How UI/UX can improve user engagement in Web3 Games.
As a senior UI/UX designer with different years of experience in the gaming industry, I have witnessed the evolution of game trends and the emergence of web3 games.
What web3 brought to the game (pun intended) is an exciting, although criticized, new frontier in the gaming industry: blending blockchain technology with immersive gameplay experiences.
While UI/UX design has always been a critical component of game development, designing interfaces and user flows for web3 games brings forth a new set of challenges that require careful consideration and innovative solutions.
I will share my personal experience and insights on the unique UI/UX challenges in improving user engagement in web3 games while working on the latest Mighty Bear Games web3 game: Mighty Action Heroes.
Navigating Complex Blockchain Mechanics
Web3 games incorporate blockchain, introducing complex mechanics such as wallet management, decentralized exchanges, and token ownership. We, as designers, must carefully consider how to present these concepts in a user-friendly manner.
Balancing simplicity with the need to educate players about blockchain intricacies poses a significant challenge, especially for not crypto native players. Designing intuitive interfaces that guide players through these mechanics is crucial, so we can avoid overwhelming them and ensure a smooth onboarding experience into our game.
Ensuring Security and Trust
Blockchain technology brings the promise of enhanced security and player ownership of in-game assets. However, UI/UX designers must address concerns related to security and instill trust in players. Creating secure and intuitive wallet management interfaces, implementing two-factor authentication, and providing transparent information about decentralized protocols are crucial elements.
Building a seamless and secure experience contributes to players’ confidence in the game and its underlying technology. We want players to enjoy their experience with our game, we are here together for the good times!
Optimizing for Multiple Platforms and Networks
If free-to-play games are mostly designed and played on mobile devices, web3 games are often played across various platforms, including desktops, mobile devices, and even virtual reality.
For UI/UX designers this means a rock-solid design system that seamlessly adapts to different screen sizes, input methods, and user contexts. Additionally, we need to consider the various blockchain networks and wallets used by our players, and this adds another layer of complexity to the whole design system.
For the above reasons, and because web3 games are fairly new, it’s important to collaborate closely with the whole team. Don’t isolate yourself in your own design balloon! Talk with the producers and the engineers. The producers will know best what the requirements for the project are, while the engineers will have to implement your design based on your mockups/user flow.
With Mighty Action Heroes and MightyNet, we share our design documents with the team via Figma to ensure that the user flow and layouts are consistent across platforms while accommodating the unique requirements of each.
Designing Intuitive Onboarding Experiences
Many people are weary of web3 games because they introduce complex mechanics, like decentralized protocols, and player-owned assets, which can be overwhelming for new players. As designers, and possible newbies in the web3 space ourselves, we have the responsibility to design intuitive onboarding experiences that guide players through these complexities.
In Mighty Action Heroes we approach the onboarding and learning of new terminology as is expected from any game: having clear tutorials, tooltips, and progressive disclosure techniques. This can help players understand the game mechanics and the significance of blockchain elements, ensuring a smooth and engaging onboarding process.
Seamlessly Integrating Blockchain Elements
One of the defining characteristics of Web3 games is the integration of blockchain elements, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs), in-game cryptocurrencies, and decentralized finance (DeFi) mechanisms.
Game and UX designers must carefully integrate these elements into the game interface to provide seamless experiences for players. Streamlining processes related to wallet management, transactions, and token ownership through intuitive interfaces enhances user engagement and fosters trust in the underlying technology. This would also make the players pleased, as the blockchain elements are deeply integrated into the gameplay of the project.
Social Interactions and Community Building
It is pretty well known that web3 games thrive on community engagement!
Designers have the opportunity to create interfaces that facilitate social interactions, such as match spectate mode, guild interfaces, and player collaboration features. These features encourage players to connect, collaborate, and compete with each other, fostering a sense of belonging and increasing overall engagement.
By designing intuitive and inclusive social features, we can promote a vibrant and active community within the game.
Speaking of a vibrant community, did you already join our Mighty Action Heroes community on Discord? If you still haven’t and you are curious to know more about the game or web3 in general, you can join us here!
And the bottom line is…
Things are moving fast in the ever-evolving world of web3 games, and sometimes, or most of the time, designing UI/UX for web3 games presents a unique set of challenges that require innovative thinking and adaptability.
I know, this can be challenging, or sometimes even frustrating for us designers, but don’t forget to be open-minded when it comes to learning about new technologies. Collaborate with team members to solve possible difficulties and in understanding complicated web3 concepts. This can help to overcome these challenges and create a fun and fulfilling web3 game experience for our players!
Thanks for sticking with me till the end!
Till next time, designers! Ciao!
