Design Talk – Designing large group games with Rikki Tahta
Design TalkSeries
In this Design Talk episode, hosts Dirk Knemeyer and David Heron are joined by Rikki Tahta, designer of the hit bluffing game Coup. Rikki shares the origins of Coup, how competition and hidden information shape its tension, and the technical challenges behind making the game work smoothly. The conversation expands into the unique design problems of large-group games—from pacing and engagement to player elimination—and how designers can tackle them thoughtfully. Rikki also offers a look into his digital horse racing project and wraps up with advice for aspiring designers. A sharp, design-focused discussion for anyone interested in scalable and social game experiences.
Episode Outline
0:00 Beginning of Show
0:50 End of Intro
8:00 Where did the idea for Coup come from?
20:00 Competition within Coup as well as navigating the technicalities of the game
36:00 Designing games for large groups of people/ the issues with games for large groups`
45:50 Rikki diving deeper into his digital Horse Racing game
48:50 Advice for Listeners
49:20 Outro
49:20 End of Show
In this Episode
Rikki Tahta -
