MDA Framework
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
The MDA framework (Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics framework) is a commonly used theoretical framework in game design. According to the MDA framework, a game—whether a board game, card game, or video game—consists of three parts: Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics. These three parts interact continuously: mechanics combined with player behavior give rise to dynamics, and dynamics determine aesthetics (the player's emotional experience).
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The MDA framework (Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics framework) is a commonly used theoretical framework in game design. According to the MDA framework, a game—whether a board game, card game, or video game—consists of three parts: Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics. These three parts interact continuously: mechanics combined with player behavior give rise to dynamics, and dynamics determine aesthetics (the player's emotional experience).
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Games are structured in three layers: Mechanics (rules/code) → Dynamics (emergent player behaviors during gameplay) → Aesthetics (the emotional experience players have). Designers can only directly design the 'Mechanics', indirectly shaping 'Dynamics' and 'Aesthetics' through mechanics, emphasizing that 'experience cannot be designed directly, but must emerge from rules'.
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- zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/MDA%E6%A1%86%E6%9E%B6verified
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