Zynga founder Mark Pincus says “only a master craftsman can spot excellence and be comfortable copying it”
Zynga founder Mark Pincus is advocating for a pragmatic approach to game design in his upcoming book Life at the Speed of Play, launching June 23. In a free sample chapter, Pincus encourages developers to move past ego-driven design and embrace copying proven game mechanics from successful titles.
Pincus outlines his “Proven Better New” framework—a three-step methodology that became foundational to Zynga’s development process and has since been adopted by studios including Supercell. The framework consists of: Proven (copying exact features and mechanics that already resonate with the target audience), Better (identifying improvements to those proven elements), and New (adding original ideas, characterized as the riskiest component requiring isolated testing).
To illustrate the framework’s effectiveness, Pincus cites Supercell’s Hay Day as exemplifying “Proven, Better (no New)"—essentially a mobile adaptation of FarmVille’s successful formula. Rather than dismissing this as unoriginal, Pincus argues that “only a master craftsman can spot excellence and be comfortable copying it,” positioning the ability to recognize and replicate what works as a valuable design skill.
The message challenges the gaming industry’s traditional emphasis on innovation and originality, proposing instead that developers balance risk by building upon established, tested mechanics while concentrating creative risk-taking on smaller, controlled iterations. This systematic approach, according to Pincus, enables teams to generate winning products faster than attempting to reinvent all elements.