PeakCade is a next-generation digital ecosystem designed to unify the physical arcade experience with a seamless, engagement-driven mobile application.
The Mission: To eliminate friction in user onboarding and create a "social-first" gaming environment that rewards long-term loyalty.
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My Role: As the lead UX Designer, I oversaw the project from initial concept and journey mapping to high-fidelity prototyping and interactive testing.
"How might we bridge the gap between physical arcade entertainment and digital user engagement?"
Despite the high energy of physical gaming spaces, the digital connection often ends the moment a player leaves the building. PeakCade was born from the need to create a continuous, 15-step ecosystem that guides users from their initial discovery to long-term loyalty. The challenge was to design a mobile experience that felt as fast-paced and rewarding as the games themselves, without overwhelming the user with complex navigation.
Journey Map:
I developed a comprehensive 15-step User Journey Map to visualize the end-to-end experience, from a user's first "Discovery" of the app to their final "Return Visit."
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Key Insight: By mapping every emotional high and low point, I identified critical drop-off risks during the mid-journey achievement phase.
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Outcome: This map served as the blueprint for all functional requirements, ensuring every design decision aligned with the user’s goals.
App Navigation (Flow Chart)
To translate the journey into a functional app, I created a logic-driven Navigation Flow Chart.
Structured Hierarchy: This chart outlines the primary, secondary, and tertiary navigation paths, ensuring that the 15-step journey remains intuitive and never more than three taps away.
User Flow: I prioritized a "Hub-and-Spoke" architecture, making the Homepage the central anchor for all gaming and social features.
Homepage Wireframe Iterations
I conducted multiple Wireframe Iterations for the homepage to experiment with content density and visual hierarchy.​​
​Design Evolution: Early versions focused on feature breadth, while later iterations moved toward a cleaner, card-based layout to reduce cognitive load.
​Rapid Ideation: These low-stakes sketches allowed for quick stakeholder feedback before a single pixel was polished.
Low-Fidelity Figma Framework
Using Figma, I built a Low-Fidelity Prototype Framework to test the core functionality and button placements.​​
Purpose: This stage was critical for verifying that the "15-step flow" felt natural in a digital environment without the distraction of colors or images.
Testing Grounds: I utilized this framework to perform initial "hallway" usability tests, refining the touch-target sizes for a faster, arcade-style feel.
The Homepage Evolution
A visual growth showcasing the Visual Refinement Pipeline, tracking the Homepage from a skeleton wireframe to a polished, high-fidelity interface.
Iterative Polishing:
Phase 1: Layout and Structure (Wireframe).
Phase 2: Spacing and Typography (Lo-Fi).
Phase 3: Brand Identity and Visual Polish (Hi-Fi).
Result:
A cohesive design that retains the structural integrity of the initial research while delivering a modern, high-energy gaming aesthetic.
High-Fidelity Prototype
Visual Identity: These screens represent the final aesthetic of PeakCade, utilizing a high-energy color palette and modern typography designed to mirror the excitement of a physical arcade.
The Welcome Page:
Designed for immediate impact, the welcome screen uses a "clear-action" hierarchy to funnel new users into the 15-step journey without hesitation.
The Loading Page:
Rather than a static screen, the loading state is an intentional part of the UX, maintaining brand engagement while the app fetches real-time gaming data.
The Homepage:
As the central hub, the homepage balances complex data, such as rewards, active games, and social notifications, within a clean, card-based interface that prevents cognitive overload.
LOGOS
The Integrated QR Emblem
Functional Branding: This emblem integrates a functional QR code directly into the logo, serving as a literal bridge between the physical arcade space and the digital PeakCade app.
Thematic Icons: By incorporating a stylized arcade cabinet and retro "invader" pixel art, the logo communicates the app's core purpose, gaming, without needing additional text.
Glow Effect: The neon glow and gradient borders simulate the LED lighting found in physical gaming hubs, creating a cohesive visual link for the user as they move through the 15-step journey.
UX Purpose: This version is intended for physical touchpoints, such as arcade machine decals or marketing posters, where users can scan the emblem to enter the app's ecosystem instantly.
