new puzzle formats. Ste saw something completely original in the core mechanic, not just a familiar idea repackaged. And unlike a lot of mobile “puzzle” games, Mindset is about reasoning and observation, not reflexes or luck.
You’ve described Mindset GO! as sitting between casual time-killers and “thinky” games. How difficult is it to balance accessibility with intellectual depth? It’s the central challenge: make it too simple and people just churn through it; make it too complex and they give up. We focused on clarity, not dumbing things down. The rules should click in seconds, and then the challenge comes from interesting combinations of observation and logic. The goal is to help players feel clever quickly and then give them reasons to stick around.
How important was it to build Mindset GO! around a sense of mastery and learning, rather than just short-term dopamine hits? It’s the sense of getting better that keeps people coming back to any great puzzle format. Anyone can add confetti and streaks, but the real hook is seeing yourself improve. We want players to come back because they’re getting better.
The Observer partnership puts Mindset GO! in front of a very different - and potentially older - audience. How does that influence your thinking about player acquisition and long-term growth? It broadens the audience beyond traditional mobile gamers. Puzzle fans span every age, and many don’t identify as “gamers” at all. It also lets people discover Mindset through a trusted source, rather than pure paid acquisition. Long-term, it helps us build “Mindset” as a puzzle brand, not just an app.
Looking at the puzzle greats like Sudoku and crosswords, what lessons have you taken from games that have endured for decades? The puzzles that have remained popular for decades have simple rules that are easy to pick up, but a depth that can take years to master. They give you endless ways to play whilst always rewarding skill.
Do you see Mindset GO! as a single product or the foundation of a broader puzzle franchise? It’s the foundation of a broader franchise. The core mechanic is strong enough to support a whole family of modes and variations while staying within the same “puzzle language.” We have plans for titles targeting different demographics, age ranges, play styles and IP collaborations.
How do features like My Sets and Shape Sets support your ambition to keep players engaged long-term rather than burning through content? They give players a sense of ownership and let them really get to know the system, rather than just rushing to finish levels. Players start developing their own strategies and identities - “I’m good at this kind of thinking.” That sense of progression and mastery is what prevents people from burning through the content.
What metrics matter most to you right now - scale, retention, mastery or something else? Scale matters, but only if it’s the right kind of scale. Right now, we’re most focused on retention, repeat play and whether players are forming habits and improving over time. If that’s working, growth becomes something we can amplify.
With logic and reasoning at the core of the game, how important is it that players feel they’re getting “better” over time? It’s essential. Logic games live or die on that sense of progress. We want the difficulty curve to feel like skill growth, where you look back and see how far you’ve come. That’s what turns a game into a ritual you want to do every day.
Are partnerships with media, education, or wellbeing brands part of the wider roadmap for growing Mindset beyond games? Absolutely, as long as it feels authentic. Mindset naturally
February/March 2026 MCV/DEVELOP | 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
