# A dating app for video games tackles one of the industry's big issues

**Tom Richardson**  
BBC Newsbeat

## Introduction

"Too many video games, too little time," has never been more true.

Almost 19,000 titles went live on PC games store Steam in 2024 - about 360 a week.

There are positive ways to look at this.

Tools are more accessible and easier to use, barriers to entry are lower, self-publishing is easier, and ideas are never short in supply.

But for developers, "discoverability" – getting your new release noticed – has  in a landscape dominated by blockbusters and online games such as Fortnite and Call of Duty.

It's also harder for potential customers to find them, with recommendations often dictated by search engine and store algorithms.

But Ludocene - described as a "dating app for video games" – hopes to change that.

Games journalist Andy Robertson, the man behind the project, says the goal is to help people find those "ones that got away".

"In any given year there's just so many games and some of those will rise to the top, they'll get lucky or they'll just be brilliant enough to punch through that noise," he tells BBC Newsbeat.

"But there's loads of really great games that just get sort of buried and lost in that shuffle."

## The Impact of Search Algorithms

One of the experts involved in Ludocene is veteran US games journalist Brian Crecente.

He set up gaming websites Kotaku and Polygon, led video games coverage at Rolling Stone and Variety, and now runs a consultancy business.

He says there's currently "a perfect storm for not knowing what to play" thanks to the reliance on search engine optimization (SEO) and automatic algorithms.

"There's just so much stuff," he says.

"Books, comics, movies, music, video games. It's very hard to discover what it is you might like and you might miss out on some hidden gems."

A lot has been written about layoffs and studio closures in the video games industry, but Brian points out that .

"So you have this rising tide of new games coming out and then a drop in the number of people covering video games," he says.

Brian thinks Ludocene has got people interested partly because it fills that space for people looking for more detailed, informed recommendations.

"Having an approach that helps you discover things that give you a better sense of whether you're going to like it allows you to invest your money, and for me, more importantly, your time in the things that you really enjoy," he says.

## The Dating App Mechanic

Ludocene itself looks a bit like a game – each title in its database is represented by a card with a trailer on one side and more information on the reverse.

The "dating app" element comes from users swiping to keep – or discard – the suggestions, slowly building up a collection of recommended titles.

Ludocene's entries are chosen by a selection of well-known gaming experts – journalists, streamers, and other figures.

Its makers say the hand-picked suggestions give you a better chance of finding quality titles outside the mainstream.

"And so what we're hoping is not just to get the popular games everybody's playing, but those kind of odd little games that would be a perfect match just for you," says Andy.

## The Expert Panel

One of the experts involved in Ludocene is veteran US games journalist Brian Crecente.

He set up gaming websites Kotaku and Polygon, led video games coverage at Rolling Stone and Variety, and now runs a consultancy business.

He says there's currently "a perfect storm for not knowing what to play" thanks to the reliance on search engine optimization (SEO) and automatic algorithms.

"There's just so much stuff," he says.

"Books, comics, movies, music, video games. It's very hard to discover what it is you might like and you might miss out on some hidden gems."

A lot has been written about layoffs and studio closures in the video games industry, but Brian points out that .

"So you have this rising tide of new games coming out and then a drop in the number of people covering video games," he says.

Brian thinks Ludocene has got people interested partly because it fills that space for people looking for more detailed, informed recommendations.

"Having an approach that helps you discover things that give you a better sense of whether you're going to like it allows you to invest your money, and for me, more importantly, your time in the things that you really enjoy," he says.

## The Launch and Success

Andy admits that keeping the database updated will be a challenge.

He's also the founder of , which adds about two games per day.

He expects Ludocene to update more quickly because it needs less data for each entry.

Having experts on board helps to identify "blind spots," he says, and hitting the crowdfunding goal means the project will have time to build its database before launch.

Backers can try the full app early and any money raised above the target will go towards building extra features.

Andy hopes the indie-focused project will ultimately help to shine a spotlight on the "passion projects" often made by small teams or individuals.

"The idea is it's kind of levelling the playing field," he says.

"Just having someone as a bit of a cheerleader to say diversity in games is really important."





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