Ep. 4 – How UX Researchers Shape the Future of Play with Nik Blach, Rob Aseron & Vivek Bhaskaran – Happy Market Research

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In this episode, Dan Fleetwood sits down with UX research veterans Nik Blach, former Senior Manager UX Data Research at Epic Games, and Rob Aseron, a research consultant and former Director of UX Research at Zynga, along with Vivek Bhaskaran, founder and CEO of QuestionPro. Together, they unpack how player-centric research drives innovation and engagement in gaming. From measuring “fun” and mastering game mechanics to the real-world impact of surveys on game development, this episode explores how research shapes not only gameplay but also business strategy.

Guests:

Nik Blach – Former UX Data Research Lead at Epic Games, Nik worked on Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League. His work on MaxDiff surveys directly influenced cosmetic offerings in Fortnite, blending player preference data with real-time product strategy.

Rob Aseron – As former Director of UX Research at Zynga, Rob led benchmarking and competitive analysis during the company’s rapid growth. Now a consultant, he helps teams turn research into product strategy.

Vivek Bhaskaran – Founder and CEO of QuestionPro, Vivek has 20 years of experience building tools for scalable research. His work spans gaming, healthcare, HR, and CX, empowering teams to act fast on insights.

⏱️ Topics and timestamps:

[00:00] Intro

[02:08] What UX research looks like inside gaming companies

[05:31] Scaling insights for massive player bases

[08:21] How feedback changes games

[12:33] The risks of simplifying games for mobile

[15:06] Measuring “fun” in gaming: Is it even the right metric?

[27:38] Qualitative vs. quantitative research workflows

[30:24] Building feedback loops into the development process

[32:58] Using surveys to answer PM questions

[36:32] Feedback loops before release

[38:35] AI in research: Use cases, challenges & wins