The best way to increase revenue and the average time real users spend on gaming apps is by optimizing user experience. A poor user experience can prevent your game from ever reaching its true potential.
In this article, we’ll explore 7 best practices and ways you can optimize user experience in the digital gaming industry. With the increasing use of mobile devices and the ever-evolving landscape of technology, creating an exceptional user experience has become a top priority for game developers.
#7 will be a real game-changer!
Before we get into the list, it’s important to not that data-driven decisions is what’s going to make all of the difference. Keep track of user feedback, metrics, and user behavior to understand what is working well and where there is room for improvement. UI designers need analytics to create winning designs and we’ll showcase a solution in #7 that’ll help you get there.
1. Segmenting Your Target Audience
A users’ needs and expectations vary depending on their age, gender, preferences, and gaming habits. Knowing your target audience is crucial for creating an intuitive design that resonates with them.
Start by segmenting your audience into groups based on similar demographics and behavior patterns. This will give you valuable insights into what elements of the game they find enjoyable, what motivates them to keep playing, and any pain points they may experience.
With these user personas in mind, you can create tailored experiences that cater to the specific needs and desires of each group. For example, if an online MMORPG game has a large percentage of female users, it may be beneficial to incorporate more feminine skins or character customization options that represent your target audience’s preferences.
2. Color Schemes Designed For Human Psychology
Your game’s color scheme can make the difference between an enjoyable experience and a visually overwhelming one. Color psychology plays a significant role in user experience, as certain hues can evoke specific emotions and behaviors. It also often gives the first impression of your game, so don’t just open up a color palette generator and pick random colors.
Consider the emotion and story behind your game and choose colors that align with that theme. For example, if your game has a dark and mysterious tone, using deep purples and blues can enhance the atmosphere.
Bright flashes of red can signify danger or excitement, while warm yellows and oranges can create a feeling of warmth and happiness. Understanding how different colors can impact players’ emotions can help you create a more immersive and engaging gaming experience.
White space and contrast are also essential elements to consider when designing your game’s color scheme. Too many bright or clashing colors can be overwhelming for players, so using white space and contrasting tones can help balance out the visuals and make important information stand out.
Additionally, it’s essential to consider color blindness when designing your game.
Approximately 8% of men and 0.5% of women worldwide have some form of color blindness, making it crucial to choose colors that are easily distinguishable for all users. Having the option to adjust color settings or incorporating alternative color schemes can ensure inclusivity and a positive user experience for all players.
3. Find Pain Points and Address High Bounce Rates
Bounce rate refers to the percentage of users who leave a website or game after only viewing one page. This can be a key indicator of user frustration or lack of engagement. By analyzing bounce rates, game developers can identify pain points and make improvements to the overall experience. The reason why someone might leave a page can be as simple as slow loading times, confusing navigation, or lack of interest in the content.
To reduce bounce rates, it’s important to regularly review and analyze user behavior data. This can include user surveys, heat maps, and click-through rates. By understanding where users are dropping off or encountering issues, game developers can make targeted improvements to keep players engaged and invested in the game.
If there is a high bounce rate on the opening or introduction of a game, you need a stronger hook. In today’s age, attention spans are shorter than ever. Therefore, the beginning of a game needs to be engaging and captivating, drawing players in from the start. Simply tracking and knowing that there is a large drop off rate before players can even experience and try the first level or challenge can help with understanding the issue and making necessary changes.
4. Track User Journey
Similarly to analyzing bounce rates, tracking the user journey can provide valuable insights into how players are interacting with your game. This includes identifying which features or levels are most popular, where users spend the most time, and when they tend to drop off. Tracking user journeys can also ensure that users are towards the right direction.
This doesn’t have to be the final level of a game. If your goal is to monetize your products through in-app purchases, you want players to see and engage with those opportunities when they are most ready to spend money. Knowing where users are in the game can help you strategically place these opportunities for maximum impact.
If there is an unexpected drop-off or exit in a game at a random level or feature, this could indicate a specific issue that needs to be addressed. It can be a bug preventing the unlock of a door or just a confusing and hidden lever. As the game developer, you’d already know where and what to do in certain stages of the game but unless you track the user journey, you won’t know if your players can see or find these same things. Don’t assume, always track.
5. Usability Testing
This differs from tracking user journey as this method involves actual players or testers interacting with your game and providing feedback. Usability testing is essential for identifying any major issues or bugs that may hinder the overall experience for users. It can also provide valuable insights into the user interface (UI) design, difficulty levels, and overall enjoyment of the game.
This stage is typically done earlier before the game is fully developed or released, allowing for necessary changes and improvements to be made before a wider audience has access. Usability testing can also involve A/B testing, where two versions of a game are tested to determine which one performs better in terms of user engagement and satisfaction.
Game developers often employ a combination of tracking user journey and usability testing to ensure a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience for their users. By having direct feedback from hires along with data on user behavior, developers can make informed decisions to improve their game. But the process doesn’t end here.
6. Ensure Intuitive Navigation
There are certain frameworks and navigation common sense that has been embedded into our digital age. The close button at the top right corner. The left click as the selector. The right click as the menu. For users, these are basic expectations for any digital interaction.
In the same way, games also have certain standard controls and navigation methods that players expect to work in a particular way. For example, using arrow keys for movement or spacebar for jumping. As developers, it is important to ensure that these common controls are incorporated in a way that feels natural and intuitive for players.
Some games such as Flappy Bird or Angry Birds are great examples of intuitive navigation. The controls are simple, yet players can easily understand and use them to achieve their objectives in the game. Tap to make the bird fly higher. Pull the sling back to launch the bird. These intuitive controls are a big part of what makes these games so appealing and successful.
7. Using Analytics To Improve User Experience Design
Going forward with UX optimization with proper analytics is like trying to win a car race with your eyes closed. To improve user engagement and satisfaction, game developers need to constantly monitor the performance of their game using various analytics tools.
With analytics, developers can track various metrics such as user retention rate, time spent on the game, and average number of levels completed. These insights can help identify areas where users may be struggling or losing interest, allowing developers to make necessary improvements to enhance user experience.
At Helika, we’re known for our data-driven solutions. Our team of data analysts delivers actionable insights, empowering studios to refine and enhance their gameplay mechanics for a better player experience. Decisions that drive player engagement, boost retention, and maximize monetization should not be guess work as it could costs your game millions of users and revenue.
Working with Helika can improve conversion rates because your game will be based on data-driven insights. This means that the design of your game will be tailored to appeal to the target audience and their preferences, leading to a better overall user experience.
For example, you may be tracking your game on your mobile device but did you know that different screen sizes and device types can have a significant impact on user experience? With analytics, you can identify these issues and optimize your game for different devices to ensure a smooth and enjoyable gameplay experience for all users.
Rather than running countless tests on many different devices and screens, why not focus on actually building the game while we take care of the data for you? Increase user satisfaction and increase your pool of potential customers. We’ve worked with top UX designers from popular companies such as Maplestory, Ubisoft, Yuga Labs, Parallel and more to ensure that our approach is scientifically valid and industry-leading.
Final Thoughts
As a final note, user feedback can be the best source of information for improving your game’s user experience. Encourage players to provide feedback and frequently analyze it to make necessary changes. Remember, the ultimate goal is to create an enjoyable and seamless gaming experience that keeps users engaged and coming back for more.
By following these tips and constantly evaluating and updating your game’s user experience, you can achieve success in the competitive world of gaming. So, never stop striving to make your user experience the best it can be and keep your players hooked for the long haul. Contact us today and learn more about how we can help you optimize your user experience.
