UX Strategist Celia Hodent to hold masterclass blending cognitive science with practical game UX frameworks

• Developers get six to seven hours of tools to improve onboarding, engagement, and retention.
• The masterclass breaks down core psychology behind how players learn and interact with games.
• Hodent brings more than 16 years of UX expertise across Epic Games, LucasArts, and Ubisoft.

Seasoned UX strategist Celia Hodent has launched a new masterclass to give developers a deep dive into the cognitive science principles behind some of the world’s most successful games.

The Game UX & Cognitive Science Masterclass explores how perception, attention, memory, and emotion shape the way players experience a game. It will take place on December 12th at 94-99 High Holborn in London, running from 9am to 5pm GMT.

PocketGamer.biz readers can get a 15% discount by using the code PGUX25.

Across six to seven hours of content, the masterclass breaks down the science of how players learn and interact with games, offering practical frameworks developers can apply at every stage of production. 

The first half focuses on core psychology, including the limitations of human perception, motivation, and cognitive load, while using examples from both gaming and broader digital products. 

The second half shifts to applied UX, detailing how usability and engagement principles inform onboarding, level design, game feel, and long-term player retention.

Onboarding to retention 

Adapted from the instructor’s book The Gamer’s Brain, the masterclass aims to equip developers with actionable tools to improve player experience from the ground up.

With more than 16 years of experience across major studios and educational institutions, Hodent has operated as an independent Game UX Strategy Consultant, providing tailored workshops and UX best practices to games, products, and services.

She has previously spent over four years at Fortnier developer Epic Games as director of user experience. Before Epic, Hodent served as UX lead at LucasArts in San Francisco, working on titles including Star Wars 1313. Her earlier career includes multiple roles at Ubisoft.

You can sign up for The Game UX & Cognitive Science Masterclass here.