5. Mechanics as a license carrier: Translating IP into a game system

1. The article analyzes the role of mechanics as the foundation of brand identity in licensed games, rejecting the treatment of rules as merely a 'color layer.' According to James Sheahan's concept, the game system should be a 'behavior machine' that, through so-called Expected Action, forces players into actions consistent with the logic of a given IP. The author emphasizes that true loyalty to a license is revealed not in nomenclature (nouns), but in available verbs and the variety of consequences. A key element is the Beyond Combat approach—moving beyond combat patterns toward infiltration, hacking, or negotiation, which prevents the over-militarization of the game world and allows for a full representation of the source material's character.