WoU, Who? Meet Anna

As we continue to grow our game, it’s time we introduced you to yet another key player in the World of Us game design process. This week, it’s Anna Dohy – our Hungarian-born, Netherlands-based creative.

“I started out in the worlds of dance, theater, and art history – which might sound far from game development, but for me, it’s all connected. I see game design as a way to choreograph player experience – setting the stage, defining the rhythm, and then letting the player move through it in their own unique way.” Anna was lucky enough to grow up in the incredibly culturally rich city of Budapest. After studying contemporary art theory and curatorial studies at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, she went on to earn her master’s in design management from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design. “What sparked my interest in game design was the realization that games could hold space for emotion, education, and even healing in a way that felt more intuitive and embodied than other mediums.”

“As a game designer, I build the scaffolding for experience: the rules, the goals, the feedback loops, and the systems that hold everything together. I make sure that the way you play tells the same story as the world you’re in.” Luckily for us, World of Us is inspired by the natural world (with a little bit of magic added for good measure). Our work and game design then becomes about revealing the richness to these natural elements – their stories and the mythologies they live within.

“The most important skill for a game designer is listening. I don't mean merely hearing what is said. I mean a deeper listening, a thoughtful listening.” - The Art of Game Design by Jesse Schell.

“It’s part storytelling, part psychology, part systems thinking. I always imagine myself in conversation with the player: in game design, I ask a question, or tell a hint, and then listen to how they might answer. The development of WoU is deeply community-centric. It’s built around the voices, ideas, and contributions of people from the localities. We didn’t come in with all the answers – we came in with questions, curiosity, and a genuine intention to listen.” Our goal at WoU has always been to help amplify the stories of others – never to create narratives that suit us and our goal. This work means that we spend a lot of time working together to craft questions that give us the best possible understanding of the lived experience of the localities we work with. “The methodology we’re using blends co-creation, participatory design, and agile iteration. It’s about creating space for different rhythms, values, and ways of thinking — while making sure the game systems support authenticity and respect. It’s not always the fastest way to design, but it’s one of the most meaningful.”

“One of the biggest learnings has been the importance of slowing down. Involving communities who are new to games means we can’t rely on shortcuts or assumptions – we have to build understanding together, from the ground up. And in doing that, we discovered richer, more grounded ideas than we could’ve come up with on our own. When people feel safe to contribute – even if they’re not experts – what emerges is something more layered, more surprising, and more human. It reminded me that game design isn’t just about systems and mechanics; it’s about trust, dialogue, and creating space for others to be heard.”

“There’s a quest in the game where players search for hidden animals, but they can only spot them by slowing down and really observing their surroundings with fresh eyes. It’s a quiet, almost meditative moment in the game, and it holds a lot of meaning for me personally.” That’s right, gaming doesn’t just have to be a fast-paced adrenaline-fuelled experience. There’s also room for a lot. As a game designer, I often encounter the same patterns repeating across countless projects. This quest gently reminds me to pause, to look beyond the obvious, and to stay open to surprise. It’s about seeing the familiar in a new light – and that’s something I try to carry into my creative process every day.”

As a final note for our readers, this particular message from Anna needs to be shared, “Parents are invited to play together with their children. It’s designed to open up conversations between children and adults, not replace them.” And we believe this message goes beyond just our mission and could help strengthen many relationships out there.

Keep an eye out for our WoU, Who? Series if you want to learn more about the people responsible for bringing the World of Us game to life.