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The Number One Educational Resource for the Game Industry

Session Name: Throwing Out the Dopamine Shots: Reward Psychology Without the Neurotrash
Speaker(s): Ben Lewis-Evans
Company Name(s): Epic Games
Track / Format: UX Summit

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Overview: Have you ever heard someone say a game gave them a "shot of dopamine"? What does this mean? This talk will dispel the neuromyths around dopamine and focus on the psychology behind reward systems in game design. The topics covered will include basic reward principles, cognitive biases that impact reward perception, and the importance of progression, control, social interaction, and expectation, and the vital role of feedback and UX when designing effective rewards. When it comes to designing an effective reward, if players like it, have learned how to get it, or are motivated to get it can be different outcomes.

GDC 2017

Ben Lewis-Evans

Epic Games

free content

UX Summit

Design