It is not the characters or the plot in the game that lose players; it is bad UX when it comes to game design. Many focus on storytelling or world-building aspects, but what makes a game stand out above the rest is the user experience. Just like opinions, everyone’s process of UX is different. So, what makes a good UX design?
First Impressions Matter
UX is not just about making designs look pretty; although it should look good, it has to be user-friendly. According to a study by Unity Technologies, it found that 45 percent of gamers on mobile phones uninstalled a new game within 24 hours. About 25 percent reported confusing user interfaces and poor onboarding as reasons to ditch the games.
That means before most gamers get even past the main screen, almost half of them could disappear just because a menu irritated them instead of creating excitement. These are times when people have much shorter attention spans, and even 10 seconds can cause the loss of a user. Real designers solve problems first and then make it pretty.
No Excuses for Mobile and Indie Games
Mobile phones and Indie games are guilty of having poor quality UX designs, not just your high-budget, high-profile video games. Often, they rely too much on tooltips to describe features and use basic menu templates. Top-notch UX should be prioritized for small studios and not seen as an extravagance.
The first sign of friction has lost countless gamers despite the game having amazing art and mechanics. One industry that gets this UX design and engagement right is online casinos. For example, many of the online casinos listed by Escapist Magazine prioritize mobile-friendly interfaces. This allows a player to easily navigate the sites or apps from the initial deposit, to playing casino games, whether it be it be RNG-based slots or a live dealer poker game, to the withdrawal process. Game developers should ensure that cross-platform compatibility is essential to engaging and retaining gamers.
Making it Complex Costs
Many developers mistakenly believe that complexity inherently makes something sophisticated, which is not the case. An average player can get overwhelmed with a menu with too many tabs and layers of customization options. Depth is necessary, but it should not make a game hard to use. This is specifically true for strategy, simulation, and RPG, where depth is vital, but not at the cost of usability.
Games with simple, well-organized menus have up to 30 percent more players who finish their tutorial, according to the Game UX Summit. They also reported that the players who did complete the tutorials were four times more likely to return the next day.
The Hidden Cost of a Poor Menu
Gamers get worn down by poor menus, and many developers fail to see this. An example of this was from the popular game The Witcher 3, where players spent an average of 18 percent of their gaming time in menus. Luckily for them, they had some loyal fans, but the not-so-loyal dropped out early. Many claimed that poor quality UX led to only 53 percent of players who started the game actually finishing it.
A Menu Must Not Compete but Serve
Games like Hades and Dead Cells are often praised for integrating upgrades, stats, and inventory management by the gaming industry. They’ve perfected the idea that players spend more time playing their games than navigating menus, which is the objective. Many cannot afford to drop the ball, as there has been a vast increase in studio foreclosures.
The Difference Between UI and UX
Players, unfortunately, are being ignored, as many studios are making a significant mistake by focusing solely on UI aesthetics. An attractive interface means nothing if it does not serve its purpose. The difference is that UI is all about what it looks like, and UX is how it works. There needs to be a fine balance between them.
The Psychological Effects of Choice Overload
Psychologists who have been studying the effects of human-to-computer interaction have been warning for years about the damaging effects of too many choices. Instead of mentally having a sense of freedom, it creates an inner jail. Many new players are overwhelmed by menus that have so many functions all at once.
According to the latest statistics, Epic Games, after simplifying its battle pass interface, had a 14 percent increase in sales for Season 6 of Fortnite and Apex Legends. This was after they religiously cut back on clutter and pushed their players more toward engagement. This proves that UX can make a significant impact financially.
User-friendliness Is Not an Option
If you don’t make your game easy to navigate, your players won’t stay long enough to get hooked. Making a game user-friendly increases the likelihood that more players will enjoy it.
In today’s world, there’s no excuse for making menus inaccessible. The text must be readable, and fonts should be correctly sized. Going through menus using a keyboard or controller should be a smooth experience without any hiccups..
Test and Test Again
The saying that proper planning prevents poor performance is especially true when it comes to UX. The menu should be tweaked and refined throughout the development process. Testing should be incorporated during the early stages of the menus. Look at where players get stuck, look for areas where players leave the game, and fix them.
A Nielsen study found that an average of 28 percent of players were conserved when at least three rounds of UX testing were done during the developmental phase. A good UX team will be more likely to make the right design choices, and these choices are not a bonus; they are a lifeline for games.
