Destiny 2

First-person shooter video game for PS4, Xbox One, and PC

Released: September 20, 2016

Role: Senior User Researcher

Where: Bungie

When: 2015-2017

Contributions: Lots of playtesting (a specialized form of multi-user simultaneous testing), usability testing, and surveys

Much of my work on Destiny 2 was focused on PvE experiences, such as the Campaign and Strikes. My goal was to help the designers create a campaign that taught new players the controls and mechanics while staying engaging for veteran players, a story that was easy to follow from the first mission to the final boss, and individual activities that were fun with the right amount of challenge. It was also important to identify areas where players got lost or were unsure of their objectives, so changes could be made to mitigate confusion and keep players in the action. I also evaluated the game’s UI to help identify potential usability issues.

Although the research methods are generally the same as other software products, one thing that makes user research on games unique is ensuring the developers are engineering in the right amount of difficulty and the right kinds of challenge in the right places. Other software is ideal when it’s very easy to use, but games aren’t fun when they’re too easy (boring!) or too hard (frustrating!). Like any kind of software’s UI, game UI like menus, inventory screens, and heads-up displays should be clear and easy to understand…but the gameplay and mission design should challenge players in delightful ways.