Heroes Global Championship
Launch
Project Timeline
Summary
Role: Designer
- Coordinate qualitative surveys and moderated quantitative studies
- Wireframe, prototype, and visual design all pages
- Volunteered as Talent Manager for multiple BlizzCons for HGC production, gaining insights into how the esports program is run
Humble Beginnings
The first iteration of HGC site was a simple one-pager, announcing the league to the world. It was the first time professional Heroes teams and players received a salary to play the game, and was a big moment for Blizzard.
From “Must Haves” to “Delighters”
As the site expanded to support the major tournament, we started with basic features such as news and schedule. We then gradually added delighter features that improved the players’ experience and increased engagement. Below are some example features on the HGC site.
Match Details
Showcases detailed information such as drafts, picks, and builds of a single match. This allows the average player to access data on pro player matches, to potentially learn and get better at their own games.
Spoiler Controls
Through our research and observations, we found that some dedicated fans like to watch VODs (videos of past matches) when they miss a tournament, and want to enjoy the matches without spoilers. We added controls to give them the spoiler-free experience across the site, and it was surprisingly complicated. Multiple iterations were tested to get the correct visual and verbiage for the UI.
Watch Experience
One-stop-shop for watching live and past streams. Different variations of the page was test for desirability and usability.
The Larger Ecosystem
The HGC community was active and thriving, but it was still small compared to the whole population of Heroes players. How can we cross pollinate between the game and esports?
The team conducted surveys at BlizzCon, interviewed HGC fans, and had group ideation sessions.
Through additional interviews, we found that players like to watch top pros so they can improve their own gameplay. This drive to “get better” served as an inspiration for hero stats and hero pages. The happy path then becomes:
- Heroes player visits their favorite character’s page
- Player sees top esports pros who also plays this character
- Player discovers videos, tips and tricks from pro player (consuming esports content)
- Player goes into the game and tries new tricks themselves (increasing engagement)
Extracurricular Activities
While being an UX/UI Designer is my passion, I also loved esports and the communities built around competitive gaming. I worked as the HGC Talent Manager for all 4 BlizzCons where competitive Heroes was showcased. Putting on a live show for 20,000+ live attendees and millions of online viewers was no small feat, and I learned a lot about production, talent managing, and most importantly, what our players wanted. I got to experience the magical moments that transformed average players into fans, and it gave me empathy and new perspectives when designing for the players.
Conclusion
The HGC site was a success because we took the time to integrate with esports, understood business goals, and put effort into speaking with our players. Even though the league ended in 2019 and the sites are gone, the memories and learnings will stay with me forever.