Game Design Document Template and
Examples
Keep your game design project on track with a simple template.
Let's face it – documentation is usually seen as the least fun part of the game development
process. Many opt to skip it entirely. "No one reads GDDs anyway." "They become outdated
the minute you finish writing them."
They are not entirely wrong. Rigid, multi-page GDDs have no place in modern game
development. But it doesn't mean that game design documentation has become obsolete –
it has merely evolved.
Let's dive deeper into what a modern video game design document is and how to write it.
Or skip directly to the GDD template.
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What is a game design document (GDD)?
How to write a GDD
Game design document template
Real-life GDD examples
What is a game design document (GDD)?
A game design document (GDD) is a software design document that serves as a blueprint
from which your game is to be built. It helps you define the scope of your game and sets the
general direction for the project, keeping the entire team on the same page.
USE THIS GDD TEMPLATE
A GDD usually includes:
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Executive summary (game concept, genre, target audience, project scope, etc.)
 Gameplay (objectives, game progressions, in-game GUI, etc.)
 Mechanics (rules, combat, physics, etc.)
 Game elements (worldbuilding, story, characters, locations, level design, etc.)
 Assets (music, sound effects, 2D/3D models, etc.)
Here's an example of a game design document created in Nuclino, a unified workspace
where teams can bring all their knowledge, docs, and projects together:
Game design document example (Artwork credit: Stephane Wootha Richard)
Nuclino can serve as a lightweight game documentation tool, a game development planner,
an internal wiki, and more. You can create real-time collaborative docs, allowing you to
document, share, and collaborate on anything, from game proposals and storyboards to
character profiles and concept art.
Agile game design documentation
Traditionally, GDDs have been detailed, 100+ page documents, which tried to explain every
detail of the game up front. As the game development process became more agile, the
approach to documentation evolved as well. Realizing that overly lengthy and rigid GDDs
are difficult to maintain and are hardly ever read, most studios have moved away from
traditional design documentation.
Today, most game developers follow the agile approach to documentation. As Jim
Highsmith, one of the 17 original signatories of the Agile Manifesto, said, "We embrace
documentation, but not hundreds of pages of never-maintained and rarely-used tomes."
So rather than doing away with game design documents altogether, the documentation
process can be adapted to support the creative, iterative, and collaborative process of game
development.
How to write a GDD
Modern game design documentation process follows several best practices:
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Keep the game documentation lightweight. The original game concept doesn’t
always work out. You might have to scrap the game, or pivot in a different
direction. Either way, keep the inital documentation to a minimum so you don't
have to rewrite a multi-page document. Fit it on a single page and let it evolve
from there.
Write the GDD collaboratively. Unless you are an indie game developer working
solo, involve your team in the process from the start. Make your GDD the
central hub where your team members discover, discuss, and solve issues
together.
The GDD should evolve together with the project. A GDD is only useful when it's
up-to-date. Choose a documentation tool that preserves a version history and
let your design document evolve together with your game by updating it daily.
Use visual aids. Don't let your readers drown in text. Many ideas can be much
clearly conveyed using graphs, flow charts, and concept art. Or turn your entire
game design doc into a mind map and watch it grow as your game evolves.
Learn more about how to write a modern game design document.
Game design document template
No two game design documents will be the same. However, a GDD template may be a good
starting point.
Depending on the scope of your game development project, your design document may end
up being very brief or fairly long and complex. Your first iteration can be a simple one-page
overview. Copy this template and customize it to fit your needs.
As your game evolves and details begin to take shape, you may want to create dedicated
documents for different topics. Better yet, turn your game design doc into an internal
wiki and organize your work in a more structured way.
Real-life GDD examples
There are many great game design document examples to draw inspiration from.
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Mike Dailly, one of the lead designers of Grand Theft Auto – originally called
"Race'n'Chase" – shared the iconic game's design documents that date back to
March 22, 1995.
Brian Freyermuth shared the GDD for the canceled Fallout: Brotherhood of
Steel 2.
The original design doc of Silent Hill 2 is a lengthy but nonetheless great
example of a well-written GDD.
GTA game design document example
At the end of the day, how you write your game design document is up to you and your
team. Creating a video game is far from a trivial task, and while maintaining internal
documentation may seem like a tedious task, it can save you a lot of time down the road.
And after you have finished your game, your GDD will stand as a testament to all of your
hard work.
Nuclino: Your team's collective brain
Nuclino brings all your team's knowledge, docs, and projects together in one place. It's a
modern, simple, and blazingly fast way to collaborate, without the chaos of files and folders,
context switching, or silos.
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Create a central knowledge base and give your team a single source of truth.
Collaborate in real time or asynchronously and spend less time in meetings.
Manage and document your projects in one place without losing context.
Integrate the tools you love, like Slack, Google Drive, Figma, Lucidchart, and
more.