Designing a Good Game Tutorial

Across game studios I’ve heard it called an onboarding, a tutorial, the new user experience (NUX), and the first-time-user-experience (FTUE). No matter what it’s called, it’s the place where you’re able to teach players what you want them to learn and engage them in the game from the start. A good tutorial can make players feel engaged and motivated to continue playing, while a poor tutorial can lead to frustration and churn.

When designing a game’s tutorial, I keep these goals in mind:

• 5 seconds to fun
• Scaffold information