Destiny

Project Overview

Objective

Bungie challenged my team at AKQA with building a best in class responsive launch website to showcase their up and coming live-service game, Destiny - a completely new IP from the legendary creators of HALO. This live service game had a 10 year runway, and all-new styles of play in a setting spanning the entire solar system. Our goal was to feature the new gameplay formats and express the expansiveness of the open world setting.

Problem Definition

User Needs

We wanted players to get extremely hyped for this new style of game. Inviting users to explore and learn about the world is the core need.

Business Goals

Engagement and awareness were the primary goals, with retail conversions as a secondary, since many players would be buying the game on their consoles.

Design Challenge

Depict the scale of this universe while also featuring the new gameplay experiences available in a game that is both PvP and PvE.

Research and Discovery

Research Goals

Our goal was to audit the competitive landscape of other launch websites and deliver something more compelling and exciting

Methods

Competitive Audit of the game launch website landscape. Research on game lore, universe, and gameplay.

Key Insights

A game with an entirely new style of play (PvE + PvP + Raids in an open world) deserves a new information architecture. We structured the content of this site differently than more traditional game sites, with a goal of showcasing the expansive world, the diverse range of enemies, the new player classes, and gameplay styles all with easy browsability.

Information Architecture

Sitemap

We wanted to display an architecture in a unique way, displaying click density. This sitemap shows how many clicks away content is from the main landing page.

Ideation and Concept Development

Brainstorming

We followed traditional concepting practices for this project. We worked in teams depicting the creative concept that would lead the web execution. The result was a concept that represented the Solar System - with navigation structures that were similar to the motions of planets.

Design and Iteration

Wireframes

After creating the sitemap and core user jouirneys, I began wireframing the site with an emphasis on our creative concept. Note the gallery carousel with a planet themed pagination UI.

User Testing

User testing was primarily internal with design reviews from the team to validate interactions. Final validation came from the Bungie team. We went up to Seattle to present the wires and comps in person.

Visuals

One cool technique we were able to utilze for this project was partnering with the development team in studio. We were able to sit with the game developers and compose shots with the game engine's camera. All the visual assets were shot in game - adding to the quality of the presentation.

Results and Impact

Launch

The website and game launch was highly successful with many units sold and high praise online for the website. The CMO of Activision described it as the “Most Beautiful website he has ever seen”.

User Feedback

Fans on twitter gave us high praise for the sleek immersive nature of the website.

Business Impact

Bungie thanked us personally for the fantastic website design. Destiny has gone on to be an extremely successful video game franchise that has lasted as a live service game for the past 10 years.