CHAPTER FOUR · GAMES USER RESEARCH ( GUR ) 4.7 Conclusion User research at Microsoft Game Studios has evolved over the last ten years, and we will continue to explore methodological innovations that produce reliable, valid, and timely data that informs design and makes for exciting products. This chapter briefly describes four of our methods at a "high" level. Our accompanying chapter on instrumentation covers that topic in depth. Throughout our evolution we have been guided by some simple yet fundamental tenets which we call "the golden six." 1. Empirical data about users is the core of our contribution to product success. 2. Partnership with designers is essential when the product goal is a compelling experience. 3. Judicious investment in tools and techniques pays off by allowing us to generate large amounts of empirical data in a timely way. 4. Creating, evaluating and then standardizing methods is the key to reliability, validity, and efficiency. 5. Addressing management goals, for example, how much fun are our games and how can we make them better is the path to long term success. 6. Methods and their output must map onto both the culture and the development processes of your partners and your organization. The past ten years have been highly rewarding for all of us involved in the devel- opment of tools and methods for Games User Research. We have been especially pleased not only by the success of MGS games but also by the recognition in the games and popular press: "Still the best in terms of developer support understanding how to make great games and a strong vision. Their usability is by far the best in the industry." Quoted from Game Developer magazine discussing Microsoft Game Studios in their annual publisher poll issue (Wilson, 2007, p. 12). Halo 3 How Microsoft Labs Invented a New Science of Play" ( Wired magazine , cover story September 2007) We look forward to the next ten years. 4.8 Acknowledgments We want to thank all the members of the games user research group (past and present) . They all contributed to the evolution of our thinking about game evalu- ation and research. We also want to thank Microsoft Game Studios Management, especially Ed Fries and Shane Kim, who supported this work over the years. Thanks 62