The impact of user experience design on online gaming makes for a fascinating study. The modern-day digital arena is a bustling hub of activity. Given the widespread popularity of online gaming, this market is projected to grow substantially in the coming years. A large contingent of players, developers, and stakeholders actively engage in this industry.
To date, the online gaming industry is a multibillion-dollar-a-year juggernaut. Year-on-year growth forecasts are expected to shatter the ceiling, with strong GGR (gross gaming revenue) returns. Investors, eager to cash in, are scrambling to establish themselves as key players in a highly competitive industry.
Foremost among the drivers of success is game UX – the user experience. The user experience design as it pertains to online gaming is critical. UX designers love with a do, and rightly so. It’s all about innovative change, out-of-the-box thinking, and brilliant concepts.
The overarching online gaming experience, whether social, video, or strategy games, is less focused on the actual gameplay and more on navigation, menu items, and controls. In other words, the user experience is such that it ensures a seamless, shareable, and sublime online gaming experience.
The Zynga Games User Experience Case Study
Take Zynga Games as a case in point. This star-studded online gaming portal is geared towards quick and easy gaming, with interactive elements, immersive audiovisuals, and easy-to-install mobile apps.
The user experience – UX – is sleek, stylish, and action-oriented. With a Vegas-esque look and feel, players are treated to a tour de force in exceptional gameplay, from the comforts of home or on the go.
The UX designers spared no expense in delivering on expectations.
Quick click ‘CLAIM GIFT!’ and ‘PLAY NOW’ buttons reinforce this social gaming platform’s easy-to-play nature and inspire up-and-coming designers, developers, and game experts.
Zynga takes it a step further with a carousel of the latest guides, encompassing useful topics like How to Play Poker ★ How to Play Omaha Poker – The Beginners Guide ★ Want to Know More About Poker Hands? Zynga Poker Has You Covered ★ Bankroll Boosters: 7 Zynga Poker Secrets to Play Better, and more.
Of course, the UX is fashioned around the player, allowing for a comfortable, relaxed, and upscale gaming experience.
UX goes beyond the aesthetics; it’s also about onboarding new players. Hence, the guides and on-screen elements. Viewed in perspective, the user experience dramatically impacts online gaming engagement and broad adoption. It’s also a fantastic barometer of a gaming platform’s ability to resonate with fans.
There are notable differences between a game UX designer and a game designer. A game UX designer is solely responsible for the settings, menus, onboarding, and interface overlays. These are critical components of the online gaming experience. A game designer, by contrast, creates the actual game.
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They use a combination of two-dimensional and three-dimensional tools to fashion the interactive gaming experience for players. There are visual effects, audio-visual elements, and many design components to consider. There are areas of potential overlap, but it’s noteworthy that game UX designers are not in the business of simplifying tasks and actions.
Essentially, user experience principles vis-a-vis games are predicated on the following notions:
- Low error rates
- Efficiency for all users
- Easy to learn games
- Games and UIs must satisfy players – utility value
More About the User Experience Design on Online Gaming
It’s equally important to learn about players. This is done through authentic online gaming testing. The user experience keeps players invested in the action for as long as possible. Therefore, UX is sacrosanct. The game designers have a vision that they wish to share with the audience. That needs to translate from ideation to creation.
Whether it’s videogames or social games, strategy games or other games, the raison d’être is this a. The user experience bridges the divide between the player and the design. Remember, players want to immerse themselves in a brand-new world where the confines of reality no longer apply. In gaming, there are rules where the laws of nature simply disappear.
In strategy-based games, it’s possible to instantly teleport oneself into a high-class milieu, seated at a lavishly adorned table with skilled competitors in the mix. Players want and crave these elements from their gaming pursuits. All this must be considered by the UX designer.
Naturally, passion is at the core of an outstanding user experience. UX design encompasses a broad range of elements including camera angles, song and dance, colors, and animation. Often, it’s an eclectic combination of structured methodologies, tech-savvy, and loads of creativity to bring it all to life!
