What Video Games taught us about User Onboarding

Top photography by Robert Paul

Article by Priscila Correia

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. It’s 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.

Like music, movies and paintings, Video Games, besides what many people might think, are also a form of art. For that reason they influence players in a level that we might think it’s impossible… They make you who you are, they reflect your ideals, your behaviors.

Most of the games actually allow you to create a profile, character, and choose your own way to do things, giving a great sense of freedom as you can do whatever you want in that specific world.

This may look inspiring but this is actually a great onboarding strategy. To give users the possibility to create an identity and, in many cases, a character, affects 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 was a waste of time. Like in real life, usually when you put a bit of effort into things you are more likely to enjoy it.

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 first experience.

Like in real life, everyone likes to be rewarded for what they do. What’s the point of doing something that doesn’t pay off? 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 increases 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.” Offering a reward system is a great way of onboarding because users will want to come back and explore a little bit more.

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 fight, 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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