Game Design, Psychology, Flow, and Mastery - Articles - Subtractive Design
Subtractive design is the process of removing imperfections and extraneous parts in order to strengthen the core elements. You can think of a design as something you build up, construct and let grow, but it’s pruning away the excess that gives a design a sense of simplicity, elegance, and power.
“Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.” —Albert Einstein