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When words make or break the player experience

Most content designers work in apps, websites, and services. But what happens when your product is a massive open-world RPG or a competitive shooter?

In this episode, I talk with Ben Moran, a UX writer who's worked on AAA video games, about the unique challenges of designing language for games. From menu systems and HUD elements to skill trees and settings, we explore how content design in games is a constant balancing act between immersion and usability.

We also talk about the differences between "content design" in the gaming industry (quests, story content) versus UX writing for UI, and why game studios are missing opportunities when they don't bring dedicated UX writers onto their teams.

What we talked about:

✅ How Ben transitioned from product design and copywriting into UX writing for games ✅ The difference between content design for quests and UX writing for UI ✅ Immersion vs. usability: why both matter, and how to find the balance ✅ Deciding when to name things in a game (and when not to) ✅ Making complex systems like skill trees, armor upgrades, and settings feel approachable ✅ Why players will tolerate complexity in gameplay, but not in basic navigation ✅ The missed opportunity when studios don't hire UX writers ✅ Lessons from games that can inspire innovation in digital products

Where to find Ben:

📖 LinkedIn

📖 Ben's article on UX writing in video games

Do you enjoy the podcast? Please leave a review!

👉 Our new course, Advanced UX Content for Product, is out! Use PODCAST20 to get 20% off.

👉 Check out the Content Design Salary Survey