Massive Entertainment’s lead designer, Lau Korsgaard, discussed the design of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

If you enjoy independent indie game coverage, consider supporting Indie-Games.eu on Patreon. It helps keep the site independent.

Korsgaard has been a lead designer at Massive Entertainment since 2020, working on major projects including Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. He took the opportunity during the Nordic Game Spring 2024 event in Sweden to speak about the game’s creative design. The title launched in 2023.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is set in the same universe as James Cameron’s films but follows a different story. You play as a Na’vi child kidnapped by the RDA. After escaping, you must relearn the Na’vi ways to unite the clans and fight back against the RDA. This first-person action-adventure RPG explores themes of alienation in one’s own homeland and living in harmony with nature.

“One of our biggest design challenges was creating a resource-gathering system that respects the Na’vi’s symbiotic relationship with nature, avoiding the exploitative patterns common in many games. We established three guiding principles: quality over quantity, power from nature, and effort in gathering resources.

My inspiration actually came from my wife’s interest in plant dyeing. She’s a fashion designer who started dyeing fabrics using plants, and I joined her, learning the craft and gathering materials. The experience gave me a new perspective on being in nature with a purpose,” Korsgaard said.

Korsgaard explained that plant dyeing involves gathering plants, cooking them to extract dyes, and coloring textiles. He described the process as almost magical, transforming simple materials into beautifully dyed fabrics. This hands-on, purposeful interaction with nature shaped his approach to game design, emphasizing deeper connection and respect for the environment.

“In Avatar, we implemented a system where players use their Na’vi senses to identify and learn about plants. This knowledge enriches the player’s experience, just as learning about plants enriches real life. We wanted players to feel purpose and adventure while gathering resources, making each journey meaningful and rewarding.”

The final crafting system allows players to track materials from collection to finished product, giving each item a story and a connection to the player’s journey. This approach encourages mindfulness and respect for the environment, in line with Na’vi principles.

Korsgaard concluded: “My journey from indie development to big productions has taught me the importance of defending the experiential goals of game design. As designers, our role is to ensure every mechanic supports the overall experience we want to deliver.”