Gamers have difficulties finding video games they enjoy.

Design an app to offer gamers an easy way to find the perfect game based on their preferences.

Research

I conducted interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. A primary user group identified through research was casual gamers who have difficulties finding video games they will enjoy.

This user group confirmed initial assumptions about how complex it is to find the perfect game, but research also revealed that complexity was not the only factor limiting gamers from finding the perfect game. Other problems included lack of time, energy, or industry knowledge that make it difficult to browse for and find the perfect game.

Design, test, iterate

Drafting iterations of each screen of the app on paper ensured that the elements selected for the digital wireframes would answer the user pain points.

Creating low-fidelity wireframes ensured the best user experience, based on research, without getting distracted by the visuals.

Using the completed set of digital wireframes, I created a low-fidelity prototype. With the essential user flows connected, the prototype was ready to be used in a usability study.

Usability study

The usability study revealed what aspects of the user experience needed refining.

Findings

Initially, I wanted to have the user take a quiz on their gaming preferences during the account creation process. These answers would feed the suggestion engine. During the usability studies, it turned out that most users were confused about it and wanted to skip this step. It became clear that users wanted to experience the app before answering any questions. Therefore, I removed the quiz on first login, added multiple third-party sign-in options, and created a prominent call-to-action on the home page to allow users to take the quiz at any time.

Results from the usability studies also suggest that the browsing experience was too generic and limited. Therefore, I added clusters of games based on genre & mood, charts, new releases, etc.

The results

This app is the perfect solution for any gamer looking for a quick and easy way to find their next favorite game. The main components include:
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Home
‍The user can launch a 2-min quiz from the home page to find the perfect game, access trending searches, and view suggested titles based on his profile.
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Browse
‍This section allows the user to browse through clusters of games based on genre & mood, charts, new releases, etc.
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Game sheet
‍The detailed game sheet offers all the information the user needs to make their mind around a title. It provides a full description, curated reviews, live streams, and relevant articles.
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Favorites
‍Favorites give the user an easy way to access saved games, compare titles, and quickly share game sheets with friends.‍‍