Unlock the Power of Gaming:
Explore how launching a game database revolutionized Kotaku.com's revenue and engagement
Reading time:
4 minutes
view on Kotaku.com
Introduction
Kotaku, a leading gaming news platform, garners millions of weekly page views, rivaled by competitors like IGN, Polygon, PC Gamer, Gamespot, and Games Radar. Recognizing the need to enhance user experience, we leveraged a free gaming database API. Integrating vast game data into our editorial content, we offer users enriched analysis, guides, tips, and reviews, elevating the depth of our gaming news experience.
My Role
As the lead product designer for this project, I collaborated internally with a product manager, the VP of product, and the CTO throughout this project lifecycle.
I provided recurring design presentations/feedback sessions to the stakeholders which included the CEO and Editor in Chief of Kotaku.
Goals
BUSINESS GOALS
Strengthen the value proposition of the gaming media site
By adding a game database to the site we can garnish new sponsorship deals with game developers and promote sponsored content to bring in more revenue.
USER GOALS
Provide an in-depth reading experience for the user
The editors will be able to take advantage of the game database to provide more details and more engaging content for the reader.
Approach
Requirement Gathering
Convene with editors and sales teams to understand design needs. Generated ideas and developed preliminary drafts to stimulate discussion and obtain early feedback.
Competitive Analysis
By examining the industry through a user's lens, we gained valuable insights into expectations and identified areas for enhancing our user experience. This guided our ideation process and informed the selection of key features to include.
Design
Refine the layouts based on the feedback. Developed high-fidelity prototypes and showcased them to the editorial and sales teams once more. The sales division offered their perspectives on potential strategies to amplify the value of these pages, thus driving higher profits.
Approval
Showcase and illustrate this product's worth to the shareholders for endorsement. Utilizing the information garnered from sales, we secured authorization from the CEO and EIC of Kotaku to proceed with this product's development.
Final Designs
These are the final designs for the Kotaku game database product. Please note that some designs may have changed post-launch and sponsorships have changed.
GAME SPECIFIC PAGE
Here is a screenshot of a page for an individual game. This page provides users the core details of the game including: available platforms, game credits, and imagery. It also showcases editorial content related to the game for news, tips, guides, and reviews.
GAME HUB LANDING PAGE
The above screenshot is of the game database hub. This page provides users the ability to discover all the games available. Users can go to this page to learn about new releases and top games for each category, or watch trailers.
Impact
Boosted Revenue
Upon integrating a game database into our platform, Kotaku in collaboration with the sales team forged strategic partnerships with game developers, facilitating promotional opportunities and content placements across the site.
20% Reduction in Bounce Rate
This initiative not only broadened our network but also enhanced the user experience by curating relevant and engaging content. Provision of the database resulted in a notable decrease in bounce rates, particularly on game pages, compared to other sections of the site. Consequently, users spent more time exploring the site and clicking through to other Kotaku content, fostering deeper engagement and interaction.
Takeaway
The Kotaku game database project highlighted the importance of standing out in a competitive market. This led to lower bounce rates and increased user engagement, emphasizing the importance of innovation in delivering exceptional experiences.
Crucially, the team's proactive approach to communication with engineers proved instrumental in mitigating scope creep and preemptively addressing potential issues. By fostering a culture of transparency and collaboration, we were able to swiftly resolve challenges and ensure the project's success.