Call of Duty Online

 

Call of Duty Online: Adapting UI/UX for the Chinese Market

 

Organisational Challenges

Call of Duty Online presented a unique challenge due to its position as a free-to-play game tailored for the Chinese market, with several gameplay modes and monetization systems that needed to resonate with local players. While it maintained elements from the larger Call of Duty franchise, Raven Studios was struggling to adapt its design approach to meet the expectations and preferences of the Chinese audience. The Western-focused user interface (UI) and experience (UX) weren't translating well into the market, necessitating a localized approach for success.

Additionally, the game’s monetization model included in-game purchases and rentals for cosmetic items, which required careful navigation of the cultural and market-specific nuances. My team was tasked with working closely with Tencent, Activision’s Chinese partner, to understand local preferences and ultimately ensure that the UI would be intuitive, engaging, and culturally relevant to Chinese players.

 

Initiatives & Approach

My UI team, renowned for being the best within Activision, took a research-driven approach to solving these challenges:

1. Market Research:
   • We researched websites and games popular in China to understand the region’s unique gaming culture.
   • We focused on the design and functionality of local websites and games, identifying what made them successful and adapting those insights to our own designs.
   • This helped us recognize that the Western UI approach wouldn’t be effective in China, where preferences for simplicity, iconography, and interactive elements were quite different.
2. Close Collaboration with Tencent:
   • I worked closely with Tencent executives, understanding their perspective and receiving regular feedback to refine our designs.
   • We established an iterative process, where my team would produce wireframes and user journeys, which we could quickly update based on feedback from Tencent.
   • This collaborative process gained us Tencent’s trust and allowed us to design localized solutions that would speak to Chinese gamers.
3. UI/UX Design & Localisation:
   • We created wireframes and user journeys tailored to the specific needs of Chinese players, taking into account local preferences for gameplay flow, navigation, and monetization pathways.
   • We provided creative direction for the game’s visual style, ensuring that it matched the aesthetic preferences of Chinese players while retaining the iconic elements of Call of Duty.
   • The design work included the creation of iconography, awards, and game imagery that were culturally relevant and engaging.
   • The UI and UX of the game’s screens were completely redesigned to be more intuitive, with a stronger focus on user engagement and ease of use.
4. Focus on Local Preferences:
   • Understanding that simplicity and clarity were highly valued, we ensured the UI was less cluttered than its Western counterpart, with clear visual hierarchy and easy-to-understand iconography.
   • The game’s cosmetic purchase options were designed to align with local trends, integrating a reward system and easy-to-navigate shopping interfaces that appealed to Chinese players' preferences for customization and status symbols.

  

Outcome & Results

• Successful Localization: By closely working with Tencent and gaining a deep understanding of the Chinese market, we successfully localized the game’s UI/UX for Chinese players, ensuring it resonated with local preferences.
• Increased Engagement: The updated UI/UX design led to increased player engagement, as the game became more intuitive and culturally aligned with Chinese gamers’ habits and expectations.
• Trust from Tencent: Our iterative design process and ability to quickly adapt based on feedback from Tencent helped build trust with the Chinese market, ensuring the game’s continued success.
• UI/UX across Multiple Platforms: The collaboration allowed us to shape not only the mobile experience but also the PC version of the game, providing a consistent experience across all platforms.

In conclusion, the Call of Duty Online UI redesign for the Chinese market was a significant success, largely due to the team’s ability to understand local market preferences and work closely with Tencent. This approach ensured that the game delivered a more engaging and culturally appropriate experience for its Chinese audience, ultimately contributing to its success in the region.