Creating a flexible metagame product to enhance player engagement
Project Summary
I led the UX strategy to introduce a flexible metagame solution that enhanced player engagement across a wide range of casino games. By designing a seamless widget overlay, we created new engagement opportunities without altering existing game interfaces, balancing the needs of players, developers, and operators.
Responsibilities
- UX Strategy and Design Leadership
- Cross-Functional Team Collaboration
- Design System Strategy
- Usability Testing and Iterative Design
Timeline & Team
Completed the initial design and proof of concept within a focused timeline, working closely with developers and the product team. The project later expanded to include in-house development after the acquisition of a third-party partner.
Results
The metagame widget was successfully implemented, with usability tests showing an 82% recognition rate and a 53% faster discovery time after introducing animation enhancements. The framework was further expanded, with new features rolling out across the network, including Free Rounds (2023) and cross-platform Jackpots (2024).
White Label Framework
METAGAME DESIGN
The business sought to tackle the complex challenge of developing a flexible metagame product that could enhance player engagement for over 3,000 games from 65+ game studios, without disrupting existing game UI or causing issues for 300+ casino operators worldwide. The goal was to provide a customized gaming experience while minimizing backend modifications.Wireframes by Eric Irving.
Role and Approach
As the UX Director, I developed the design strategy to address this challenge. Building upon a former proof of concept for regulatory compliance, I proposed the concept of a flexible widget that could seamlessly integrate metagames over existing game interfaces. I successfully pitched this idea to the VP of Development and the VP of Product—leveraging the support of the front-end developer who had already created a demo based on our designs.
Widget designs by Beth Disrud.
Working closely with my team and a small group of developers, we iteratively refined the concept of the widget and identified multiple metagame feature options. Additionally, we established a design system for styling the initial set of metagames. Through targeted online research (TOL), we discovered that the static widget lacked discoverability. In response, we introduced subtle animations, including a "pulse" and glow effect, to enhance visibility and engagement.Success Indicators
Following the implementation of the animation enhancements, we conducted usability testing and observed an 82% recognition rate among participants, with the metagame widget being located 53% faster compared to the static version. These results demonstrated a significant improvement in user engagement and discoverability, validating the effectiveness of our design decisions.
Research conducted by Nina St. Peter.
Long-Term Impact
Our early work on the metagames was proven viable in the market, but our 3rd party software partner was acquired by another organization. We have since brought full development in house and have expanded the project to work cross-platform with Jackpots rolling out in 2024. Our Free Rounds offering built on the same framework went live in 2023 and is successfully used across the network.Early free rounds concept by Nina St. Peter.
Free round designs by Nina St. Peter.
Success Indicators
METAGAME PRODUCT RESULTS
82%
Recognition rate after adding animations, enhancing widget visibility and engagement
53%
Faster discovery of the metagame widget compared to the static version, improving usability
3,000+ Games
Seamless integration for casino operators worldwide
Tournament designs by Eric Irving.
Conclusion
Our success with this product reinforced the importance of iterative design, user feedback, and collaboration in developing innovative solutions to complex problems. Additionally, it highlighted the value of adaptability and creativity in addressing evolving industry needs. The success and scalability of the framework has allowed the business to successfully roll out features and regulations alike to help our Operators drive player engagement and satisfaction, while remaining compliant in their market.