ANGRY BEARD GAMES

The principles that quietly guide how we build games.

1. Respect the Player’s Intelligence
Games should challenge players to think, notice, and experiment without obscuring logic or relying on guesswork. Systems are designed to be readable, learnable, and fair—clarity is part of the challenge, not a concession.

2. Mechanics Carry Meaning
Every mechanic should reinforce tone, theme, or narrative intent. Whether a system is playful, tense, or emotional, it exists to say something—not just to fill space or add difficulty.

3. Failure Is Information, Not Punishment
Setbacks should teach, entertain, or reframe the problem rather than frustrate or stall progress. Players are encouraged to try, fail, and learn in an environment that values curiosity over perfection.

4. Character and World Come First
Worlds feel lived-in, characters feel intentional, and humor or emotion emerges naturally from context. Even abstract or mechanical games are grounded in a sense of place, personality, or purpose.

5. Every Project Earns Its Form
No genre, tone, or structure is treated as a default. Each game chooses the mechanics, presentation, and scope that best serve its core idea—allowing the studio to explore different styles while maintaining a consistent design ethos.

Bold ideas, thoughtful design, and games that never waste the player’s time.