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Balancing Vision & Player Insights: Lessons from PlayStation Studios User Research

Sue Pacete (Lead User Researcher, Sony Interactive Entertainment)

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Hot Topics: N/A

Track: Design

Audience Level: All

Format: Lecture

Vault Recording: TBD

Audience Level: All

Sue Pacete

Games user research has become an essential part of modern game development. Within an already complex development environment, teams must continually balance greater access to player feedback with the creative vision guiding the experience.

This session explores practical ways to balance vision and data throughout development. Drawing from AAA examples at PlayStation Studios User Research, we'll examine how study design shapes what we learn, and why context is essential when interpreting player feedback. Because research is one of the most powerful tools available to game teams today, we'll also explore the safeguards that enable teams to use it thoughtfully—from shared expectations and sustainable research cadence to communication pipelines that help studios interpret findings, integrate learning, and act with intention without disrupting experimentation or development momentum.

Takeaway

Attendees will learn how to balance creative vision with player data by interpreting research as signals within the context of the experience being built. They'll leave with practical strategies for building communication and operational safeguards that help teams integrate learning, make confident decisions, and protect experimentation throughout development.

Intended Audience

This session is intended for game user researchers of all experience levels looking to strengthen how research is interpreted, communicated, and integrated throughout development. It will also benefit teams looking to grow research impact and build effective processes for integrating player insights into creative development.