Henry Hoffman
Newfangled Games
Multi-award winning game developer and BAFTA Breakthrough. After leading on the Microsoft-published, BAFTA-winning game Mush, Henry co-founded Mudvark and created the million-plus-downloaded game Mortar Melon. His follow-up game Hue won over 25 industry awards, successfully releasing on console, mobile and PC. Following the acquisition of that studio, he has since founded Newfangled Games and shipped indie puzzle game Paper Trail, already winning over 50 accolades including ‘Game of the Year’ at Reboot Develop, ‘Best International Game’ at SXSW Sydney and ‘Best Family Game’ at the Gamescom Awards.
Henry Hoffman is speaking at the following session/s
Paper Prototyping: Mechanic-Driven Design in Paper Trail
Wednesday
3:00pm - 3:45pm
Room 1
- In this talk, Henry Hoffman breaks down how game mechanics can shape everything from gameplay to story and visuals, using Paper Trail as a case study. He’ll share insights on building a game around a single core mechanic, why that leads to stronger design, and what challenges come with it. With examples from Portal, Braid, and other innovative games, this session is all about how smart mechanic-driven design can make games more engaging, unique, and memorable.
Session Takeaway
- Understanding Mechanic-Driven Design – Learn how a single core mechanic can define gameplay, storytelling, and aesthetics.
- Applying It to Your Own Games – Practical insights on identifying and refining mechanics that serve as the foundation for game design.
- Challenges & Solutions – Explore the creative constraints and opportunities that arise from mechanic-driven design and how to overcome common development hurdles.
Session speakers
