It’s sometimes hard to believe that gamers’ experiences can run the gamut. However, not all gaming experiences are the same and not all are enjoyable. Lots of factors help to determine whether the time spent gaming felt positive or negative. Being aware of what can ruin a gaming experience can help developers to eliminate the lion share of these factors. Here are the factors most gamers agree contribute to a great gaming experience.

Dependable up time - Most gamers carve out a window of time in which to play. However, far too often they are unable to do so because the server is down. Of course, this leads to frustration. Gamers know that 100% up time is impossible. However, frequent downtimes are unacceptable. They can also grow frustrated with the game if it crashes frequently. Gamers expect that if technical issues arise with the game that it will be remedied as promptly as possible.

Clean interface - Gamers don’t appreciate a lot of distractions when gaming. Therefore, creating a confusing interface or populating their screens with excessive ads will have the effect of turning gamers off and having them delete your game. Gamers want interfaces that are both clean and intuitive.

Help when they need it - Gamers are resourceful individuals. When an issue with the game arises, whether it’s a bug or whether they have difficulty passing a stage, gamers are good at finding answers on the internet, whether set up by the game developer or fans. However, in lieu of this, developers must also have their own help pages that offer sound advice when gamers need it. And while they know bugs are inevitable, they want them fixed as quickly as possible.

Continuous updates. Gamers like to know that their games aren’t remaining stagnant while the developer moves on to their next project. They invest a lot of time into playing and expect that the developer is as devoted to this game as they are. Continuous updates are one way to diminish the occurrence of bugs and other issues that threaten to draw players away from their games in search of answers.

Difficult but surmountable challenges - Games present problems that each player attempts to solve. However, developers must seek to strike a balance when it comes to fabricating these problems. Hurdles that are too steep to surmount will result in many gamers quitting in frustration. Conversely, hurdles that are too easily solved will also result in gamers quitting with the belief that the game is below their abilities. Gamers are in it for the thrills that come with solving these problems, but these must be well designed.

Community - When a gamer picks up his joystick, he expects to be part of a community. They don’t want to be among a handful of gamers playing a little-known game. They want to play with and discuss the game with others. Therefore, it is up to developers to do their part to foster a community of players so gamers stick around and share their exploits with others.