Is My Game Idea Too Generic? A Practical Test

This guide helps you decide whether a game idea is distinctive enough to justify the time, money, and effort of development. You’ll learn a practical framework to evaluate your concept, identify what makes it unique, and spot the warning signs of a generic idea — before you commit to building it.

What You’ll Need

• A written summary of your game idea (one paragraph or a bullet list)
• A list of 3–5 games you consider similar or inspirational
• Access to a search engine or game store (Steam, itch.io, app store) to research those similar games
• A notebook or document to jot down your analysis

Step-by-Step

1. Write a one-sentence pitch. Condense your idea into a single sentence that captures the core loop, setting, and player role. For example: “A farming sim where you grow crops on a floating island during a never-ending storm.” This forces clarity and gives you a baseline to test.
2. List the core mechanics. Write down the primary actions the player will repeat — e.g., gathering, crafting, combat, exploration, trading. Be specific: “collect berries” is more useful than “survival.”
3. Identify your genre and audience. Determine the broad genre (e.g., platformer, RPG, puzzle) and the target player. This helps you find comparable games and understand what players already expect.
4. Search for direct competitors. Use your one-sentence pitch and core mechanics as search terms. Look for games that share at least two of your core mechanics or a similar setting. List the top 5–10 results.
5. Compare against the top 3 competitors. For each competitor, note: What is the core loop? What is the setting? What is the player fantasy (e.g., “become a powerful wizard”)? What are the standout features? Write these down.
6. List your unique differentiators. Now, write down what your game does differently from each competitor. These can be mechanical (e.g., “uses a card-based combat system”), thematic (e.g., “set in a post-apocalyptic underwater city”), or structural (e.g., “no combat, only diplomacy”). If you can’t find at least three meaningful differences, that’s a red flag.
7. Assess the “why” of each difference. For each differentiator, ask: “Does this change how the player plays or feels?” A cosmetic difference (e.g., different character names) is weak. A difference that alters the decision-making or emotional tone is strong. For example, “no combat” changes the entire gameplay loop; “character has blue hair” does not.
8. Check for a unique hook. A hook is a single element that makes a player say “I want to try that.” It could be a novel mechanic, a surprising setting, a unique art style, or a twist on a familiar genre. Write down your hook. If you can’t articulate one, your idea may be too generic.
9. Test with a “why not” exercise. For each competitor, ask: “Why would a player choose my game over this one?” If the answer is only “it’s newer” or “it’s cheaper,” that’s not a strong reason. Aim for a concrete reason like “because it combines city-building with real-time tactics, which no other game does.”
10. Get outside feedback. Share your one-sentence pitch and your list of differentiators with 3–5 people who are not your friends or family (e.g., online game dev communities, subreddits like r/gamedesign, or Discord servers). Ask them: “What makes this sound unique?” and “What similar games come to mind?” Listen for whether they can identify your hook without you pointing it out.
11. Decide and iterate. If you have at least one strong hook and two or more meaningful differentiators, your idea is worth pursuing. If not, don’t abandon it — iterate. Change one core mechanic, shift the setting, or combine two genres in a way you haven’t seen before. Then repeat the test.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing setting with distinctiveness. A unique setting (e.g., “in space” or “in a cyberpunk city”) is not enough if the gameplay is the same as a dozen other games. The setting must affect the mechanics.
• Overvaluing small tweaks. “Our game has a day/night cycle” is not a differentiator if many games in your genre already have that. Look for differences that change the core loop, not just a minor feature.
• Ignoring the market. If a search shows 100 games with the same core loop, your idea may be too crowded — even if you have a twist. Consider whether the twist is enough to stand out in a saturated market.
• Falling in love with your own idea. It’s easy to overestimate uniqueness. Be brutally honest during the comparison step. If you can’t find differences, that’s valuable information.
• Not testing the pitch. If you can’t explain your game in one sentence, it’s likely too vague. A clear, specific pitch is the first sign of a distinctive idea.

Tips

• Look for “genre mashups” that work. Combining two unrelated genres (e.g., “dating sim meets dungeon crawler”) often creates a distinctive hook. Ensure the combination is coherent and fun, not just gimmicky.
• Focus on player decisions. A game is distinctive when it forces players to make interesting choices that other games don’t. For example, “you can only save one of two characters” is a memorable decision.
• Study successful indie games. Games like Stardew Valley (farming sim with RPG elements) or Hades (roguelike with a strong narrative) are distinctive because they blend mechanics in a fresh way. Analyze what makes them stand out.
• Use a “feature matrix.” Create a table with your game and competitors as columns, and features (mechanics, setting, art style, etc.) as rows. Check which features are unique to your game. This visual can reveal gaps.
• Prototype the hook first. Before building the full game, make a small prototype that focuses on your unique element. If that one part isn’t fun, the distinctiveness won’t save it.

Troubleshooting

• You can’t find any competitors. This might mean your idea is truly novel, but it could also mean you’re searching with the wrong keywords. Try broader terms or look at adjacent genres. If you still find nothing, it’s worth investigating why — maybe the idea is too niche or impractical.
• You find many competitors, but they all feel “different enough.” That’s a good sign, but dig deeper. Are the differences actually meaningful to players? Sometimes a game that seems unique on paper is still generic in execution.
• Your differentiators are all cosmetic. If your only differences are art style, story, or character names, you need to add a mechanical or structural twist. Try changing one core rule of your game (e.g., “no jumping” in a platformer) and see if that opens new possibilities.
• Feedback says “it sounds like X.” That’s not necessarily bad — many successful games are “like X but with Y.” Use that feedback to identify what Y is and make Y more prominent. If Y is too minor, strengthen it or replace it.
• You’re stuck in analysis paralysis. If you’ve spent more than a week on this test, you’re overthinking. Pick the most promising differentiator and make a tiny prototype. Real feedback from a playable prototype is worth more than endless comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many differentiators do I need?

At least two or three that are meaningful. One strong hook can be enough, but having a couple of supporting differences makes your game more resilient to being called a clone.

Can a game be too unique?

Yes. If your idea is so novel that players can’t understand it, they may be confused. The best distinctive games are often a familiar genre with a twist — the twist is new, but the core is accessible.

What if my game is a clone but with better polish?

That’s a risky bet. Polish can make a game enjoyable, but it rarely makes it memorable. Unless you have a massive budget, you’ll struggle to compete with the original game’s fanbase. Better to add a unique twist.

Should I check existing games before or after I start development?

Before. It’s much cheaper to change your concept on paper than after you’ve built a prototype. Research early and often.

How do I know if my hook is strong enough?

Test it with people. If you describe your hook and the listener immediately says “oh, that’s cool” or “I want to try that,” it’s strong. If they say “that’s interesting” without enthusiasm, it may be too weak.

Is it okay to have a generic idea if I execute it well?

It’s possible to succeed, but it’s harder. A generic idea needs exceptional execution (writing, art, polish, marketing) to stand out. If you’re a solo developer or small team, a distinctive idea gives you a better chance.

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