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User Onboarding What Video Games taught us about user Onboarding
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What video games taught us about user onboarding Game developers and designers have always been experts in User Onboarding and we didn’t even realize it! Developing a successful video game is much more than just software. Is about creating a process of onboarding so well-thought that will make users fall in love from the moment they sign up. The onboarding phase is indeed complex and time consuming but it’s the most important phase for a player of Video Games. If he doesn’t understand the goals or how you play it, the possibility of he actually playing it is very low. So what we can learn about User On-boarding from our experience in video games?
They allow to create an identity Like music, movies and paintings, Video Games, besides what many people might think, are a form of art. For that reason they in uence players in a level that we might think it’s impossible. They make you who you are, they re ect your ideals and behaviors. Since most of the games allow you to create your own pro le, character and choose your own way to do things, it makes your creativity grow in an outstanding way and allow you a great sense of freedom, since you can do whatever you want in that world. This may look inspiring but this is actually a great on-boarding strategy. To give users the possibility to create an identity and, in many cases, a character, is simply genius because it a ects the user psychologically. Just think, if you spend 2 or 3 hours creating a character you might as well try the game or all that work was a waste of time. Like in real life, usually when you put a bit of e ort into things you are more likely to enjoy it.
They guide users interactively One of the most important lessons we can take from Video Games is: you can only play by playing it. Game developers provide users the opportunity to practice basic movements in a rst experience. They can introduce it through a tutorial, where the user is guided step by step while playing a match, taking as example successful games like Overwatch, League of Legends and the mobile game Clash Royale. Some games introduce tutorials automatically when they recognize a rst time user, others just have this option available and is up to the user decide if he wants to take it. Another good strategy is to create a basic level that is perfectly designed for the player to try o control buttons and get to know the game, like the case of Super Mario Bros. To guide
interactively is an easy and e ective way to onboard new users because they are learning and having fun at the same time. (Click to tweet)
Once the player realizes what they need to do, it becomes their game. Shigeru Miyamoto
They motivate users through rewards Like in real life, everyone likes to be rewarded for what they do. What’s the point of doing something that doesn’t pay o ? What are my gains with this? The same happens when playing a video game, game developers need to remind users that they are not wasting their time, well at least right away. Introducing early win states means motivation, it makes users feel that they are doing well and, therefore, they should keep on going. “Wow I just got a new armor for completing this mission? Awesome! Let’s roll.” O ering a reward system is a great way of onboarding because users will want to come back and explore a little bit more.
They introduce scarcity and difficulty At this point of the onboarding phase, it’s no longer about making users understand your product but making them hooked. Creating a video game that is able to capture the user’s attention to the point they come back at it by instinct. To build the perfect onboarding strategy this aspect has to be well done. As human beings we are ambitious and like to put up a good ght, we don’t like easy things. For that reason, video games often introduce scarcity, this means, making the user feel that he needs to go further in the game to get something that isn’t available at the current level. The need to complete or need to do is one of the most powerful strategies of onboarding because it creates a sense of responsibility towards your app, the user will feel that he/she needs to get things done and complete every mission. Besides scarcity, video games introduce difficulty as it goes by and it’s obvious why it’s important. People will get tired of your game if everything seems too easy. Create some powerful and tricky bosses that will make users crazy when they lose 5 times in a row… As soon as they get it, they will be amazed.
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