Digital Experience Designer
PlayStation Club
An exclusive peer centred video games streaming and discount games purchasing platform.
In this world, nothing can be certain except death, fun and our addiction to cheap plastics.
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We only have one planet so why are we hell-bent on self-destruction?
This isn’t a story about guilt, it’s not even a referendum on you or me. It’s about finding a way to have your fun whilst minimising your impact on your home - our planet.
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So, take a walk with me, as we try to discover a viable solution to sustainability.
I recently spent the best part of 2 months working in a multidisciplinary design team in which our goal was simple. Have fun but save humanity.
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We worked on a variation of industries ranging from Hospitality, Tourism,
Personal Development to Gaming.
My focus was the Video Gaming Industry (Gaming Industry), it's economic importance and enduring impact on the world and it's consumers (Gamers).
My Role
Lead UX/UI Designer
During the discovery phase, I conducted user interviews with 11 gamers unearthing insights which led to viable solutions fixing both the short and long term consequences of plastic consumption. The insights gained led to proto personas, user journey maps and user flows and more.
I developed wireframes and prototypes based on the initial research outcomes.
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This then culminated in user testing with 4 gamers, the development of a version 1 product and a plan for post-launch iterations in Ver 2.
Timeline
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4 Weeks
Tasks
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Research, Wireframing and Design
Goals
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Significantly reduce the volume of Bluray disc-based video game sales.
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Maintain and/or scale revenue of video game sales.
In this world, nothing can be certain except death, fun and our addiction to cheap plastics.
​
We only have one planet so why are we hell-bent on self-destruction?
This isn’t a story about guilt, it’s not even a referendum on you or me. It’s about finding a way to have your fun whilst minimising your impact on your home - our planet.
​
So, take a walk with me, as we try to discover a viable solution to sustainability for Gamers.
I recently spent the best part of 2 months working in a multidisciplinary design team in which our goal was simple. Have fun but save humanity.
​
We worked on a variation of industries ranging from Hospitality, Tourism,
Personal Development to Gaming.
My focus was the Video Gaming Industry (Gaming Industry), its economic importance and enduring impact on the environment as well as its consumers (Gamers).
Discovery - Industry Research
Assumption is not knowledge, at best, it's misinformation.
A picture may say a thousand words but numbers prove so much more.
You probably know the entertainment industry is big - Billions of US$ Big but if you’re "normal" - like me, I’m willing to bet we share(d) similar assumptions about the global entertainment industry.
Assumption 1
The global film/movie industry generates the biggest revenue in entertainment.
Assumption 2
The global entertainment industry has little impact on sustainability.
Assumption 3
Gaming is a niche industry with a very small set of customers.
Congratulations, you’re right on assumption 3 but missed the mark on 1 and 2.
In 2019, the following was true:
Do you now see how big this “small niche industry" actually is?
That’s just a tip of a massive iceberg. Here are my key Industry learnings.
US$55.65 Billion
35% of Gaming industry revenue comes from Console only gamers.
954.8 Million
Annual units of video games sold via Blu Ray Disc and plastic boxes.
285.2 Million
27% of video games are bought and experienced as digital-only.
*958 Million
Units of video games that end up in landfills and/or the ocean every 5 years.
In short, about 185 Million units of blu ray disc-based games end up in landfills and/or the ocean every single year.
But what do gamers actually think? Do they even care?
User Research - What!, You!? You’re a Gamer?
Now, I needed to gain deeper insights into who the Gamer was, what are his/her motivations, fears, desires and behaviours?
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I had doubts but was eager to understand what made them different from the rest of us mere mortals.
Are they really “geeks”?
My preconceptions were creeping out again. I've got to keep this in check.
In other to really understand the problem and verify my initial hypothesis, I interviewed 11 gamers across 4 time zones.
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In a broader sense, these covered gender, age ranges, cultural backgrounds and an array of careers.
I found myself asking many questions but most importantly;​
Who is the gamer?
Can we give gamers more sustainable access to the games they love?
Will gamers actually embrace a different mode of video game consumption?
Will I actually find a solution to this almost age-old existential problem?
So, let's take a look at what I found. These can get very granular but I’ll spare you a thesis.
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If you appreciate the value of a synopsis then…
Insights from User Interviews with 11 Console Gamers across 4 time zones.
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- One of my initial assumptions was that Gamers were predominantly male but user research showed a 40/60 split with female gamers more relaxed about the pricing of digital games and more concerned with online privacy.
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8 out of 11 gamers are loyal to the PlayStation console and it's ecosystem.
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9 out of 11 gamers were either partnered or married with children.
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1 gamer was married to a fellow gamer (I guess opposites do attract).
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7 gamers in the 1st world and 4 gamers live in 3rd world nations.
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9 out of 11 gamers toss there game packaging into storage.
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10 out of 11 gamers aren’t influenced by game packaging.
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7 out of 11 gamers would get their games digitally if the price was equal to Bluray disc-based games.
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10 out of 11 gamers never give their older games away.
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2 out of 11 gamers trade in Bluray disc games they’ve twice completed.
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7 out of 11 gamers buy both digital and physical games.
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3 gamers buy digital games only.
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1 gamer always resells a completed Bluray disc game on Gumtree, E-Bay and Facebook Marketplace.
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Only 3 gamers pay full price for a game they want.
Are you seeing a pattern here? I did - I’ve got the inside scoop but I’m willing to share.
Gamer Persona 1
“What am I going to do with the plastic box? I just want to play the best games as early as possible.”
Linda Milton
Mining Engineer | Married with a 3-year-old child
The hard core gamer
Who is she?
A 29-year-old Mining Engineer. She is tech-savvy and prides herself in her ability to engage with great stories. She values experiences over products.
What is her lifestyle?
Linda lives in Rooty Hill, West Sydney. She is married to a Chef who loves movies but doesn't play games.
She works between 40 to 50 hours a week and spends most of her free time and weekends playing video games on her PlayStation console.
On average, she spends about 10 hours per week playing Action-Adventure games. She buys between 5 to 10 video games every year.
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She is married and has a 3-year-old daughter.
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What are her concerns?
She feels she doesn't have enough time to play games and is frustrated by always having to wait 3 or more days for her pre-ordered games to be delivered.
Gamer Persona 1
"I have a big emotional high whenever I open up a new game package but after that, the box goes straight into storage".
Bayo Adelaide
English Teacher | Single
The casual gamer
Who is he?
A 49-year-old UK based gamer. He is driven by the need to learn new things and transfer knowledge to others. He loves meeting new people and is a skilled conversationalist.
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What is his lifestyle?
His free time is spent seeking out and engaging in new experiences. Character and stories are the most endearing things to him.
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He loves to read novels, watch tv series and plays multiplayer games when his friends are around. As someone who loves sports, his most frequently played game is FIFA20.
What are his concerns?
He always prioritizes discounted games and for him, price plays a big part in his video game purchases. He is constantly checking for pre-owned games on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree.
The Plastic Problem
The increasing number of discarded Bluray disc-based games is adding to plastic waste, landfills and ocean pollution.
When this waste becomes toxic, it inevitably finds its way into the vegetation and livestock. Consequently, they become poison to our bodies and endanger our wellbeing.
Gamers do not care about the game packaging, only the video games they play. Eco-friendly game packaging and digital games are usually 30% more expensive than Bluray disc-based games.
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Gamer's would love to buy more games but the higher cost of digital games is a ceiling they are unwilling to adopt regardless of the impact of plastic Bluray disc-based games on their environment.
Is it possible to find a solution which helps gamers experience more games with minimal impact on the environment and at a lower cost to them?
Finding a Solution
Gamer Insights
Leveraging the knowledge gained through user interviews with gamers, I was able to map out a treasure trove of needs, emotions, behaviours, desires and challenges they actually needed solutions for.
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My initial preconceptions had become completely irrelevant.
These insights became a torch to light my path.
The Gamers own words, feelings and experiences were pointing to the solution.
I just had to care and listen.
Minimum Viable Gaming?
A solution with features that matter
Sorting through the depth of data and insights I had amassed during research and user interviews, the most associated comments, emotions and needs helped me map out the feature essential to aid the development of a product that would meet the needs to the console gamer.
Feature mapping was done in collaboration with 3 of my teammates. Afterwards, I proceeded to build out first drafts of user flows which would eventually go through further iterations later in the user testing phase.
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- We'll talk about that and how it evolved the product later.
Some PlayStation facts
PlayStation is the console gaming market leader adopted by 71% of gamers. As of today, 110+ Million PlayStation consoles have been sold.
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PlayStation Plus
A 10-year-old subscription service with the primary benefit of letting gamers access online multiplayer features.
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There are presently 41.5 million Playstion Plus subscribers paying US$10 per month - Members get 2 (usually older) games for "FREE" every month and occasional discounts on some games.
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At its current peak platform generates about US$415 Million annually.
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PlayStation Now
A game streaming service costing US$10 per month with the primary benefit of streaming hundreds of classic games and a small selection of 1st party games.
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The service is limited in features, it is limited to North America and Europe.
continue to spend the same dollar amount while getting a much better value.
The Solution - PlayStation Club
Good for Business?
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At a premium price point of US$30 per month, if just 40% of existing gamers on Playstation Network adopted the Playstion Club app, PlayStation would generate an income of $498,000,000 annually.
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With Playstation Club member-specific discounts on game purchases, the company may well surpass its present income projections as Gamers buy more games - more frequently.
Good for Gamers?
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Gamers already spend an average of US$300 on physical games annually. With an affordable subscription and discount incentivised platform, they will continue to spend the same dollar amount while getting a much better value.
Initial Product Wireframes
There are no new ideas. No novel solutions. Only the ability to learn from the past, understand present bottlenecks and adapt.
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Once the key gamer needs, motivations and desires were understood, designing a product was a quick breeze.
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I tend to favour the crazy 8's technique of ideation and this is also what I used to find a solution. At the end of the day, parts of 3 sperate ideas were fused together to solve the problem.
My initial wireframes focused on showcasing the entire gamer journey from the moment when exclusive email invites are received to a series of onboarding cards and then experience with the actual product.
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No usability testing was done at this stage but peer review with the design team was critical in converging my thinking before hi-fidelity wireframes.
Big parts of the journey would eventually change after the first and second rounds of usability testing.
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In particular, gamers showed frustration at the number of onboarding cards. I had ignored the one thing gamers wanted above all else.
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They just want to play their games.
Testing the Solution
Gamer Feedback was critical. The advantage of using a high fidelity prototype was evident as 5 separate gamers took to the experience like ducks to water.
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Onboarding cards were summarised into a single card but with 2 buttons nudging gamers to "invite friends" or "go into the PlayStation Club."
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3 out of 5 gamers instinctively chose the 2nd option. They just want to play.
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The shape, colour and wording of key buttons were also tweaked based on gamer feedback.
"How soon can I start using the final product"
"Why aren't there any game reviews from friends in my network?"
"With these discounts! I'd definitely be buying more games, now"
No solution is ever perfect. Much of the feedback received showed blindspots and highlighted features that will be implemented in Ver. 2
Is a product ever really final?
Following the initial rounds of testing, I found myself constantly tweaking and carrying out quality checks.
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There's always the temptation to take all user feedback and implement changes immediately. Some iterations just need more time.
In any case, the project demanded an agile approach.
Now, let's see how well PlayStation Club is adopted at launch.
A 4-minute video of the in-app experience.
Conclusion
I went into this project seeking to solve a plastic pollution problem and its connection to the Gaming.
I found myself constantly challenged by the tyranny of choice, the fluidity of information, the need to deliver a solution that makes gamers happy and also make game developers rich(er).
My journey through finding a solution for Gamers ended up teaching me a lot about people. It helped me understand a lot more about you. Yes, you!
You both have these in common - dreams, fears, needs and time.
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After all, “Gamers are people too”.