This article explicates the ways that developers working at an independent game company in New York City organized their development process around a deep concern for how players make meaning from their games. Two designers' descriptions of their processes are used to illustrate the company's commitment to developing games that invite participation, discussion, and ongoing iteration. It is argued that Gamelab's design philosophy is an excellent instantiation of deliberative rhetorical practices and progressive "reflection-in-action" schemas. (Contains 2 figures.)