The Game Brief workflow is the starting point for game projects in the BMad Method. It's a lightweight, interactive brainstorming and planning session that captures your game vision before diving into detailed Game Design Documents (GDD).

Purpose

Game Brief answers:

What game are you making?
Who is it for?
What makes it unique?
Is it feasible?

This is NOT:

A full Game Design Document
A technical specification
A production plan
A detailed content outline

When to Use This Workflow

Use the game-brief workflow when:

Starting a new game project from scratch
Exploring a game idea before committing
Pitching a concept to team/stakeholders
Validating market fit and feasibility
Preparing input for the GDD workflow

Skip if:

You already have a complete GDD
Continuing an existing project
Prototyping without planning needs

Workflow Structure

Interactive Mode (Recommended)

Work through each section collaboratively:

Game Vision (concept, pitch, vision statement)
Target Market (audience, competition, positioning)
Game Fundamentals (pillars, mechanics, experience goals)
Scope and Constraints (platforms, timeline, budget, team)
Reference Framework (inspiration, competitors, differentiators)
Content Framework (world, narrative, volume)
Art and Audio Direction (visual and audio style)
Risk Assessment (risks, challenges, mitigation)
Success Criteria (MVP, metrics, launch goals)
Next Steps (immediate actions, research, questions)

YOLO Mode

AI generates complete draft, then you refine sections iteratively.

Key Features

Optional Inputs

The workflow can incorporate:

Market research
Brainstorming results
Competitive analysis
Design notes
Reference game lists

Realistic Scoping

The workflow actively helps you:

Identify scope vs. resource mismatches
Assess technical feasibility
Recognize market risks
Plan mitigation strategies

Clear Handoff

Output is designed to feed directly into:

GDD workflow (2-plan phase)
Prototyping decisions
Team discussions
Stakeholder presentations

Output

game-brief-{game_name}-{date}.md containing:

Executive summary
Complete game vision
Target market analysis
Core gameplay definition
Scope and constraints
Reference framework
Art/audio direction
Risk assessment
Success criteria
Next steps

Integration with BMad Method

1-analysis/game-brief     (You are here)
    ↓
2-plan-workflows/gdd               (Game Design Document)
    ↓
2-plan-workflows/narrative         (Optional: Story-heavy games)
    ↓
3-solutioning            (Technical architecture, engine selection)
    ↓
4-dev-stories            (Implementation stories)

Comparison: Game Brief vs. GDD

Aspect	Game Brief	GDD
Purpose	Validate concept	Design for implementation
Detail Level	High-level vision	Detailed specifications
Time Investment	1-2 hours	4-10 hours
Audience	Self, team, stakeholders	Development team
Scope	Concept validation	Implementation roadmap
Format	Conversational, exploratory	Structured, comprehensive
Output	3-5 pages	10-30+ pages

Comparison: Game Brief vs. Product Brief

Aspect	Game Brief	Product Brief
Focus	Player experience, fun, feel	User problems, features, value
Metrics	Engagement, retention, fun	Revenue, conversion, satisfaction
Core Elements	Gameplay pillars, mechanics	Problem/solution, user segments
References	Other games	Competitors, market
Vision	Emotional experience	Business outcomes

Example Use Case

Scenario: Indie Roguelike Card Game

Starting Point: "I want to make a roguelike card game with a twist"

After Game Brief:

Core Concept: "A roguelike card battler where you play as emotions battling inner demons"
Target Audience: Core gamers who love Slay the Spire, interested in mental health themes
Differentiator: Emotional narrative system where deck composition affects story
MVP Scope: 3 characters, 80 cards, 30 enemy types, 3 bosses, 6-hour first run
Platform: PC (Steam) first, mobile later
Timeline: 12 months with 2-person team
Key Risk: Emotional theme might alienate hardcore roguelike fans
Mitigation: Prototype early, test with target audience, offer "mechanical-only" mode

Next Steps:

Build card combat prototype (2 weeks)
Test emotional resonance with players
Proceed to GDD workflow if prototype validates

Tips for Success

Be Honest About Scope

The most common game dev failure is scope mismatch. Use this workflow to reality-check:

Can your team actually build this?
Is the timeline realistic?
Do you have budget for assets?

Focus on Player Experience

Don't think about code or implementation. Think about:

What will players DO?
How will they FEEL?
Why will they CARE?

Validate Early

The brief identifies assumptions and risks. Don't skip to GDD without:

Prototyping risky mechanics
Testing with target audience
Validating market interest

Use References Wisely

"Like X but with Y" is a starting point, not a differentiator. Push beyond:

What specifically from reference games?
What are you explicitly NOT doing?
What's genuinely new?

FAQ

Q: Is this required before GDD? A: No, but highly recommended for new projects. You can start directly with GDD if you have a clear vision.

Q: Can I use this for game jams? A: Yes, but use YOLO mode for speed. Focus on vision, mechanics, and MVP scope.

Q: What if my game concept changes? A: Revisit and update the brief. It's a living document during early development.

Q: How detailed should content volume estimates be? A: Rough orders of magnitude are fine. "~50 enemies" not "47 enemies with 3 variants each."

Q: Should I complete this alone or with my team? A: Involve your team! Collaborative briefs catch blind spots and build shared vision.

Product Brief (1-analysis/product-brief): For software products, not games
GDD (2-plan-workflows/gdd): Next step after game brief
Narrative Design (2-plan-workflows/narrative): For story-heavy games after GDD
Solutioning (3-solutioning): Technical architecture after planning

README.md

Game Brief Workflow

Overview