Maximum Effort Collaboration

Deadpool VR changed the way Meta evaluated VR games in development with this UX Research and Data Science mashup.

TL;DR

I partnered with Data Science to merge live telemetry with qualitative playtesting, uncovering critical onboarding and comfort blockers in a flagship VR launch title. Our combined data successfully challenged existing design assumptions, resulting in feature changes that protected new players from day-one churn.

Project

Pioneering a mixed-methods (UXR + Data Science) development pipeline for Deadpool VR, combining playtest data with gameplay analytics to evaluate onboarding and identify frictions/blockers

People

My role: UX Research Lead, responsible for planning, execution, and reporting

Collaborator: Data Scientist, responsible for in-depth analysis of telemetry, and co-owning reporting

Primary stakeholders: Game Director; Design and Production Leads

Context & Problem

Following on the heels of our first collaboration on post-launch gameplay analysis for Batman: Arkham Shadow, my Data Scientist counterpart and I had a new opportunity with Deadpool VR. Only this time, the telemetry hooks were implemented sooner and we had a brand-new large-scale playtest lab that was ready to make its debut, in need of a pilot project.

In addition to being a high-profile IP game, Marvel’s Deadpool VR was also going to be a bundled title with the new Quest 3S headsets that were launching soon. It was critical that new users were set up for success with smooth onboarding to master the game’s mechanics, that they felt comfortable using the headset, and of course, that they had fun embodying the Merc with a Mouth.

Approach

I designed a large-scale, in-person playtest (n=30) featuring intercept surveys at the 15- and 60-minute marks, layered with rigorous VR comfort protocols (mandatory breaks, physiological check-ins). This large game playtest was the first of its kind in our new lab.

Crucially, my Data Science partner and I integrated live telemetry from the lab directly into the qualitative findings. We attended leadership reviews as a united front, presenting a single, unified narrative: the telemetry showed exactly where and how players were failing, while my qualitative and observational data explained the why.

Key Insights

Tutorial: Two points in the game that introduced a new gameplay mechanic were identified as points of confusion. Players noted in their surveys that these areas were tricky and unclear. In the gameplay data we were able to see what they were trying to do, how they were failing, and how much time they spent stuck in those areas.

The Comfort Crisis: Both the survey data and the telemetry (which showed players desperately mashing buttons to find a “skip” function) proved the bumpy Jeep opening was a severe motion-sickness trigger for novices.

The VR “Trap”: We uncovered that long, unskippable dialogue sequences feel uniquely punishing in VR. Players can’t look away or multitask, and taking off the headset just pauses the game. The narrative team had previously dismissed this feedback in smaller n=6 usability tests, but our combined quant/qual data proved players were feeling physically trapped.

Impact

Smoothing Out Onboarding: The confusing tutorial elements were redesigned to be more clearly understood.

Accessibility Overhaul: I partnered with development leads to improve awareness and access to the “theater mode” fallback for the intense Jeep opening. High-tolerance players got the full immersive experience, while motion-sensitive players were seamlessly routed to a comfortable 2D recap, preserving player agency and preventing day-one churn.

Overcoming Stakeholder Resistance: Armed with a larger sample size and behavioral telemetry, I successfully achieved studio leadership buy-in to override the narrative team’s initial pushback, resulting in skippable Hub cutscenes and trimmed mission dialogue.

Pipeline Evolution: This proactive UXR/DS mashup was so effective at catching pre-launch blockers that it fundamentally changed how Meta evaluates in-development VR games. After using Deadpool VR as a pilot, we had solidified a process for future games to repeat.

NDAs are serious business. While I can’t share proprietary deliverables, real participant photos, or raw data, I’ve designed this portfolio to highlight the strategic thinking and impact of the work.