[2] John Wick Hex is a timeline strategy game with elements of resource management where the player maneuvers the titular character through a level on a hex-based grid, using various moves and actions to defeat enemies and avoid being hit by his foes.

[5] At the completion of a level, the game can play back a replay of the movements, without waiting for any user input, mimicking some of the fluidity of the action scenes from the John Wick films.

[6] Hex, an international criminal mastermind, abducts Winston and Charon of the New York Continental as an act of rebellion against the High Table and stows them away at an undisclosed location.

Bithell suggested the idea of a turn-based tactical game, what he called "John Wick chess", in which the player would have to make new decisions as the situation changes.

[2] Bithell wanted to capture the idea that combat in the John Wick universe is more like a conversation with back and forth responses, a factor that the stunt coordinators for the films have kept in mind.

[9] Bithell credits the film's stunt coordinator JoJo Eusebio in offering some more potential moves for John Wick that are not shown in the film but make for good strategic elements in a video game, such as John Wick using enemies as moving cover; by grabbing and then pushing a foe a short distance.

When showing this version of the game to Lionsgate executives, they were concerned that this made it appear that John Wick just stood there, taking the shots fired by his opponents.

[8] Actors Ian McShane and Lance Reddick reprise their roles from the films,[10] while Troy Baker voices the character of Hex.