Client
GetMega
Role
UX Researcher, Brand Designer
The intro
<!-- Role -->
UX Research & Experience Strategy Lead
Led competitive research, behavioural analysis, and retention framework definition for a new skill-based gaming platform. Delivered foundational UX and engagement strategy to guide product direction prior to execution.
<!-- Objective -->
Define a differentiated experience and engagement strategy for a new skill-based gaming platform entering a saturated market dominated by reward-heavy competitors.
The goal was to establish a clear identity centered around skill, competition, and long-term engagement from day one.
Built the foundational retention and positioning strategy for a competitive skill-based gaming platform.
<!-- Key outcomes -->
Identified clear competitive differentiation opportunity
Defined skill-centric engagement hypothesis
Structured Hook Model-based retention framework
Delivered experience and positioning blueprint for product execution
<!-- Challenge -->
Entering a market dominated by established players with strong brand recall and aggressive reward messaging posed a differentiation challenge. The key risk was launching another visually similar, reward-driven platform that would struggle to stand out.
The challenge was to define a distinct positioning strategy that emphasized skill identity and sustainable engagement before product execution began.
The process
<!-- Analysing the competitive landscape -->
Analyzed publicly available gaming platforms such as MPL and WinZO to understand prevailing engagement patterns, onboarding flows, and messaging strategies.
Observed consistent patterns:
Heavy emphasis on monetary rewards
Visually dense, promotion-heavy interfaces
Short-term engagement triggers
This revealed a market opportunity to build a skill-centric platform rather than another transaction-focused gaming app.
<!-- Understanding the hyper-casual gamers in India -->
User research revealed:
Players sought validation of skill
Monetary reward was a motivator but not the sole driver
Long-term engagement required identity reinforcement
Repetitive reward loops led to fatigue
This reframed the product from a transactional app to a competitive platform.
<!-- Designing habit-forming experiences - framework-->
Since this was a new product, the Hook Model (Trigger → Action → Reward → Investment) was used to design engagement loops intentionally from the start.
Instead of relying solely on external triggers like monetary incentives, the framework helped structure:
Internal triggers (competition, pride, mastery)
Meaningful rewards (achievement, recognition)
Investment mechanisms (progression, ranking systems)
This ensured retention strategy was built into the foundation of the experience.
<!-- Customer journey-->
<!-- Solution -->
Defined a foundational UX and brand strategy centered around:
Skill-first positioning
Cleaner visual hierarchy for differentiation
Competitive identity reinforcement
Structured progression visibility
Balanced reward messaging
The deliverable was a strategic experience blueprint guiding future product design and development.
