community.

  • Integrated Ecosystem: Learn how to combine analytics with qualitative insights, implement iterative testing (including RITE), and craft actionable reports that developers actually use. You’ll see how GUR intersects with design, art, programming, and business goals, creating a shared language around player experience.

What You'll Learn (And What You'll Gain)


Part I: Games User Research in Production

Features

  • Strategic Integration. Learn how to embed GUR into every stage of your projectβ€”concept, pre-production, production, and post-launch.

  • UX Maturity & Lab Setup. Discover how to assess your studio’s GUR readiness, establish a testing lab, and scale research practices across teams.

  • Post-Launch Research. Understand how to gather ongoing player feedback after release, identify emerging UX issues, and prioritize updates based on data.

Benefits

  • Build a sustainable GUR practice that earns stakeholder buy-in.

  • Avoid late-stage surprises by spotting usability problems early.

  • Guarantee that research becomes an integral, respected part of your pipeline and not a one-off checkbox.


Part II: A Detailed Method Toolkit

Deep Overview of GUR Methods

  • Surveys, Interviews, and Observation

  • Think-Aloud & Heuristic Evaluations

  • Rapid Iterative Testing of Experiments (RITE)

  • Biometric Measures

  • Game Analytics Applied to GUR

So you can...

  • Choose the right method for any research question. Whether you’re validating a new mechanic or analyzing post-launch player drop-off.

  • Save time and budget by avoiding ill-fitting research approaches.

  • Translate raw data into actionable design recommendations that resonate with developers and producers.


Part III: Case Studies & Examples

Focus Topics

  • Indie-Friendly Research. "Punching Above Your Weight" and "Affordable Indie Research" chapters show you how to get robust insights even on a shoestring budget.

  • Specialized Scenarios. From "Players with Special Needs" to "VR Simulation Sickness" and "Mobile Games in Context," explore challenges unique to different platforms and audiences.

  • AAA Studio Examples. Learn how Dragon Age: Inquisition’s GUR team tackled usability puzzles, and how top studios integrate analytics, biometrics, and qualitative research into blockbuster workflows.

It'll help you...

  • Ground your learning in real-world success stories (no theory vacuum).

  • Gain confidence in tackling niche challenges (e.g., testing VR comfort, designing for accessibility).

  • Understand how seasoned professionals overcame constraints and convinced stakeholders with compelling evidence.


What Your Peers Are Saying

β€œGames user research has come a long way in the last 2 decades, and this book is a testament to that progress. With chapters on lab setup and recruiting all the way to doing research on VR, this book covers it all. It will be a great resource for those getting into the field as well as industry veterans. I can confidently say that if you are involved in games user research there will be something of value to you in this book.”

β€” Bruce Phillips, PhD, Xbox Research at Microsoft

β€œGame user research is a vital part of game development, but getting a handle on how to work with players to improve the game experience can be challenging. This book is loaded with wisdom from dozens of professionals across industry and academia, and provides an invaluable resource on how to build the best strategy for user research.”

β€” Ian Livingstone CBE, Chairman, Sumo Digital

Transform Your Game Development with Data-Driven Player Insights

Stop flying blind. Every day you rely on gut feelings and ad-hoc feedback, your game risks launching with frustrating usability flaws, low retention, and wasted effort. Games User Research is your one true strategic guide that takes you from guesswork to systematic, player-centered design. So you can confidently build games that thrill your audience and elevate your studio’s reputation.

The Games User Research Book

Why You Can't Afford to Ignore Games User Research

  • You're Afraid of Critical UX Flaws. You know that even a single frustrating interface or unclear progression can tank reviews and chase players away. Without a clear process, you’re left β€œflying blind,” wondering what players really wantβ€”and fearing the worst when your game goes live.

  • You're Overwhelmed by Method Overload. Should you run a survey, conduct think-aloud sessions, or integrate analytics? Which tool fits your budget, studio size, or development phase? Without guidance, every method feels risky, and every data point could be misleading.

  • Your Stakeholders are Skeptical & You Have Limited Resources. Your team may view user research as a β€œnice-to-have” rather than a business-critical investment. Executing half-baked testing or late-stage surveys wastes time and yields no actionable insights, fueling doubt instead of building trust.

The Games User Research Book

Imagine instead that you can present player data to stakeholders, identify core usability issues before they become viral nightmares, and iterate rapidly; all while building a culture where player insights drive every key decision in a game's development. That’s the promise of Games User Research.


Praise & Endorsements of the book

β€œThe Games User Research book gathers a broad spectrum of methods from the perspective of experts from both industry and academy. It will no doubt prove valuable to anyone interested in getting up to speed on this important topic.”

β€” Katherine Isbister, Professor of Computational Media, UC Santa Cruz and author of Game Usability

β€œIf you have an interest in understanding the science of interaction design in games, just read this book.”

β€” Mike Ambinder, Experimental Psychologist, Valve Corporation and Affiliate Assistant Professor, University of Washington

"So many books, so little time: this is the must read for anyone in industry working on gameful experiences."

β€” Regina Bernhaupt, Director User Experience Research, Ruwido Austria GmbH

β€œOver the last 15 years, game user research has evolved into a distinct and innovative field, spearheading methods like data analytics or biometrics. Yet researchers and students in HCI and games had no easy entryway into this body of workβ€”until now. Games User Research is poised to become the reference handbook and default textbook of the field: comprehensive, succinct, and accessible.”

β€” Dr. Sebastian Deterding, Reader, Digital Creativity Labs, University of York, UK

Games User Research is the authoritative, community-driven guide you need. Whether you’re just starting or looking to deepen your expertise.


Who Should Read This Book?

  • Aspiring GUR Practitioners. If you want a clear, step-by-step roadmap from method selection to execution, this book hands you the tools.

  • UX Professionals Transitioning to Games. Gain game-specific insights that general UX texts can’t provide. Learn how player motivations and engagement differ from productivity software.

  • Game Developers & Designers. Whether you’re at a AAA studio or an indie team, learn how to champion player experience, make data-backed design choices, and avoid costly post-launch mistakes.

Buy the Print Edition at Oxford University Press. Now only $39.90 (30% off)

The Games User Research Book

At less than $40, you’re investing in a resource that can save you tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours by identifying UX issues early, convincing stakeholders with data, and delivering games that players love. The cost of inaction? A launch littered with negative reviews, low retention, and expensive post-mortem patches.

Β© Drachen, Mirza-Babaei, Nacke. All rights reserved.

The Games User Research Book

Reviews

H
Heather
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A must read for this field
Reviewed in Canada on April 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
There aren't a lot of texts out there for Games User Research yet, in spite of it being such a growing field, and I was excited to see how thorough this one is. Experienced contributors from a variety of academic & game dev backgrounds give this text a well-rounded feel (and as someone who works in the field myself, I see a lot of reputable names among the contributors). A must read for people working or interested in the field.
J
JeremyCA
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Well written & a great resource
Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
I received my copy of this book last week and have had time to read several of the chapters. While the content is especially applicable to user research with games, it also generalizes fairly well to other kinds of software. Overall, this book is a great resource for those conducting user studies with games.
K
Kari
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Great Book!
Reviewed in Canada on March 5, 2018
Verified Purchase
Excellent book! It's a great resource to learn how to implement user research methods in games. It has very helpful information that can be applied both in industry and academia.
A
Amazon Customer
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Excellent
Reviewed in Canada on February 15, 2018
An excellent compilation of current relevant issues and topics on user research surrounding games.
Top reviews from other countries
C
Cliente Amazon
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GAMES USER RESEARCH
Reviewed in Spain on February 8, 2019
Verified Purchase
Interesting content
Translated from Spanish by Amazon
N
Nett
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Perfect GUR Introduction
Reviewed in Germany on December 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
I like the book very much because there is an introduction to all the necessary areas of the GUR.
The texts are well written and understandable and provide insights into the development processes of larger companies (EA, Ubisoft, etc.).
For me as a newcomer to the GUR area, this is currently my "Bible" where I look up everything.
The references and resources at the end of the chapters are also very helpful.
Translated from German by Amazon
L
Leslie Volk
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Great gift
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
Bought this for my brother for his 21st bday. He loved it.
A
ABHISHEK IYER
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Five Stars
Reviewed in India on June 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
Great book. Must have for anybody looking into Gaming User Research and best practices.
A
Amazon Customer
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A must read for anyone who faces tough product decisions daily in the gaming industry
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2018
Verified Purchase
One of the most informative, structured and actionable research books in the field. A valuable resource for researchers and also UX/UI designers working on games. If you are faced with tough decisions related to building your product on a day to day basis this book will provide you with actionable methodologies that are proven.
The Games User Research Book
The Games User Research Book

About The Editors

Anders Drachen

Photo of Anders Drachen

Anders Drachen,Β Ph.D. is a Professor at the DC Labs, University of York, UK and a veteran Data Scientist. His work in the game industry as well as in data and game science is focused on game analytics, business intelligence for games, esports analytics, monetization, data mining, blockchain for games, game user experience, industry economics, business development and games user research. His research and professional work is carried out in collaboration with companies spanning the industry. He writes about analytics on andersdrachen.com. His writings can also be found on the pages of trade publications such as Gamesindustry.biz and Gamasutra.com. His multiple-award winning research has been covered by international media, including Wired, Kotaku and Forbes. He is one of the most published scientists worldwide on game analytics, virtual economics, user research, game data mining, and user profiling, having authored >100 research publications on these topics. He is also editor of β€œGame Analytics – Maximizing the Value of Player Data”, a compendium of insights from more than 50 top experts in industry and research, as well as β€œGames User Research”, the de facto reference for user research across industry and academia. He is a former member of the board of the IGDA SIG on Game User Research.Β For some reason, sharks have tried eating him three times. He likes ice-cream and has written a book about it.

Pejman Mirza-Babaei

Photo of Anders Drachen

Pejman Mirza-Babaei,Β Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of User Experience (UX) Research and the Associate Dean Industry Relations at the Faculty of Business and Information Technology. His research and teaching are focused on the design and evaluation of user experience in interactive entertainment systems. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and frequently speaks at academic conferences and industry events. His research and professional work are carried out in collaboration with companies spanning the industry. He also served as UX Research Director atΒ Execution LabsΒ (MontrΓ©al, Canada) from 2015 – 2017 and was a UX Researcher at Vertical Slice/Player Research (UK) from 2009 to 2013. Pejman has worked on pre- and post-release evaluation of more than 25 commercial games including award-winning titles such as Crysis 2, PewDiePie: Legend of the Brofist, andΒ Weirdwood Manor.

Lennart Nacke

Photo of Lennart Nacke

Lennart Nacke, Ph.D., is the director of the HCI Games Group and an associate professor for human-computer interaction and game design at the University of Waterloo. He is a world-leading authority on the cognitive and emotional aspects of player experience in video games, with a special focus on physiological metrics and gameful design. He has authored more than 100 research publications on these topics, which have been cited more than 8,000 times. He can be found on LinkedIn, X (@acagamic) , Threads, BlueSky and is also working as a gamification and user experience consultant. He chaired the Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) PLAY 2014 and Gamification 2013 conferences and was the chair of the CHI PLAY steering committee from 2014-2018. He is an editor of multiple research journals and was a subcommittee co-chair of CHI 2017 and CHI 2018 and a full papers co-chair of INTERACT 2019. He has served on the steering committee of the International Game Developers Association Special Interest Group on Games User Research and loves the GUR community. His research group writes articles atΒ hcigames.com, teaches a heuristics course atΒ gameful design, publishes YouTube videosΒ ,Β and they also tweet from @hcigamesgroup.Β He loves karaoke, chocolate, and beaches, not necessarily in combination.

Book Authors

Researcher and doctoral student at Game Research Lab, University of Tampere. She has been researching games from multiple perspectives, including playability evaluation, playful experiments, and hybrid experiences in play since 2008. She is interested in the design of free-to-play games and has recently studied player experiences and attitudes towards them.
Senior Games User Researcher at Electronic Arts Vancouver with nearly a decade of experience. Contributed to major projects including Dragon Age: Inquisition, FIFA, NHL, EA Sports UFC, Mirror's Edge Catalyst, and SSX. Former chair of IGDA Games User Research SIG. Currently leads User Experience Research for Bioware's Anthem. Active contributor, speaker, and panelist at gaming conventions and conferences. Passionate advocate for games research methodologies and industry best practices.
Researcher at interaction lab, University of SkΓΆvde, focusing on games in formal educational settings. Background in game design and serious games development. Advocates for realistic and sustainable approaches to educational games research. Collaborates with developers and educators, experiencing both successes and failures in classroom game implementation. Research highlights methodological challenges in studying gaming behaviors across heterogeneous audiences (developers, teachers, students) in various gaming environments.
User Researcher with software and hardware experience. Lead researcher on PlayStation's top European franchises and PlayStation VR headset development. Co-created #gamesUR, first European Games User Research conference, and runs GUR mentoring scheme. Currently leads User Research team at UK's Parliament. Bridged gaming industry expertise with public sector research applications. Contributed significantly to VR user experience research and European GUR community development.
PhD student at HCI research group, University of Basel, Switzerland. Trained psychologist specializing in human-computer interaction. Research interests include player experience research, questionnaire development, and statistical methods for HCI research. Collaborated with Google/YouTube on questionnaire development and validation projects. Applies psychological research methods to understand and measure player experiences in gaming contexts, contributing to standardized measurement tools for the games research community.
Biometrics project manager at Ubisoft Montreal's User Research Lab since 2012. PhD in computer-brain interaction and emotional intelligence from University of Montreal. Establishes methodologies and supervises biometric studies, driving actionable results for development teams. Conducts novel biometric research across all studio brands. Specializes in applying physiological measurement techniques to understand player emotional responses and experiences during gameplay for game development optimization.
Experienced data analytics expert, currently lead data analyst and monetization manager at Outerminds. Deep knowledge of analytics across all game business models, collaborating with 20+ studios from playtesting to live operations. Previously at Execution Labs overseeing analytics implementation in F2P and premium games. Former lead business intelligence analyst at Woozworld. Holds master's in business intelligence from HEC MontrΓ©al and mathematics degree from UniversitΓ© de Sherbrooke.
Manager for Data Insights with 10+ years in game analytics across various capacities. Helps studios find value in collected data throughout the entire data lifecycle from instrumentation design through analysis. Experienced across wide array of genres and platforms. Advocates for comprehensive data collection strategies and actionable analytics implementation. Specializes in translating complex data insights into practical recommendations for game development teams and business stakeholders.
Passionate Games User Researcher with 12+ years' experience on 20+ games ranging from AAA titles to educational children's games. Developed innovative methods and techniques for understanding and improving player experience. Contributed to exciting UX research advances in telemetry and biometrics at Ubisoft Montreal, shipping 100+ million units on successful series like Assassin's Creed and Rainbow Six. Currently senior research manager for Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment.
Principal and founder of User Behavioristics Research, Inc. Highly experienced Games User Researcher with unique methodology publications. Worked on AAA titles with top publishers, studios, and startups across all platforms. USC faculty member in interactive media and games department. Works with Fortune 500 companies including EA, King, Disney, Blizzard, Microsoft. Published extensively on player experience principles, usability inspection methods, and user research methodologies. Co-founder of IGDA GUR special interest group.
Worked at Paradox Interactive as user researcher focusing on usability and playability. Contributed to titles including Leviathan: Warships, Cities in Motion 2, War of the Vikings, and Magicka 2. Part of Paradox's in-house QA department genesis with extensive experience constructing QA processes from ground up. Implemented usability and playability tests, improving processes through research. Moved to EA DICE in 2015 as associate Games User Researcher working on Battlefield 1.
Research scientist with 10+ years combining data science with sociology and psychology insights. Studies informed computer system design from desktop to mobile applications, resulting in 23 pending U.S. patents and 50+ publications. Pioneered large-scale server-side data use for video game behavior modeling. Founded PlayOn project at Xerox PARC, conducting longest quantitative World of Warcraft study (500,000+ players over five years). Co-founder and technical lead of Quantic Foundry, bridging analytics and game design.
Game developer and data scientist interested in creating accessible and affordable analytics and user research solutions for independent developers. Focuses on democratizing game analytics tools and methodologies for smaller studios. Works to bridge the gap between enterprise-level analytics solutions and indie developer needs. Advocates for simplified yet effective research approaches that provide actionable insights without requiring extensive resources or specialized expertise typically available only to larger game development companies.
Assistant professor at KU Leuven, e-Media Research Lab. Research areas include HCI and accessibility, examining interactive technologies beyond entertainment. Particularly interested in accessible interfaces for special needs audiences and leveraging interactive technologies for well-being support. PhD in computer science from University of Saskatchewan, master's in cognitive science from University of Duisburg-Essen. Previously worked on games industry projects before transitioning to academic research focused on inclusive design and accessibility.
User Research project manager at Ubisoft MontrΓ©al since 2011. Game design school graduate who worked in HQ/Paris lab for 5+ years as analyst on AAA titles including Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist and The Division, then as team lead and manager. Joined Montreal team in 2017 to work on Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Siege. Experienced in managing user research projects across multiple game franchises and development teams.
Senior user experience consultant at Spotless, UX and service design agency in central London. Specializes in video games research across gaming industry areas including usability testing, educational games, second screen experiences, console hardware, and console-based sales platforms. Co-authored research papers on gamer strategy use presented at major industry events like CHI and CHI PLAY. Maintains academic ties and seeks original research opportunities.
18+ years experience in academia and industry across domains, primarily mobile devices and services including mobile games. Developed playability heuristics for evaluating all game types and co-developed playful experience (PLEX) framework for designing playfulness in products. Completed PhD dissertation on mobile game playability evaluation using expert review methods. Specializes in mobile gaming user experience research and evaluation methodologies for diverse gaming platforms and contexts.
Philosophy student at University of Tampere researching ethical issues in game design. Bachelor's thesis focused on ethical considerations in free-to-play game design. Currently working on master's thesis examining ethical experience design in video games. Interested in narrative design and moral implications of game mechanics. Research contributes to growing academic discussion about responsibility and ethics in game development, particularly regarding monetization models and player welfare.
PhD in human factors psychology, works as user experience researcher at Epic Games. Research interests include Games User Research, usability, human factors, human error, traffic psychology, and general scientific methodology. Applies psychological research principles to understand player behavior and improve game experiences. Contributes to user experience research methodologies within the gaming industry, bridging academic psychology research with practical game development applications and player experience optimization.
Lecturer in applied psychology at University College Cork, member of People and Technology research group. BA and PhD in psychology from Maynooth University, previously at University of Lincoln's Social Computing Research Centre. Research expertise in technology design for health promotion, well-being, education, and behavior change. Worked on educational games, pervasive games, vision therapy programs, sleep monitors, and online mental health interventions, bridging psychology and technology design.
User Experience Manager for EA Canada, providing user experience research and tools support for multiple franchises including FIFA, Plants vs. Zombies, and Mass Effect. Previously User Research Lead for Far Cry franchise at Ubisoft Montreal, working on Far Cry 3 & 4. Nearly 9 years in video game industry with numerous academic HCI publications and presentations at conferences including GDC and SIGGRAPH. Leads comprehensive user research programs across major gaming franchises.
Games User Researcher at Player Research, multi-award-winning UK playtesting and research studio. Contributed to hundreds of games impacting billions of players, including major franchises and indie titles. '30 Under 30' and Develop Award winner, BAFTA member, GamesUR conference chair. Lives on UK south coast with partner Kathryn. Represents new generation of games user research professionals making significant industry impact through comprehensive research methodologies.
UX/UR consultant and former Games User Researcher at Ubisoft Editorial UR Lab. Led user tests and research on several AAA titles plus smaller games across consoles, PCs, mobiles, and browsers. User research experience extends beyond video games to websites, apps, serious games, and automotive user interfaces. Applies comprehensive user experience research methodologies across diverse digital products and platforms, bringing games industry expertise to broader UX applications.
Professor in Computer Science at University of Saskatchewan. Pioneered physiological evaluation for computer games in award-winning PhD research at Simon Fraser University with Electronic Arts support. 200+ publications cited thousands of times, including Google Scholar's 2006 classic HCI papers. Investigates player experience understanding, develops persuasive games, games for health, special populations, and interpersonal relationship fostering. Leads Canadian graduate training program on Games User Research (SWaGUR.ca) with $2.5M NSERC support.
Founder and director of Player Research, award-winning UX Research and playtesting studio in Brighton, UK and Montreal, Canada. PhD in Computer Science, previously academic in Human-Computer Interaction at University of Sussex. Player Research helps studios deliver successful games by challenging assumptions, validating design decisions, and providing player experience evidence throughout development. BAFTA Games member, frequent conference speaker, writes regular UX Research columns for EDGE GamesIndustry.biz.
Principal User Researcher at Oculus Rift with 20 years HCI experience. Founded Microsoft Games User Research group in 1998, worked on three Xbox console launches and successful games including Project Gotham Racing, Age of Empires II, Gears of War 3, Minecraft for Xbox. Also worked on Windows Phone, Zune, HoloLens, medical devices for Philips. Documented and evangelized RITE (Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation) method and UI Tenets & Traps heuristic system, both used worldwide.
Head of HCI research group at University of Basel, Switzerland. PhD in cognitive psychology from University of Basel with HCI emphasis. Research interests include motivational and emotional processes underlying player experience. Publications won best paper and honorable mention awards at premier human-computer interaction conferences CHI and CHI PLAY. Applies psychological research methods to understand what drives player engagement and emotional responses in gaming contexts.
Games researcher at Game Research Lab, University of Tampere, Finland. Decade of involvement in research projects focusing on mobile, casual, and social gaming. Research interests include game usability, playability, and player experience. Recently finished doctoral thesis on Facebook games while studying free-to-play revenue models, service design, and player experiences in social network games. Contributes to understanding of social and mobile gaming phenomena.
Computer scientist focusing on game development, research, and education. Extensive experience evaluating, designing, and developing games and virtual realities as tools for learning, collaboration, and problem-solving. Developed virtual worlds for physics education at MIT (2011-2012). Started as QA tester at EA, now consults for studios in GUR. Teaches game development at Graz University of Technology, researches games focusing on data analysis, HCI, AI, and VR technologies.
Principal UX researcher at Sony PlayStation. Throughout PlayStation years, responsible for improving player experience of award-winning franchises including LittleBigPlanet, Tearaway, Killzone, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. Worked extensively on user experience and ergonomics of PlayStation Vita, DualShock 4, and PlayStation 4 systems. Master's in cognitive science and master's/PhD in human-computer interaction. Previously freelance UX consultant and co-founder/principal UX architect of Swiss UX design agency.
UX research manager at Twitch. Led mobile user research on games and entertainment products at Zynga, MIT Game Lab, and Yahoo. Master's in comparative media studies from MIT. Applies research methodologies to understand user behavior across gaming and streaming platforms. Bridges academic research training with practical industry applications in user experience research. Specializes in mobile gaming user research and entertainment platform user experience optimization.
Process manager at Ubisoft Montreal User Research Lab, responsible for streamlining testing processes and ensuring top-quality findings. Manages international standardization of Ubisoft user research processes. Previously process manager at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, leading international research on PlayStation Vita and DualShock 4 ergonomics. Worked on games including Heavy Rain and Beyond 2 Souls. Specializes in user research process optimization and international research coordination.
Senior director of UX research at Yahoo for all consumer products and advertising platforms. Started and directed user research practices for Yahoo, Disney, and Volition/THQ. Decades of experience spanning research, marketing, and production in desktop, console, and mobile consumer games and entertainment. Established user research frameworks across multiple major technology and entertainment companies, contributing to industry best practices in user experience research methodologies.
Associate professor in Interactive Media and Games Division at USC School of Cinematic Arts, holding Microsoft Professorship for user research. Working in user research since 1981 at Digital Equipment Corporation and Microsoft, including Games User Research team at Microsoft Game Studios. Developed applied research techniques including RITE (rapid iterative testing and evaluation) and TRUE (tracking real-time user experience). Co-authored 50+ articles, book chapters, and two books. PhD in experimental social psychology from Clark University.
Co-founder and analytics lead of Quantic Foundry. Decade+ research on gaming and virtual worlds psychology using diverse methods. At Stanford University, used immersive VR exploring avatar influence on thinking and behavior. At PARC, applied social network analysis and predictive analytics to large-scale World of Warcraft data. Senior research scientist in Ubisoft's Gamer Behavior Research group combining data science and social science for actionable player insights. Author of "The Proteus Paradox."
Director of UX Research at Electronic Arts focusing on strategic UX research practice improvement and building world-class research teams. Extensive knowledge of video game research methodologies. Transformed EA player experience assessment by introducing novel techniques including eye tracking and mixed methods with telemetry. Passionate about corporate UX maturity, user-centered practices, and innovative research teams. Led games user research on multiple EA projects including Battlefield, FIFA, Madden, Star Wars: Battlefront.

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