Building Hiro With Families, Not For Them

Our Family-Centered Approach to Game Development

Families raising children with disabilities know something most people don’t: therapy isn't a once-a-week appointment. It’s a lifestyle. It’s waking up early for clinic visits, months-long waitlists, stretching routines squeezed between school drop-offs, and the constant emotional labor of helping your child push through exercises that are hard - even for adults.

At Hiro, this lived reality isn’t just something we consider. It’s the foundation of how we build.

Everything we create - every game mechanic, every movement pattern, and every silly character -begins with listening to families - Not theorizing about them, not assuming what’s best for them, but actually sitting down, and truly understand:

- What their Daily routines look like

- what their kids love

- What they avoid

and

- What lights them up

And that’s what makes Hiro different: we build with families, not just for them.

Why Family-Centered Design Matters

Hiro began as something deeply personal for both founders. Tamer as a parent of a child with a physical disability, and Jerry as a sibling of someone who spent years in therapy.

We lived it firsthand. And this isn’t a theoretical design challenge. It’s a personal mission, starting from home.

That's why families aren't "users" to us. They're collaborators, co-designers, and partners.

How we work with families like yours

We follow a cycle built around respect, curiosity, and rapid iteration. Here’s how it works:

1. Start with understanding

We never start with technology.
We start with people.

We sit down with parents and caregivers with no assumptions and simply listen:

What’s your daily routine like?

What is therapy like for your child?

What motivates them?

Do they love soccer? Dragons? Cars? Flying? Pets?

Every child is unique, in their abilities, needs, attention spans, and personalities. So our game should empower that uniqueness.

2. The Creative Build

After discovery, we bring the insights back to our game developers and designers.

We may literally build:

a driving game for a child who loves cars

a sports mini-game for a soccer-obsessed kid

a magical creature adventure for someone who loves fantasy

3. Playtesting and feedback

This is where the magic happens.

We meet with the family again. The child plays the game. We observe:

Are they smiling?

Are they excited?

Are they moving with purpose and effort?

Are they asking to play again?

Engagement is our core success metric. If a child loves it, the physiotherapy happens naturally.

If something doesn’t work, we change it.
If something sparks joy, we amplify it.

Why This Approach Works

Family-centered development gives us something no lab or studio can manufacture:

Clarity. Honesty. Real-world insight.

Families tell us exactly what’s hard at home, what their kid loves, and how they fit therapy in their daily routines.

And we respond with quick, tailored games that turn repetition into play.

A Message to Parents & Caregivers

If you're reading this, you are already doing the hardest work: loving, supporting, and advocating for your child.

We would be honored to build Hiro with you.

We want to meet you, and we want to work with you, whether your child needs:

support with mobility

a playful, motivating way to stay active

a game that makes therapy feel like adventure

or even something completely unique to them

We want to hear your story.
And we want to explore if we can build a custom game experience just for your child.

You don’t need technical knowledge. You don’t need special equipment. You just need a camera and a few minutes.

If you’re a parent or caregiver of a child with disabilities, we invite you to reach out and join our co-design family.

👉 Email us at: info@playhiro.com
👉 Or Book Meeting with US

Let’s build joyful, meaningful movement, together.