Brian Hicks, the former creative director for DayZ, believes that a lasting game should empower players by allowing them to modify numerous game aspects. In a conversation regarding survival game mechanics, Hicks reflected on his career, specifically mentioning his collaboration with Hinterland on Blackfrost: The Long Dark 2.

“When I got to Hinterland, it was ‘OK, I need to pay attention to what Raph [van Lierop, CEO and creative director] can tell me about The Long Dark playerbase.’”

Hicks argues that exposing game parameters to players, akin to ‘soft modding’, can significantly enhance user experience, allowing tailored gameplay that doesn’t compromise the game’s identity. He cites the example of 7 Days to Die, which openly shares its variables, enabling players to craft their own experiences within the game.

Among his views, Hicks conveyed concern over the potential identity loss of games through too much freedom but remains optimistic about the shift towards greater modding capabilities for players.