Inside Game of Thrones: Legends’ long-term design strategy

• Magoun credits Game of Thrones: Legends’ longevity to continuous iteration, community feedback and live ops tie-ins with the wider IP.
• IP tie-ins, such as HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, can boost engagement.
• Cross-media franchises allow games to tap into existing fanbases, but remaining true to the IP is critical for authenticity.

More than a year on from release, Zynga's Game of Thrones: Legends has moved past its initial launch state and into live ops with new champions, systems and live content that is shaped by both player data and community feedback.

According to lead designer Christopher Magoun, the team’s focus has been on steady iteration rather than resets, refining systems, layering mechanics and expanding the game roster in ways that deepen the game's strategy without impacting balance.

“We have a very engaged player base,” he explains, reflecting on the game's performance over the past 12 months. “As we continue to make improvements on the game, performance has also been improving.”

Building over time

Over the last year, the team has scaled the game adding 24 legendary champions alongside roughly 20 epic and common characters, while also revisiting core systems.

One of the most impactful changes is a rework of Proving Grounds, a mode that lets players trial characters before committing them to their roster. Magoun says the update "drastically improved champion performance”, suggesting system-level adjustments can sometimes matter more than new features. 

Two new rotating events were also introduced alongside a major PvP system, The War of the Three Banners. The alliance-based territory control mode puts factions against each other and, in Magoun’s words, helped make the title “a much more robust game than it was just a year ago".

Another addition Magoun is most proud of is the Fury mechanic, launched alongside the Blacks faction and the arrival of Rhaenyra Targaryen.

He also highlights the Iconic Items system, which unlocks once certain champions reach a specified level. These items - drawn from objects characters wield or own in the show - add both stat bonuses and new abilities. The result, he says, is “an extra depth of strategy” tied directly to lore recognition. 

Social features as a growth strategy

For Magoun, one of the biggest inflection points in player interest came from a system that strengthened social play. The War of the Three Banners gave players a shared objective that extended beyond individual progression. 

“It was a feature we had already been working on since launch, and fortunately for us it was a highlight request feature from our players,” he says. By aligning development priorities with community demand, the team tried to ensure the feature landed with immediate impact.

“We look at live data like engagement, spend and champion usage, but we also listen to player feedback through Discord,” Magoun explains. “‘Finding the fun’ is harder to quantify and sometimes it’s a balancing act. We continue to learn and improve, and the game is only going to keep improving as we do.”

While metrics such as engagement, spend, and usage patterns help guide decisions, Magoun stresses they are only part of the equation, with community sentiment shaping how the team iterates and evolves the game.

Coordinating with new releases and working with IP constraints

The transmedia element of Game of Thrones: Legends and the timing of show tie-ins have proven valuable. From A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon, these can directly affect engagement.

When Ser Duncan launched shortly before his series debut, Magoun says the team saw a noticeable increase in players adding him to their line-ups.

Creating characters often requires development to begin months before audiences see them on screen. Limited reference material means designers sometimes rely on trailers or small amounts of information for inspiration, then they build abilities that capture each character’s personality and narrative role.

“We start by looking at the existing pool of champions and player feedback to decide what the next champion should be and what role they should fill,” Magoun explains.

“Then we check in with our partners at WBD for approval before moving the character into our development pipeline, typically several months ahead of release.”

Authenticity through the IP is closely monitored through collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, which reviews visual assets, names and dialogue. 

While those elements are tightly controlled, Magoun says the design team retains meaningful freedom in gameplay implementation, provided mechanics align with the character's identity.

The appeal of transmedia and looking ahead

Magoun believes the broader surge in crossovers across games, television and film is rooted in fandom dynamics.

“I think it has a lot to do with fandoms and how excited the followers of those fandoms are. I’ve seen a lot of games that are original IPs bring in popular characters from other pieces of media,” he says.

“I think the appeal of this is bringing in some new players to your game who might not have been aware of it prior to the favourite character getting added.”

Despite a large roster and multiple game modes, Magoun sees Legends as still early in its lifecycle. Upcoming series and potential future spin-offs offer opportunities to expand the character pool and sustain momentum.

“The game is still relatively young and we have a lot of room to keep growing,” he says, suggesting that as long as new stories continue emerging from the franchise, the game will keep evolving alongside them.

Get insights on game design trends and live ops at Pocket Gamer Connects Summit San Francisco on March 9th.