It’s called Call of Duty HQ and aims to house years worth of Call of Duty content all in one place. Going forward, Call of Duty will have a central hub where players can access Modern Warfare II, Warzone, Modern Warfare III and future Call of Duty content all in one place. But many users seriously complain about Call of Duty HQ. Let’s start exploring as a UX Researcher.

Steps

Summary of the research

In the gaming world, I, a devoted UX researcher, sought to enhance the user experience of launching Call of Duty games. I focused on simplifying game launches, analyzing user reviews, and addressing challenges like in-game ads and UI intricacies.

Crafting a research plan, I led a diverse fellowship through surveys, interviews, and usability testing. Insights revealed challenges such as difficult game launches and the desire for simplicity.

Assuming the role of a sage, I proposed solutions—simplified game launches, revamped UI/UX, strategic ads, and streamlined menus. Refining these ideas, a prototype emerged, earning positive feedback.

As the gaming community embraced changes, the once-daunting path of launching Call of Duty games transformed. I, having conquered challenges, left an indelible mark on the gaming realm, proving that understanding the user is the key to a legendary user experience.

Propose and Test Solutions

Prototype Link (Figma)

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Details of Research

🎯 1. Define the Research Objectives:

• Analyzing user difficulties launching MWIII (or others) through COD HQ and exploring simpler game launch options for users who only want to play one game.
• Studying user reviews and experiences with COD HQ to assess user comfort and compliance with user expectations.
• Investigating the impact of in-game ads and promotions on user experience and identifying potential strategies to optimize them.
• Investigating a lot of user feedback for a simplified menu and navigation system.
• Examining the impact of load times, updates, and restarts on the user experience and how these factors impact user satisfaction and retention.
• International user experience review, assessing how the UI and navigation resonates with users in different regions and languages.
• Propose and test solutions based on research findings to improve user experience. Iterating the UI design and game launch process to create a more convenient and efficient interface.

📊 2. Competitive Analysis:

Competitive Analysis: Battlelog — Battlefield, one of EA Games’ famous games, consists of several series. Battlefield 3 made a big splash when it was released in 2011. When you want to play the game in multiplayer, you go to the battlelog site, select a server and game mode, and play. Unlike other games, the map and other mods were not selected from within the game. Then Battlefield HardLine and Battlefield 4 came out, and when you want to play these games as a multiplayer, the same thing happened again through the battlelog. But with the release of Battlefield 1 in 2016, multiplayers were no longer played through battlelog. Like many games, it was played by accessing the multiplayer section within the game.

Social Club —All RockstarGames games are hosted on the Social Club platform. Here you select the game you want and play it. In addition, promotions in games are also displayed on the home page of the same Social Club.

📝 3. Create a Research Plan:

Objectives of the study: First of all, what do I want to learn from users before interacting with them? What are users’ expectations? What do they offer? I am preparing a plan so that I can find answers to their questions.

• Understanding user perceptions and challenges related to the COD game launch process through COD HQ.
• Evaluating the impact of in-game advertisements and promotional content on the overall user experience.
• Analyzing COD’s UI design and its alignment with user expectations.
• Understanding the impact of internationalization on user experience.
• To improve the user experience, including offering solutions for advertising research and optimization.

Methodologies: I will use User Survey, In-Depth Interviews and Usability testing methods for my research.

• User Surveys: I am considering creating online surveys to collect quantitative data about users’ perceptions and experiences with COD. I prepared questions about the game launch process, in-game ads, and overall user satisfaction.
• In-Depth Interviews: I will conduct one-on-one or group interviews with various COD players to gain deeper insights into their experiences and preferences. It will be very helpful for me to research their interaction with the game, their thoughts on ads and their suggestions for UI improvements.
• Usability testing: I will organize usability testing sessions where participants interact with the COD UI and perform specific tasks. I will get information about user interactions, difficulties and time required to complete tasks. By using screen recording and think-aloud protocols, I will easily understand the user’s difficulties and emotions.

📢 4. Target Audience:

The right target audience is very important for the survey, interview and usability testing that I will conduct. It is inevitable that the wrong choice of the target audience will result in the wrong solution. My target audience is as follows:

• PC Gamers: PC gamers, with specific reference to the PC experience.
• COD Players: People who have played COD games
• Diverse Players: Provide a diverse set of participants in terms of experience levels, from casual players to hardcore players.
• Beta Testers: Players who have experience with MW3 beta versions
• Cross Platform Gamers: Those who play COD on different platforms like XBOX or PS5

🔬 5. Collect / Analyze Data:

As a UX Researcher, based on the data I gather from surveys, interviews and usability testing it is clear that there are several usability issues and concerns regarding the user experience of accessing and navigating Call of Duty games on PC and other platforms. These findings shed light on various pain points and potential improvements that can be made to enhance the user experience. I have summarized the main points from the information gathered below:

• Difficult Launch Process: Users have particularly expressed frustration with the launch process of Call of Duty games on PC. They mentioned having to open COD HQ and wait for it to load, then click on a specific MWIII game, then wait for COD HQ to close before starting the game. This process has been described as unnecessarily difficult.
• Unclear purpose of COD HQ: Participants were unsure of the purpose of COD HQ. Some users found this confusing and asked why they had to start the game. The connection between COD HQ and the game’s launch process was unclear, and users wondered if it was primarily for license verification.
• Similarity of UI to Hulu: Users have drawn comparisons between Call of Duty’s UI and Hulu’s design. Although influenced by a designer from Hulu, some users did not find the interface suitable for the gaming environment.
• Lack of positive reception for the UI: Despite Call of Duty’s tradition of building on previous titles, the UI design did not receive positive feedback, especially at COD HQ. Users said they wanted a more convenient interface.
• Promotions: Some players found the main page full of ads, pop-up ads, and promotions, which made the interface feel more like a mobile game or commercial platform than a streamlined gaming experience.
• Desire for Simplicity: Participants preferred a simple and efficient menu similar to interfaces in previous Modern Warfare titles. They wanted a smoother and simpler experience with minimal clicks to start playing.
• Platform Consistency: The observed problems were not limited to PC; similar complaints have been voiced on platforms including the PS5. Participants felt that the user experience was not optimized for different devices.

During my research, in addition to surveys and interviews, I read Reddit, Twitter, and user complaints about this topic. Almost all complaints are the same. I share some of them with you.

✨ 6. Generate Insights and Recommendations:

Based on my research, I have created recommendations of key concepts. I am sure that these directly address the research objectives and will help to solve the identified problems or issues. Those solutions are:

• The process of starting the game should be simplified and made convenient. So, the home page of the game should be opened automatically, whichever game the player has played or purchased recently. Thus, users will continue to play their favorite games with 1–2 clicks.
• UI/UX design improvements are needed based on user feedback. The UI should be designed more user-friendly and efficient. Call of Duty is a game that appeals to all ages, so it needs to be more efficient and clearer.
• Advertisements and promotions are obviously important for upselling a company, but these ads and promotions go beyond the user interface.
• Users strongly prefer a simple and efficient menu that allows them to start playing with minimal clicks. The menu system needs to be redesigned to prioritize simplicity and ease of use. Reduce the number of clicks required to start the game and provide clear paths to the different game modes.

🖱 7. Propose and Test Solutions:

After generating insights and recommendations, I present design changes that address issues identified during research.

Prototype Link (Figma)

As a result:

• A more user-friendly home page and more convenient navigation according to the wishes of users.
• The home page of the game you played last time opens and you continue your game with a minimum number of clicks. Many people’s loading screen problem (user flow problem) will also be solved, because when you enter the last game you played, there will be no loading screen. This is technically possible.
• On the left side you will see a list of Call of Duty games that you have available. According to the information given by the officials, the next Call of Duty games will also be available in Call of Duty HQ, and with this in mind, the logos of the available games have been included to make it easier to switch with one click. Any Call of Duty game that you don’t have will be listed, but its logo will be grayed out.
• Many complained about promotions. Promotions pop ups were annoying a lot of players and my suggestion is to have a notification at the top of the store section when a new weapon skin or something is on sale.

😁 8. Iterate and Refine:

Based on the research, after the prototype was finished, I asked my target audience again to perform usability testing. Users reported that the home page is very convenient and simple. They especially liked the Call of Duty logos on the left. This was based on the fact that everything is obvious and it is possible to switch to the game I want with one click. In addition, I have informed users that the latest Call of Duty series you played is home and ready to play. As a result, users reported that it is better and more logical than opening the loading screen as it is now.

I hope that you, the readers, will like this extensive research. Thank you for your attention. Hey Activision, lets hire me 😀

Best Regards,
Sharifli Elchin

E-mail: elchinsharifli@hotmail.com