Interviews & FGDs
Add Context to Player Behaviour
Gameplay shows what players do. Interviews and focus groups reveal why they do it by uncovering motivations, expectations, and emotional responses that observation alone can't explain.
Add Meaning to Player Behaviour
Playtests reveal where players struggle or succeed. Conversations explain whether those moments felt confusing, frustrating, or intentionally challenging.
This context helps teams:
Separate real design issues from healthy challenge
Understand player intent and expectations
Make more confident design decisions
Focus Groups:
Insight Through Group Discussion
What they are
- 5–8 players per session
- Moderated discussion
- 60–90 minutes
Best for
- Social and multiplayer features
- Community dynamics
- Competitive balance
- Feature ideation
- Market perception and comparisons
Why they work
- Players build on each other's ideas
- Surfaces shared language and opinions
- Great for early concepts and direction-setting
In-Depth Interviews:
One Player, Deep Insight
What they are
- One-on-one conversations after gameplay
- 20–45 minutes per session
- Structured, but flexible
Best for
- Personal gameplay experiences
- Frustration and pain points
- Tutorial clarity and learning curves
- Feature-specific feedback
- Individual progression journeys
Why they work
- Private setting encourages honest feedback
- Players explain why they acted a certain way
- Ideal for sensitive or critical topics
Choosing the Right Format
Use interviews when you need to:
Explore individual preferences
Discuss frustration or pricing
Deep-dive into specific mechanics
Understand personal learning paths
Use focus groups when you want to:
Explore social experiences
Generate ideas collaboratively
Understand community sentiment
Discuss competition and positioning
Many studies use both interviews for depth, FGDs for shared perspective.
From Conversation to
Clear Insight
The real value lies in analysis. Lysto helps organise interview and FGD feedback into clear themes and patterns, then connects those insights back to observed gameplay.
Researchers help with
- Common themes across players
- Alignment between what players say and do
- Clear separation of isolated opinions vs recurring issues
Led by Expert Game User Researchers
Lysto's user researchers guide every step from defining goals to moderating sessions and structuring discussion guides.
Designing unbiased discussion guides
Moderating interviews and FGDs
Keeping sessions focused and objective
Synthesizing insights into usable findings
A Key Layer in Player Experience Research
Interviews and focus groups complement playtests and surveys by adding explanation and context helping teams understand not just what happened, but how players interpreted the experience.