GDKeys is more than just a blog with articles and design resources; it’s a close-knit community, centered around a Discord server, where designers of all levels come together to support each other’s games and projects, exchange industry insights, and refine their craft. Built by designers, for designers, GDKeys is a space where collaboration transforms good ideas into great ones. Whether you’re here to learn, share, or simply hang out with talented folks, you’re in the right place. Welcome to GDKeys, we can’t wait for you to help us make this the go-to hangout place for game folks.

GDKeys Hangout in Paris

GDKeys was created by veteran Game Designer Nicolas Kraj in 2020 to share his knowledge, give back to the community, and teach what he hoped someone had taught him when he was starting as a designer in the industry.

Currently working on his first indie game, The Snackbar at the End of the World, Nicolas has spent 15+ years in the design industry and shipped more than 13 games on 7 platforms: he has been Line Designer on Space Marine 2, Lead Game Designer on Assassin’s Creed Origin and Immortals: Fenyx Rising, Senior Game Designer on Beyond Good and Evil 2 and The Crew, and UX Designer for Marvel, Just Dance, Raving Rabbits and Might & Magic to name the most significant ones.

In 2025, a decision was taken by the community to open this website to other contributors. With such an experienced and talented community, it was the logical next step to make this site one of the go-to places for Game Design resources on the web.

Should you want to write for GDKeys, consider joining our community or send a mail to Nico(at)GDKeys.com.

Nico bragging during the The Crew launch press conference at Igromir (Moscow) in 2014, when he didn’t have grey hair and wrinkles yet, so let’s keep this picture forever shall we?

What you will find on this Website

Well… This is something that we keep refining together! But here are some of the things you will find already:

  • “Keys to…” Design topics breakdown: focusing on specific design topics, these articles give you clear methodology, efficient approaches, and design keys to apply directly in your games. They are the best place to start when digging into a new topic, such as game economy, combat design, or signs & feedback.
  • Design tools: sometimes, the right Excel, deck of questions, or methodology can make all the difference. These articles often come as a complement to a “Keys to…” article and will often follow with an exercise for you to practice on.
  • In-development games Design review, because we have a lot to learn from each other. These articles focus on a specific design topic that a game from our community is tackling. They present the game, flush out some theory on the topic, and then study how this game approaches it and how to improve it. Do you need a hand on your game? Ping us!
  • Dev-team immersion: how about a dive down inside indie teams? How do they work, organize their budget, manage their scope, and support the pressure? These articles/interviews exist to show you an honest, unfiltered view of a game studio’s reality.

Have you ever wondered how to build a reward system that drives players’ engagement? Design a combat system? How to deal with players onboarding? What are the go-to rules for a robust signs-and-feedback system? How to balance your difficulty? Cross your game’s systems in a cohesive experience? Playtest your game? Well, let’s try and answer all those questions, and many more, together!