Over the summer of 2023, me and a team of 5 researchers wanted to
determining how to help improve the social equity and inclusivity of
the Riot Games playerbase community. This includes making cosmetics
more easily accessible to players that have limited access and trying
to uplift the community such that Riot Games is no longer synonymous
with toxic communities in their games.
Role
UX Researcher
Project
ENAiBLE x SURA
Timeline
Twelve Weeks
Tools
Figma, FigJam, Miro, Traditional tools, League of Legends
Overview
How can Riot Games enhance its features and cosmetic content to
create a more positive community environment while also addressing
broader industry challenges such as sustainability and data privacy?
We aim to gather feedback from the player community on the types of
features and cosmetic content they would like to see added or removed
in Riot Games. This will help us foster a more positive and less toxic
environment. By collaborating with Riot Games, we are committed to
delivering high-quality experiences while prioritizing the well-being
of both people and the planet. In today's retail and service
industries, companies face increasing demands to offer more
personalized, convenient, and value-driven products and services, all
while addressing global challenges like sustainability, data privacy,
and social and economic equity.
Why Games?
Coincidentally, everyone in my team enjoyed playing games, especially
games made by Riot Games. We all decided, as a joke, to do our
research on Riot, specifically on League of Legends and Valorant.
Unbeknownst to us, it would lead us to powerful insights and drive me
to learn more about the gaming community.
. . . And Why Cosmetic Skins?
Cosmetic skins server several important purposes, making them a
valuable addition to the gaming experience. This includes
self-expression, status and achievement, support for the game the
creators, and a sense of identity and engagement.
Our Research Hypothesis
Initially, our focus was solely on the cosmetic designs themselves.
However, after interviewing Riot Games players, we realized we could
expand our hypothesis by exploring how players could share their skins
with one another to enhance social equity within the player base.
After discussing our findings with our supporting professor, Raelin
Musucara, we identified a challenge: our skin-sharing system didn't
account for how Riot Games would generate profit from this
implementation. This posed a significant difficulty, as our goal was to
assist players who have limited time and financial resources. To address
this, we evolved our approach to include offering discounts, enabling
players to afford their own skins.
Reflecting on our research, it’s clear how much our ideas have evolved.
We shifted from focusing on individual player support through skins to
fostering a system where veteran players can assist novice players. Our
solution ultimately benefits both the community and Riot Games, creating
a positive and inclusive environment for all.
Background Research & Understanding Gamers
From gathering observational research (watching people play League of
Legends) and experimental research (playing League of Legends), we
created a board that started with just our initial thoughts. We then
clustered them into bigger and overarching ideas that summarized the
user experience well.
As a result of careful observation and experimentation from each of
us, we were able to create multiple clusters of different consumer
behaviors. This primarily revolve around their interactions with the
in-game service, weapon skins, and their relative performance based on
game and player interaction. By the end of the process, it was
generally true that skins affected the players’ performance and how
they interact with other parts of the game (teammates, enemy members,
others skins, etc), whether it improved or worsened their
game-experience. This was also generally true throughout varying
different skill levels of players.
The Gamer Persona
In this analysis, I explored the League of Legends player persona
within the Riot Games community, identifying key behavioral patterns
and user needs. Players consistently experience community toxicity,
yet they engage socially, valuing interactions and the shared
experience of gameplay. There is a strong desire for a more rewarding
game experience, particularly through improved aesthetics and a wider
variety of cosmetic options. Communication and positivity within the
community are also critical areas of focus.
However, distinct differences emerged among players. Casual players
tend to have lower investment levels and prioritize inclusivity, often
refusing to engage in toxic behavior, whereas others seek competitive
play and enjoy showcasing their achievements through cosmetics. The
perception of the Riot Games ecosystem also varies; while some players
feel represented and enjoy the competitive environment, others express
dissatisfaction and may consider discontinuing play.
Overall, this persona is heavily influenced by community dynamics,
cosmetic enhancements, and in-game interactions. The insights gained
highlight the need for Riot Games to address varying player
motivations and concerns, particularly around toxicity, communication,
and personal gratification, to enhance the overall user experience.
Customer Journey Mapping
After developing the gamer persona, I extended the research by
creating a customer journey map to gain deeper insights into the
player's experience within the Riot Games ecosystem. This mapping
process revealed several critical gaps in understanding how to foster
a more positive and less toxic community through cosmetic content. Key
questions emerged, such as how to bridge the gap between players with
differing resources (time and money), how to ensure mutual benefits
between these groups, and how Riot Games can simultaneously drive
revenue while promoting a positive community atmosphere.
To address these gaps, I proposed a comprehensive plan to gather
additional data. This includes designing surveys to capture player
preferences and behaviors related to cosmetic purchases, conducting
interviews with a diverse range of players—from newcomers to
veterans—and reaching out to industry insiders, including Riot Games
employees. The goal is to synthesize this data to inform strategies
that balance community satisfaction with business objectives, such as
the potential introduction of skin exchanges, satisfaction guarantees,
or community-driven events. These insights will be crucial in refining
the player experience and supporting the broader goals of Riot Games.
Storyboarding
We began by rapidly brainstorming a wide range of ideas for our
application prototype, exploring both practical and highly imaginative
concepts. This process allowed us to gain clarity on the direction we
should take with our prototype.
Next, each researcher developed two storyboards, resulting in ten total.
We then voted on the five most compelling storyboards to move forward
with. Based on these, we created low-fidelity prototypes for each
application and demonstrated their user flow.
Finally, as a group, we deliberated on which low-fidelity prototype to
advance with, ultimately selecting my prototype. The decision was
influenced by the incentives my design offered to both inexperienced and
experienced players, as well as its demonstrated potential for seamless
integration within League of Legends and other Riot Games titles.
With this final low-fidelity prototype, we created a list of notes for
improving this prototype and implementing it within our high-fidelity
prototype
Our Final Prototype
In assessing our prototype's realism, we focused on several key aspects:
Visual Realism: The prototype incorporates authentic screenshots
from League of Legends' queuing and matching screens. Our design aligns
visually with the game's style, enhancing its authenticity.
Interaction Realism: Although we used a Figma prototype to
simulate interactions, the experience isn't as refined as we would like
due to limitations in modifying the actual game.
Breadth: The prototype covers only the initial phase where
players queue up, excluding the gameplay itself. It focuses solely on
the character and role selection screens.
Depth: Users are limited by the Figma prototype's constraints, as
they can only interact with the selected characters and cannot
experience gameplay beyond the demonstration phase.
Content Realism: By utilizing actual gameplay screenshots, our
prototype immerses users in a familiar context, providing a realistic
sense of how our proposed features would integrate into the League of
Legends environment.
After this summer, I feel significantly more confident in applying a
human-centered design process. My previous experience laid the
foundation, but this research has deepened my understanding.
Collaborating with my team, Raelin, and our mentors provided valuable
insights into initiating and leading a successful research project. This
experience has reinforced my passion for pursuing a career in product
management, particularly in the gaming industry, where I am eager to
engage in more research and development.
