Put users into a [different] World

I’ve been obsessed with a question lately: Why do games capture attention for hours while most mobile apps struggle to hold it for minutes?

Most good games put you in the flow state, they disconnect you from your reality and put you into a different world. Every good game does it. Minecraft. Fortnite. CoD. Even simple games like Tetris or Candy Crush.

Games don’t remind you that you’re using software. They make you forget it.

Now think about most digital products. They don’t create worlds. They create interfaces. Yes, email clients do not have to do it. I don’t need my calculator app to transport me to Calculator Land. But wouldn’t it be powerful if using a banking app made you feel the same trust and confidence as walking into a Morgan Chase Bank in Manhattan, with its soaring ceilings and attentive staff?

Most consumer apps would benefit in a major way if they utilized some of the worldbuilding elements of games. Retention is the holy grail of consumer apps. And I think there’s a lot to learn from games in this vector. According to industry data, the average app loses 77% of its daily active users within the first 3 days after installation. By day 30, it’s 90%. Meanwhile, the best games keep 25–40% of users after a month.

Apps that create worlds

Let’s take a look into products that do this well:

• Creative tools like Figma, Notion, and Midjourney can induce flow states where the interface fades away and you’re just… creating. The reward cycle is immediate — make a change, see the result. This instant feedback loop creates the same dopamine hit that games provide when you level up or unlock an achievement. The best creative tools make you forget you’re using software.
• Social media feeds create a world of endless content where you’re constantly attacked with fast dopamine hits. They hook us but often lack the sense of progression that more complete digital worlds provide.
• Sport apps like Peloton and Strava don’t just track workouts — they create communities, narratives, and challenges that make exercise feel like an adventure or game.

But these examples are rare exceptions. Most apps don’t think about interfaces in this way. If you are building a consumer product, you should.

Elements of Digital World Building

What makes a digital world that users don’t want to leave?

- Visual Immersion

Visual design is important. Design every screen and interaction to maintain the same aesthetic and personality. For apps, this means going beyond just consistent color schemes. Visual design must support the emotional experience you want your users to have. A focus and productivity app creates a sense of calm and clarity. A personal finance app conveys trust and professionalism. A learning app supports your journey in an inspiring and rewarding way. Headspace is a great example with its consistent, friendly animations and cohesive visual language that creates a sense of calmness and ease.

- Sensory-Rich Feedback

Think beyond visual feedback. Create multi-sensory responses — sounds that confirm actions, haptics that reward completion, animations that celebrate achievement. These micro-moments of delight create emotional memory. Apple Pay combines animations, sounds, and haptic feedback to make the payment experience more physical and realistic.

- Progressive Discovery

Games introduce mechanics gradually. Do not overwhelm users with features. Guide them. Open up features when the user needs them. Keep it simple and clear at first. Figma allows users to create basic shapes right away — it’s pretty easy, everyone can do it. But once a user masters the tool, they discover sophisticated features (components, auto-layout, masks, variables) that enhance their creative process.

- Identity and Agency

In games, the user is an active participant. The user creates their own story. User choices matter. Whether it’s a post that thousands of people see, a custom profile, or rewards that they can share, you should strive to make users feel like creators and owners. Pinterest users build boards that become expressions of identity and vision.

- Coherent Rules

Every world should have its logic. Your app world needs it too. Actions should lead to predictable consequences. A set of consistent rules that govern how everything works is very important. Todoist uses a consistent karma system where completing tasks earns points in predictable ways.

- Emotional Connection

The best worlds make users feel something. These emotions are what bring users back. The frustration of a difficult level makes the eventual victory sweeter. Shared experiences of overcoming challenges help create bonds between users. BeReal generates authentic connections using a simultaneous photo-taking feature that creates shared moments.

Consumer apps can learn a lot from games without becoming games themselves. Product builders should adopt the psychological principles and rules that make games so engaging.

When designing a product, think about how you’d like the user to feel and the world you’d like the user to enter. Create experiences that respect users’ time and attention by making that time more meaningful and enjoyable.

Even the most utilitarian apps can benefit from considering the emotional journey of their users. The most successful apps of tomorrow won’t just solve problems — they’ll create worlds that users want to return to again and again.

I like to end my writing pieces with some of relative design work from supermega.design