ZYNGA poker Multi-Platform DESIGN

Zynga Poker is one of Zynga’s most popular franchise games. Creating Parity between Mobile and Desktop was a 3-year Development.

Project
Zynga Poker Multi-platform Design

Role
Management, Interaction Design and Art Direction

Team
Lead UX Designers (3), Senior Designers (2), Concept Artists (2), and Animator (1)

Date
2010-2014

problem

In 2010, Zynga Poker’s Facebook web game was thriving, while its mobile counterpart struggled despite having access to a shared user base of 4 million web players. The mobile app suffered from poor navigation, a cluttered interface, and scalability issues. Additionally, the separation between web and mobile game teams resulted in inconsistent visual experiences across platforms, impacting user engagement and growth.

GOALS

Improve Navigation:
Simplify the user flow to reduce the number of taps required to join a game.

Enhance User Experience:
Create a mobile-friendly interface that retains the excitement of the web version.

Drive Player Engagement:
Increase session times and overall player retention.

Visual Parity: Align mobile and web experiences while optimizing for mobile-specific design needs.

Scalable Design:
Build a UI that can support future features and growth seamlessly.

PROCESS

Research & Analysis:

Deconstructed existing features to identify pain points.

Prioritized core user actions such as quick game access and easy bankroll management.

Framed key UX questions to guide the design process:

  • How many taps to join a table?

  • Is it easy to find the right stakes?

  • How do we encourage longer play sessions?

  • Which web features translate well to mobile?

Rapid Prototyping:

  • Created high-fidelity wireframes and click-through prototypes.

  • Conducted device-based testing to identify and address user flow issues early.

  • Iterated designs rapidly to refine interactions and usability.

Collaboration:

  • Worked closely with game designers to integrate gameplay mechanics with intuitive UX solutions.

  • Led brainstorming sessions for visual design inspiration.

DESIGN

Core Experience:

Simplified gameplay initiation with the introduction of the “PLAY NOW” button, allowing players to join a low-stakes table with just one tap, reducing friction and enhancing accessibility.

Visual Style:

  • Moved away from the Facebook game’s aesthetic to create a luxurious, warm, and inviting “poker lounge” feel.

  • Inspired by Casino Royale, with design elements reflecting the sophistication and elegance associated with high-stakes poker.

  • Incorporated classic card suit symbols—hearts, spades, clubs, diamonds—as thematic anchors.

  • Developed a scalable art asset toolkit (9-slice scaling) to ensure design consistency across devices.

  • Fostered a cohesive visual language through collaborative mood boards and visual research sessions.

OUTCOMES

User Growth:

After the redesign launched in September 2011, Zynga Poker’s mobile player base grew from 250,000 to 1 million within a year.

Product Evolution:

The success led to the merging of Zynga Poker’s web and mobile teams, fostering a unified product vision and design strategy.

Team Expansion:

The UX team expanded from 3 to 12 designers, enabling continuous feature development and maintaining Zynga Poker’s status as a leading franchise game.

Top Grossing

For two consecutive years, it was in the Top 10 grossing game in the App Store and Google Play and continues to be a high grossing franchise game in the Zynga portfolio.

Dominance of the Poker Market

The game captured 61% of the online Poker market and inspired several ' copycat’ games since launch.

+4 Stars in App Store

Consistently rated 4+ stars in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.