Game Designer · VR Pioneer · Author

"MAKE IT FUN"
IS NOT
INSTRUCTIONS

I'll show you what fun actually is so you make the right call every time.

Work With Me → Get My Book
Shipped with Riot Games Nickelodeon Disney Imagineering AT&T Talespin Dave & Buster's
20
Years in the industry
8
Industry Awards Won
1
Framework
The Problem

"FIND THE FUN" IS NOT A STRATEGY.

Almost nobody defines fun. They feel it, chase it, or wait for it to show up, and everyone in the room ends up guessing separately.

No Shared Definition

Ask five people on your team what "fun" means and you'll get five different answers, and no way to settle the argument.

You Can't Defend Your Own Calls

You know something's off in a review and can't say why. A good idea gets killed because nobody could argue for it with anything more than a feeling.

You Find Out After It Ships

The only real test you have is release day. If it doesn't work, you're diagnosing a corpse instead of catching it while it still mattered.

This Isn't Supposed to Be a Mystery

Every other part of the business gets measured before money moves. Fun is the one variable everyone agrees drives the outcome, and nobody's required to define it.

Without a definition, the only thing you can trust is what's already been done before. Copy it and you're capped at what it already made. Nobody can prove an original idea works before it exists. That's the bet only a real definition of fun lets you make with confidence. I have that definition, built over twenty years, so you don't have to gamble blind.

32%
Higher revenue growth for companies that treat experience as a defined discipline instead of a feeling, over the same five-year period as their competitors. Source: McKinsey Design Index
"I'm impressed with Joe's work."
— Nolan Bushnell, Founder of Atari
Joe Mares
The Person Behind the Framework

JOE MARES.
20 YEARS. ONE OBSESSION.

I've spent two decades figuring out what makes things fun. Not as a theory but as a practice, across every platform that exists: mobile, VR, location-based entertainment, themed attractions, enterprise training.

I built Sinister Inn, a controller-free VR haunted house now running in 30+ countries that won USA Today's Best Theme Park Halloween Event in 2024. I led design at Talespin, building the org from scratch and serving clients like AT&T, Accenture, and Deloitte.

I found the actual structure underneath it, something most teams have never been handed the language for. Once you have that structure, you're not chasing fun anymore. You're building toward it on purpose.

Work With Me →
Solutions

I HELP TEAMS FIND WHAT'S
BROKEN AND FIX IT

Before more time, money, and morale are lost. Three ways to work together. Pick the one that fits where you are right now. Every one of them exists to catch what's not fun, whether that's before you ship it or fast enough to fix it once you already have.

Most Immediate Impact
1-Day Intensive

Spend a focused day with me inside the problem, together. We work in real time to unpack what's not working, pressure-test assumptions, and make decisions your team can actually commit to. I guide the conversation, challenge weak logic, and help translate instincts into shared clarity you can move on immediately.

  • Full-day working session (async or live)
  • Real-time pressure testing of your assumptions
  • Decision framework your team acts on same day
  • Summary doc delivered within 24 hours
$1,800
For teams who don't need a verdict. They need alignment.
Book a Day →
1-Week Turnaround
The Fun Audit

In 1 week, I'll evaluate your game, experience, or product and tell you whether it's fun, market-ready, and built to retain. You get a detailed report with actionable recommendations and a follow-up call where I walk you through exactly what to fix, what to kill, and what to double down on.

  • Full core loop & reward system analysis
  • Audience psychology & emotional arc review
  • Written report with prioritized fixes
  • 1-hour follow-up call to walk through findings
$4,500
For founders, indie studios, and design leads who need certainty, whether that's before you commit more time and money or you've already shipped and need to know exactly what to fix.
Book Your Audit →
Ongoing Partnership
Fractional Design Director

I act as your on-demand design and creative lead: high-level guidance, strategy, and oversight to keep your project on track and delivering experiences that resonate. Weekly 90-minute check-ins, priority async access, and the kind of feedback that prevents costly missteps before they happen.

  • Weekly 90-minute strategic check-ins
  • Priority async access between sessions
  • Creative direction & design org oversight
  • Executive insight without a full-time hire
$10,000 / mo
For studios and product teams who want a design leader without the full-time overhead.
Let's Talk →
Need a speaker on games, creative leadership, or "fun"?
Speaking engagements, team workshops, and conference keynotes available.
Inquire About Speaking →
Blueprint for Fun by Joseph Mares
// Now Available

THE BOOK THAT
DEMYSTIFIES FUN

Fun isn't random. It has architecture. Blueprint for Fun is the framework I've spent 20 years developing, distilled into a tool every designer, developer, and creative leader can use starting today.

  • Understand why players put things down, and how to stop it
  • Give your team a shared language for making design decisions
  • Apply the same framework across games, VR, themed entertainment, and beyond
  • Make more authentic, innovative, and fun products
Buy on Amazon → Bulk / Team Orders
Results

WHAT PEOPLE
ACTUALLY SAY

"[Joe] has a remarkable understanding of player psychology, emotional engagement, and the core principles of fun. Over the course of just a month working together, Joe completely transformed my game's direction. He helped us streamline unnecessary features while refining the core mechanics to create a more engaging experience."

Meric O.
Founder, a gamified fitness app

"I got too caught up in some evil FarmVille monetizing paywall, and forgot games are about fun first. Joe inspired me to go back to that."

Jarred Davis
App Developer

"His empathy for the player guides his thinking on how to make a complex system feel intuitive to users, which creates great games that people love to play. Joe does what few people try: he poses the question, 'What makes something fun?' and the resulting deconstruction of fun into its components enables him to create successful experiences time and time again."

Lira Samanta
Content Manager

"Joe's confidence in identifying what makes a game fun shines through. We look forward to embedding his suggestions and observing how the market reacts."

Eli Jimenez
Studio Partner

"If you're working on an immersive experience, Joe can help make sure it's fun. Hire Joe."

Bob Cooney
Speaker · Author · B2B Influencer

"I can't help but recommend Joe. We've met multiple times now to discuss my upcoming indie game and his input has been invaluable."

Shannon Williams Jr.
DevOps Engineer, The Walt Disney Company
Audience

WHO I
WORK WITH

🎮
Game Developers
  • Core gameplay loop
  • Player psychology
  • Casual & hardcore audiences
🥽
VR / AR Experiences
  • Emotional impact
  • Intuitive experiences
  • Controller-free design
🎡
Themed Entertainment
  • IP integration
  • Immersive experiences
  • Accessible for all ages
🧪
No Precedent Projects
  • First-of-its-kind
  • Uncharted genre
  • New medium
Clients & Collaborators
Riot Games
Nickelodeon
Walt Disney Imagineering
AT&T
Dave & Buster's
Area 15
GSN
Talespin
Cornerstonecornerstone
Castle Dark
Accenture
U.S. Air Force
Press & Media

AS SEEN &
HEARD

// AWE 2024 / Augmented World Expo
Fun in XR: A Blueprint for Success, presented with Ariel Giacobbe at AWE 2024
// Articles & Features
Medium
Startup Revolution: How Thousand Bit Is Changing the Game
Feature Interview →
Voyage LA
Life & Work with Joe Mares of Los Angeles
Profile →
Halloween Every Night
Sinister Inn Takes VR Visitors to New and Dark Places
Press Feature →
Gaming.net
Joe Mares, Founder of Thousand Bit: Interview Series
Coverage →
// Podcast Appearances
Understanding Esports w/ Game Gym ↗ Inside VR with Bob Cooney ↗ Video Game Happy Hour ↗ The Being Virtual Podcast ↗ Short for a Stormtrooper ↗ Beyond Game Design ↗ TurtleCOM ↗ There's Too Many Podcasts ↗
Listen to My Own Podcast on Spotify →
FAQ

COMMON
QUESTIONS

How can you improve my product?
Most commonly people are looking for a solution to an experience that doesn't feel exciting, fun, or engaging. I have identified and defined what makes a product truly fun, and I will show you exactly what you need to add, remove, or refine to serve the psychological needs of the audience and make it truly memorable and fun.
What do I walk away with if I work with you?
Depending on the package, you walk away with: insight no one else has, an audit of your experience, documentation on what to improve and how and why, and a fully developed and designed product. Check out the services section above for specifics on each engagement.
What if I already started my project, can you still help?
Yes, even if you're far down the road of development I can work with what you have, tell you how salvageable it is, and how to best proceed next. It's never too late to make it as fun as it can be. I can also help with business decisions regarding feasibility and help you decide if you need to pivot.
I just need one answer, not a whole redesign.
I spent over 20 years making stuff fun. I can answer your question, no matter how nebulous it may seem.
Do you only work on games?
No. The framework applies anywhere fun matters: games, VR, themed entertainment, apps, training experiences, brand activations. If the goal is to make someone want to keep engaging, I can help.
READY TO MAKE
YOUR PRODUCT FUN?

One conversation is enough to know if we're a fit. No pitch deck required.

Email Me → Get the Book First
josephmares@gmail.com · Los Angeles, CA · Available for remote engagements worldwide