BAXY by GameStop
GameStop sought to bring a new vision to the barcade industry with a revolutionary destination that provided all types of gaming (PC, console, and board), an innovative dining and drinks menu, and comprehensive technology that customers could use to control it all. Our task was to design a tablet experience that could control station reservations, ordering and dining, payment, account management, and a loyalty program. There were many off-the-shelf systems available, but GameStop wanted a solution that was as customizable and thoughtfully designed as the space itself.
Although the architectural planning and technology solutions were fully realized, the buildout has remained on hold.
PRIMARY PAGES
Reservation Screen
A simple initial screen that allowed customers to reserve by the type of space they sought or to simply browse the game or food menus if they were new to the venue.
Dashboard
Once a gaming session was active, the dashboard served as the control center for managing the reservation, changing the game being played, and food and beverage ordering.
Food Menu
A completely custom dining menu was developed along a gaming theme. The UI had to be just as special with unique product photography and custom 8-bit icons representing the dining categories.
Drinks Menu
The drinks menu followed the same vision as the dining menu with levity and irreverence throughout.
Achievements
Customer accounts allowed an achievement feature to be introduced that cataloged and rewarded certain experiences in the venue: number of visits, ordered all the appetizers, first person to order a new item, etc.
Payment
The checkout process had to accommodate station reservations, food and drinks ordered, as well as merchandise purchased during the visit.
PROCESS
Second Screen Research
Tablet interactions at gaming and dining venues currently exist, and the software is dominated by a few key players. We visited and documented the good, the bad, and the ugly. A key finding was that technology replacing a human interaction sometimes provided a worse experience.
Site Hierarchy
A visitor could be interacting with a host screen for a myriad of reasons, especially if they were new to the venue. Our site hierarchy and initial options listing had to be clear and concise.
Style Tiles
We worked with both style tiles and a more robust style guide. Style tiles were useful at the initial stages to help the client understand the look and feel of the UI.
Icons
As an homage to the origins of video gaming, 8-bit-style icons were hand-built to represent various dining options.
The architecture firm created a space as welcoming to hardcore gamers as well as folks entirely new to the gaming world. A philosophy that was echoed in all UI explorations.
VENUE
RESPONSIBILITES
Project Lead, UX/UI Designer
Led a small team through the entire process from planning, discovery, and strategy through to design and development. This included choosing software and hardware partners that could interface with gaming platforms, reservation systems, and back-of-house restaurant order management. The requirements list was lofty, but we were able to find solutions that would create a fun and intuitive experience.