Fair play and balanced strategy game design

Our Philosophy

No Pay-to-Win. Ever.

Strategy games lose their meaning when spending power overrides decision-making. We build for mastery—skill must always come first.

No selling powerSkill-firstFair progressionLong-term trust

What does no pay-to-win mean?

“No pay-to-win” means you cannot buy advantage. No stats, no units, no boosts that outclass what a player can reasonably earn through gameplay.

If a player loses, they should be able to point to a decision, a tradeoff, or an execution mistake—not a credit card.

Principles we design by

No selling power

No stats, units, damage, health, or boosts sold for competitive advantage.

Skill-first progression

Progression comes from understanding systems and making better decisions—not spending.

Readable rules

Players should understand why they won or lost. Strategy is about clarity and mastery.

Long-term trust

We choose sustainable monetization that protects the integrity of gameplay over short-term revenue spikes.

How we monetize

We build sustainable games without compromising fairness. Monetization must support development, not replace design.

We’re comfortable selling

  • Cosmetics and visual customization
  • Quality-of-life convenience that does not affect balance
  • Expansions and optional content

We will never sell

  • Power (stats, damage, health, win buttons)
  • Progression walls that force spending to compete
  • Hidden paywalls or “bait-and-switch” balancing

How this philosophy shows up in our games

Grow and Conquer

A released strategy game where tactical decisions and timing define success. No automation. No shortcuts.

Dino Wars

An upcoming strategy game built with the same principles of fair progression and long-term depth.

Part of the Guybrush Studios mission

This philosophy is one pillar of our broader mission as a strategy game studio: build deep, fair games that respect players and reward mastery.

Support fair strategy games

If this philosophy resonates with you, the best support is playing our games, sharing feedback, and following the journey.

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