Video Game Developers Argue That Players Need More Struggle, Not Less

April 30, 2026 - 04:08

In an industry increasingly focused on streamlining player experiences and removing obstacles, one game development studio is pushing back against the trend. Tony Howard-Arias, co-founder of Black Tabby Games, the studio behind the acclaimed narrative horror title Slay the Princess, has made a bold argument: video games need more suffering.

"We're at the end of a two-decade-long trend towards removing friction from everything," Howard-Arias stated in a recent interview. "If you don't have friction, you don't learn."

The developer's comments challenge the prevailing design philosophy that has dominated modern gaming, where accessibility features, auto-save functions, and simplified mechanics have become standard. Howard-Arias argues that this relentless pursuit of smooth, frictionless experiences has robbed players of meaningful growth and emotional investment.

According to the developer, suffering in games—whether through difficult choices, punishing mechanics, or narrative tragedy—creates the very tension that makes victories feel earned and stories resonate. Without struggle, there is no sense of accomplishment, no moment of breakthrough that defines memorable gaming experiences.

Slay the Princess itself embodies this philosophy, forcing players into uncomfortable moral dilemmas where every decision carries weight and consequence. The game deliberately avoids hand-holding, instead trusting players to navigate its dark narrative waters through trial, error, and genuine emotional discomfort.

Howard-Arias's perspective arrives at a time when the industry is debating the balance between accessibility and challenge. While making games more inclusive remains important, the developer warns that removing all friction risks creating hollow experiences that fail to leave a lasting impact. True engagement, he suggests, requires the possibility of failure and the willingness to endure hardship.