--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As game designers, we often assume people…" description: "\"As game designers, we often assume people are playing from start to finish, and they're never going to walk away from it. But people are doing that.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/peter-molyneux-4728_finish_as-game-designers-we-often-assume-people_1351573.jpg" --- # As game designers, we often assume people are playing from… ![“As game designers, we often assume people are playing from start to finish, and they're never going to walk away from it. But people are doing that.” quote by Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/peter-molyneux-4728_finish_as-game-designers-we-often-assume-people_1351573.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/peter-molyneux-4728_finish_as-game-designers-we-often-assume-people_1351573.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/peter-molyneux-4728_finish_as-game-designers-we-often-assume-people_1351573.jpg) > “As game designers, we often assume people are playing from start to finish, and they're never going to walk away from it. But people are doing that.” [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Designers often overestimate player commitment, leading to disengagement. **In simple terms:** Players may quit early, despite expectations. Key Takeaway Design for flexibility and retention. Themes game design player behavior engagement Mood analytical pragmatic Type design psychology When to use this quote - beta testing - player feedback loops - progressive difficulty - reward systems Key Concepts user experience behavioral economics retention strategies Questions to Reflect On - How can designers anticipate early drop‑off? - What incentives keep players invested? A Different Perspective Players' motivations differ from designers' assumptions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [When I play, I stare at the left hand of whoever is playing lead. 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I've also got a degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-myers/i-earned-my-ph-d-in-philosophy-and-one-of-my-specializations-was-the/) [Brendan Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-myers/) > [There's a lot of art and comics and movies being paid homage to by game designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/there-s-a-lot-of-art-and-comics-and-movies-being-paid-homage-to-by/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [I'd advise all aspiring game designers not to aim for money when developing a game, because unfortunately it is very rare for game designers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-teuber/i-d-advise-all-aspiring-game-designers-not-to-aim-for-money-when/) [Klaus Teuber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-teuber/) > [“The game in question had been dreamed up by a pair of game designers named Ed Boon and John Tobias.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-j-harris/the-game-in-question-had-been-dreamed-up-by-a-pair-of-game-designers/) [Blake J. 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Just because people are playing doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/but-that-s-only-because-we-have-to-be-that-way-in-order-to-get-on/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) ## More by Peter Molyneux > [I just think the days of me doing press and getting excited about games before they're done is over. That's not how the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/i-just-think-the-days-of-me-doing-press-and-getting-excited-about/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [In 'Fable III' we have taken away the experience system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/in-fable-iii-we-have-taken-away-the-experience-system/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [With 'Black and White 2,' I want to put it in a setting where you're actually using the creature. I want the little people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/with-black-and-white-2-i-want-to-put-it-in-a-setting-where-you-re/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [Freedom is... freedom can actually be boring, you've got to realize that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/freedom-is-freedom-can-actually-be-boring-you-ve-got-to-realize-that/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [When we transitioned from the PC to the console with 'Fable,' it took us five years to do that. And that's just going from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/when-we-transitioned-from-the-pc-to-the-console-with-fable-it-took-us/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [Some games work well as straight patches, but 'The Trail' wasn't one of those.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/some-games-work-well-as-straight-patches-but-the-trail-wasn-t-one-of/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > ['The Trail' on PC is far more challenging by nature. The flow of the game is completely changed, because I think that's what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/the-trail-on-pc-is-far-more-challenging-by-nature-the-flow-of-the/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [RPGs are great for MMO transitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/rpgs-are-great-for-mmo-transitions/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [The trouble is, I'm a terrible PR person,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/the-trouble-is-i-m-a-terrible-pr-person/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [Imagine if you're playing at home and your girlfriend is badgering you all the time not to play. Wouldn't it be great to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/imagine-if-you-re-playing-at-home-and-your-girlfriend-is-badgering/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [I think that PC gaming is as healthy as it's ever been. I think there's probably more people playing games on their PCs, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/i-think-that-pc-gaming-is-as-healthy-as-it-s-ever-been-i-think-there/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [Bizarrely, a lot of the innovations in free-to-play are coming out of the PC space rather than the mobile space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/bizarrely-a-lot-of-the-innovations-in-free-to-play-are-coming-out-of/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [There are women who find nice people attractive... I've never met them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/there-are-women-who-find-nice-people-attractive-i-ve-never-met-them/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [We experimented with different monetization techniques in 'Godus.' We had some events that you could go on which were time-limited. That didn't work terribly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/we-experimented-with-different-monetization-techniques-in-godus-we/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) > [Over the years you just pick up inspiration and ideas bubble away in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-molyneux/over-the-years-you-just-pick-up-inspiration-and-ideas-bubble-away-in/) [Peter Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) [Explore all 107 Peter Molyneux quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-molyneux/) ## More Finish quotes > [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. His sprint finish to defend his title really moved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/my-first-olympics-memory-was-watching-haile-gebrselassie-in-sydney/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It doesn't matter where you start but how you finish that matters!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-irick-rainford/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-start-but-how-you-finish-that-matters/) Valerie Irick Rainford > [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [When I finish my career, I can look back and then decide if it was good or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/when-i-finish-my-career-i-can-look-back-and-then-decide-if-it-was/) [Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/) > [I've enjoyed my time at every club I have worked at, I've been lucky, but I won't jump in and finish up working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-ve-enjoyed-my-time-at-every-club-i-have-worked-at-i-ve-been-lucky/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [“Do it well, finish it properly, and move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eunice-kennedy-shriver/do-it-well-finish-it-properly-and-move-on/) [Eunice Kennedy Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eunice-kennedy-shriver/) > [Not everyone who started with you will finish with you. Be willing to go without them if you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/not-everyone-who-started-with-you-will-finish-with-you-be-willing-to/) [Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Call me old-fashioned, but it's always been my firm belief that a teacher's job should be for each of his or her students to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/call-me-old-fashioned-but-it-s-always-been-my-firm-belief-that-a/) [Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/) > [If it is possible I want to finish my career at Manchester United.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-ji-sung/if-it-is-possible-i-want-to-finish-my-career-at-manchester-united/) [Park Ji-sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-ji-sung/) > [A lot of times, you finish a movie, and you're either going, 'Oh, thank God, that's over,' or 'Oh, my God, it's over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyck-godfrey/a-lot-of-times-you-finish-a-movie-and-you-re-either-going-oh-thank/) [Wyck Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyck-godfrey/) > [I used to review games on 'The Totally Rad Show,' and the best thing about that was I would finish games. Now, it's become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-trachtenberg/i-used-to-review-games-on-the-totally-rad-show-and-the-best-thing/) [Dan Trachtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-trachtenberg/) > [“Winners run through the finish line. End your day with passion and enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-bellah/winners-run-through-the-finish-line-end-your-day-with-passion-and/) [Butch Bellah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-bellah/) Browse all 1,526 Finish quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As game designers, we often assume people are playing from start to finish, and they're never going to walk away from it. 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