Following the launch of Ludocene earlier this week, we speak to its creator, Andy Robertson, about the way the app intends to pair players up with great games they otherwise wouldn't know about.

There are a lot of video games that are released each year. Like a lot. Since the advent of digital-only storefronts – and Steam in particular – it’s resulted in a new kind of era where players are spoilt for choice. An unfortunate side effect of such excess, however, is the issue of actually finding which one of these games to play next. After all, how do you know if you’ll like a game if you don’t even know it exists in the first place?

The answer, veteran journalist and gaming database aficionado Andy Robertson thinks, is Ludocene. Described by many as a ‘dating app that matches you with games rather than people’, it launched earlier this week following an extended beta period, hoping to help players who are frequently inundated with things to play by pairing them up with a title that best suits their tastes.

At a time where game discoverability has become an issue due to more titles than ever being launched, there’s an argument to say Ludocene is needed now more than ever. Ludocene makes it so all you need to do is build up a deck filled with some of your most beloved games, and then swipe your way to your next potential perfect match.

To celebrate the launch of Ludocene’s 1.0 release on National Play Day this past Wednesday, August 6, I sat down with Robertson, the app’s creator, to learn more about how the idea of a 'Tinder for games' app came to be and his future hopes and ambitions for how it may change the way players find their next favourite video game.

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Where did the idea for ‘Tinder but for games’ first come from?

We were frustrated trying to find games we loved on Steam and other stores. They have recommendations, but frequently funnel us to the popular games, and often not a good match for our tastes.

We had a database of games we had created over the last five years, which specifies which games you'd love based on your current favourites. The "Tinder for games" idea (as coined by some press) came about by asking, how could we offer a stream of games to someone and let them make simple choices about which they loved?

You initially funded Ludocene via Kickstarter. Did the amount of interest and support it garnered surprise you?

We were blown away by the support on Kickstarter. Not least because this is (essentially) a free tool and on Kickstarter people usually back things to get some physical product cheaply. We were humbled by how much people wanted this to happen, and were willing to back us to create this tool for the good of everyone.

The UI and deck-building design is very satisfying and tactile. Why was this an important aspect to include in Ludocene?

We wanted to make discovering games fun. If it's not fun to find your next video game then something has gone wrong with the process. This is about moving discovery from a commercially funnelled process to something really playful, where you could stumble across your next favourite game in a fun way.

We ended up making what is essentially a deck-builder, rogue-like game. Which has been fun, but was a challenge to get right. We love how it's turned out but know there is still some 'jank' we will need to finesse as the tool spreads wider.

Ludocene is powered by recommendations from game makers, journalist and educators. Did they take much convincing?

We've been inundated with requests to become Experts on the tool. Each time we onboard someone they are usually surprised how deep our game catalogue goes. But also, they are brilliant at spotting games we don't have yet. We then prioritise the games that these experts want to suggest, to add next.

What went behind the decision to launch the app a month early to coincide with National Play Day?

The app is inspired by play as something that's good in its own right. This is true in a physical playground but also true in digital spaces. We loved the idea of a National Play Day this year that celebrates spaces where play can happen. I've had a long conversation with Play England and have contributed to their recent play strategy, which is very inclusive of digital play, so picking this day as our launch was a great fit.

Finally, what are your hopes for Ludocene in the near and far future, and in what ways do you hope it helps the issue of game discovery?

This is just the start; getting it into the hands of everyone who wants to find great games. People who enjoy the tool can support with a small subscription (price of a coffee) each month. which will help us improve the features, make it simpler and responsive and also pay for an ever-wider group of Experts to offer their play tastes.

We hope to play a part in putting game discovery back in the hands of the players, and offer a space where Experts can share their tastes and be recognised for the value this brings.