Game Start Screen
Responsibilities: Research / User Journey / Wireframing / UI / Prototyping / User Testing / Delivery for Dev
Worked closely with: Product Manager, Game Designers, Developers, Creative managers, Economy Manager, Business Analysis, Monetisation manager, and Art team.
Platform: Mobile (iOS/Android), Desktop and tablet.
About BINGO BLITZ: Bingo Blitz is a leading freemium casual game by Playtika. With over one million players, mostly women over 50 fromthe USA.
The Brief
The Game Start Screen is a critical interface that sets the tone for the player's experience before gameplay begins. The goal was to ensure that players can easily configure their game preferences, such as mode and card quantity, while clearly understanding the rewards they can earn.
My role
I led the refinement of the Game Start Screen to enhance usability and boost player engagement.
This included improving layout, interaction flow, and visual hierarchy to create a more intuitive and motivating experience.
I worked closely with the testing team to gather user insights, identify friction points, and validate design decisions through continuous iteration.
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Previous Level Start
Main Challenges
1. Driving Player's Action
Encourage players to select more cards and engage with higher modes to deepen gameplay. Support quick decision-making to maintain momentum and reduce drop-off.
2. Clear & Simple UX
Present all relevant information without overwhelming the player. Keep the interface clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate.
3. Future-Proof Components
Design flexible, modular components that can easily scale to support future features and content expansions.
An early sketch outlining key UI elements for selecting cards and viewing benefits.
Research
Market Research
To kick off the process, I conducted an in-depth review of game start screens from comparable titles.
This involved playing a variety of games and analyzing how each structured its entry flow, presented player options, and guided users through the setup experience.
In the examples shown below, I explored different UI elements and interaction patterns that could be adapted to better suit our game’s needs.
User Journey
User enters
the game
The user chooses a city to play a bingo round in.
The user selects a game mode and number of cards.
Available benefits adjust based on selected mode and card quantity.
The user confirms selections and presses the “Start Game” button.
Cancel — issue a refund to the user.
Display pre-round details: player count and countdown.
Round starts!
Testing
Following our research phase, our team identified two distinct approaches we wanted to test:
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Reward-Focused Interaction
A streamlined experience where users can enter a round with a single click. The content is presented along an X and Y axis, emphasizing rewards and key information.
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Mode Comparison for Informed Decision-Making
This approach encourages a more thoughtful choice by allowing users to compare different modes. Selecting a mode card reveals a minimized preview of the rewards, with the option to expand and view full details.
For both directions, I designed a layered information structure: users first encounter a simplified view, with the ability to access more detailed content as needed.
User Testing Setup
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31 players participated
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Evenly split: Half were level 10–50, half above level 50
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Two groups: Each experienced both prototypes in different orders
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Consistent tasks and preference questions were given to all participants
Approach 2
Approach 1
Test Result
Approach 2 was selected for further development.
Positive feedback included:
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Easier navigation
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Clearer mode comparison
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Visually appealing and less overwhelming
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The “closed” view was effective for presenting specific rewards
Areas for improvement:
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Some users mistook the Enter Round button for a reward
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Most did not expand the mode tile to view full details
These insights led us to iterate further with new sketches and additional research to refine the experience.
Two-stage view: Closed for quick scanning, Open for full details. Designed to reduce clutter while supporting deeper exploration.
Sketches
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Basic View
Default closed view of the lowest mode ("Classic") with minimal visual elements.
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Start Scrolling
The user begins navigating between modes, revealing additional options.
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End of Scroll – Visual Emphasis on Progressio
As users scroll through the modes, all reward piles gradually increase in size, culminating in the largest pile for the final mode, visually reinforcing its superior value.
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Expanded Mode Vie
Full details of the selected mode are displayed in an open, informative layout.
Live Event Highlight
A modified view showcasing a single reward to draw attention to a live in-game event.
Mode & Card Selected
The decision point is where players choose a mode and card before starting the round.
Final Mode Layout
Following further research and iteration, we chose a minimized view that emphasizes visual storytelling over specific numbers.
The expanded view reveals exact reward amounts for each type.
Both views now include a medal element, highlighting the unique rewards and live features available in that specific mode.
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Updated chest art
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Component Background
We designed a theme that ties into the game’s narrative: a leather wallet holding mode tickets, from which the player selects one to enter the bingo round.
The wallet includes a functional pocket, integrated into the UI to support interaction.
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A visual representation of the wallet holding selectable mode tickets, integrated into the game interface.
A screen showing the countdown timer before entering the round, emphasizing urgency and decision-making.
Half Tile Component
A new size of tile in the game. helps to reduce spacing, for a smaller amount of rewards.
Monetized Stage
We designed a stage to highlight live, marketable content, such as major tournament events, currently active in the game.
To maintain focus, all other content areas are displayed only in an expaned view, while the featured event is shown in a minimized format.
Tournament minimized and expanded view
Tournament minimize view
Tile Evolution
The change that we did through the process was understanding what would show a bigger difference between the modes, what would push the users, and make a bigger impact.
This project didn't touch only the mode components,
It touched the whole experience. From entering the Screen till getting inside the bingo round.
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First sketches
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Final outcome
Final Outcome
Key Takeaways
Performance & Impact
In testing, we observed a rise in gross sink, one of our key KPIs.
Additionally, the percentage of rounds started per room entry increased, indicating stronger user engagement.
We also noted a slight decrease in user progression, which we continue to monitor.
This screen is now live in the game, performing well and offering room for ongoing content updates.
Over time, we’re continuously refining it to enhance the user experience before entering a round.
My Process
This project taught me a lot, most importantly, the value of flexibility and not getting too attached to a single idea.
It required deep product thinking, balancing current needs with future planning, especially given the screen’s importance in the overall experience.
Current screen live in the game
New content in this current screen updates.