You haven't played Street Fighter in years. Someone hands you a controller and asks you to execute that combo you used to nail every time. You can't remember the button labels. You couldn'texplain the sequence if you tried. But your fingers? They remember. They execute the combo perfectly without conscious thought.
That's the difference between explicit memory (facts that can fade fast without use) and implicit memory (skills that may stick longer even when you haven't practiced in years).
In this video, Celia Hodent, PhD, Game UX Strategist and Author of the best-selling book The Gamer's Brain, shares how long-term memory works and why players might forget recent tutorials but remember combos they practiced years ago.
The Street Fighter example shows what those two types of long-term memory look like in practice. To sum up:
Explicit memory is the memory for events, souvenirs, and facts players can recall, such as what each icon means, where that rare item is, or the plot twist they can't stop thinking about.
Implicit memory is the memory for actions (muscle memory) and skills we can perform automatically without thinking; for instance, pulling off a dodge at the perfect moment or chaining that fighting-game combo like a pro.
© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0
Long-term memory operates through two systems. Explicit memory supports what players can recall, such as facts, events, and what an icon means. Implicit memory supports what players can do automatically, such as dodging, aiming, or executing a combo without thinking through every step.
How to Design for Long-Term Memory
Here's how to design with long-term memory in mind:
Support explicit memory through clear explanations and periodic reminders. Minimize what players have to remember by keeping critical information visible and accessible. For example, you could display button prompts when players need them, show objectives on the HUD, and remind players of relevant mechanics or systems they haven't used recently.
Support implicit memory through repeated practice in varied contexts. Players can't learn implicit skills from explanations alone. They have to practice until the action becomes automatic. Give players multiple opportunities to practice the same action in different situations. A dodge mechanic practiced against slow projectiles, then faster enemies, then during boss fights reinforces the skill more effectively than a single tutorial prompt. Space out practice across different challenges so the skill becomes automatic through repetition.
© Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0
Design tutorials that support both implicit and explicit memory. Show players what to do (explicit: "Press X to dodge"), then make them do it in a safe, low-pressure environment. Once they'vesucceeded a few times, weave that action into varied gameplay situations.
Use this cheat sheet to design with long-term memory in mind.
The Take Away
Long-term memory operates through two systems, and each one calls for a different design approach. Explicit memory stores facts players recall (button functions, objectives), while implicit memory stores actions they perform automatically (combo execution, dodge timing).
You can support explicit memory through clear explanations and visible reminders so critical information stays accessible, and implicit memory through repeated practice in varied contexts so skills can become automatic. If you design tutorials that address both, players will have a much better chance of retaining what to do and executing it without conscious thought. Furthermore, implicit memory can be especially durable: players who practiced a skill enough may still be able to perform it years later, even if they can't remember the button labels.
References and Where to Learn More
Want more? If you haven't already, sign up for Game UX Design: The Ultimate Guide to learn directly from Celia Hodent, PhD, former Fortnite UX Director, and author of the best-seller The Gamer's Brain.
Read The Gamer's Brain by Celia Hodent.
Watch the How to Design for the Human Mind: Cognitive Science for UX Master Class by Celia Hodent.
Watch the How to Become a Games User Researcher Master Class by Steve Bromley, Games Researcher and Author.
Watch the AI for Game UX: Speed Up Research, Ideas, and Prototypes Master Class by Om Tandon, UX Design Leader at Nordeus (Zynga/Take-Two).
Watch the Level Up Your Career: How to Land a Job in the Game Industry Master Class with Om Tandon, UX Design Leader at Nordeus (Zynga/Take-Two).
Watch the UI Design for Games: Starter Edition Master Class with Stéfano Girardelli, Senior Visual Designer at Wildlife Studios.
Hero image: © Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0
