NVIDIA GEFORCE NOW
Your games, anywhere, anytime - powered by clouds, played with thunder
I led the design of the Nvidia Geforce NOW IOS Application - a cloud gaming service that transforms your devices into powerful gaming machines.
Product
IOS
Roles
Product Design
Interaction Design
Product Management
User Research & Testing
Timeline
Q4 2024 | August - December
Contributor
Mathew Navarro
Project Timeline
Problem
Geforce Now currently does not have a native application for IOS and is used as a web based app. Features from the desktop version can be optimized for mobile without losing functionality, and cloud gaming adoption will continue to grow, making an application valuable.
Recognizing this issue, I saw this as a massive opportunity to help user get introduced to cloud gaming with little limitation
Research
Using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research, it was found that convincing gamers to embrace mobile controls as effortlessly as they do on desktops turned out to be surprisingly tricky. Early in the project, I surveyed and interviewed players to dive into their experiences, uncovering struggles with touchpad sizes, button layouts, and a lack of accessibility tools that made their gaming sessions less enjoyable.
Common pain-points
Lack of Intuitive Controls
Confusing button layouts and unoptimized touchpad sizes make it difficult for players to feel in control, especially during fast-paced gameplay. Over 40% of participants expressed frustration with touch-based interactions for complex functions like R1/R2.
Limited Accessibility Support
Accessibility tools like screen readers are either unavailable or hard to locate, leaving players with specific needs feeling excluded. Nearly 30% of surveyed users struggled to engage fully due to poor accessibility features.
Lack of Customizability
Managing settings feels cumbersome, with 60% of participants noting difficulties in retaining preferences or managing cloud backups seamlessly, leading to frequent interruptions in gameplay.
User Personas
Competitive Landscape
GeForce Now faces strong competition in the cloud gaming market from platforms like Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation Plus, Amazon Luna, Shadow, Boosteroid, and Parsec, each with distinct competitive advantages. Xbox Cloud Gaming stands out with its seamless integration into Game Pass Ultimate. PlayStation Plus provides backward compatibility and exclusive titles, catering to loyal console players. Amazon Luna leverages flexible subscription channels and Twitch integration. Shadow and Parsec differentiate themselves by offering full Windows desktop experience and Parsec focusing on 4K streaming and cross-platform professional use. Boosteroid, with its browser-based gaming and affordability, excels in European markets but lacks a global presence. GeForce Now’s edge lies in its focus on leveraging users’ existing game libraries and supporting high-performance cloud gaming, but it must address subscription fatigue and rapidly innovate to compete with the distinct strengths of these rivals.
Journey Mapping
The journey map identifies key pain points and opportunities for improving the GeForce Now app on iPhone, including slow load times, disorganized game libraries, confusing settings, clunky touch controls, and poor accessibility. Frustrations are compounded by unclear session management during interruptions. Enhancements like faster load times, better organization, simplified settings, customizable controls, improved accessibility, seamless session handling, and an intuitive interface with onboarding can create a more engaging and user-friendly experience.
Solution
Optimized controls and accessibility enhancements empower players to improve their gaming experience, making mobile gameplay more intuitive and inclusive. Features like connectivity indicators ensure smooth, high-quality performance even under challenging network conditions. By bringing desktop-level customization and seamless account management to mobile, users can enjoy a cohesive, frustration-free experience that keeps them in control of their settings, progress, and gameplay preferences across devices.
Common pain-points
Optimized Mobile Game Controls and Navigation
Enhanced Accessibility Options
Connectivity Status Indicator/Auto Reduce Resolution
Consistency with Desktop Features
Account Management Optimization
Wireframes & Architecture
The Nvidia GeForce Now application’s architecture and wireframes showcase a user-centered design emphasizing accessibility, seamless navigation, and multi-platform integration.
Key features include intuitive login and account-linking flows, a well-organized library and game search with filters, and transparent queue management with upgrade options.
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The clean, minimalist wireframes align with Nvidia’s branding, offering straightforward navigation and visually engaging layouts. However, the app could benefit from enhanced post-game engagement features like session summaries or feedback forms, dynamic personalization like trending games or recommendations, and push notifications for queue updates. The design provides a strong foundation but could improve user retention and engagement through gamification, onboarding enhancements, and proactive user notifications.
Design System
NVIDIA horizontal format
NVIDIA vertical (preferred) format
Color Palette
Typography (SF Pro)
Iconography
Prototype
The prototype experience guides the user seamlessly from game launch to signing out of the application. Upon launch, users are prompted to integrate their accounts, followed by an organized hierarchy of their existing gaming library within their ecosystem. At game launch, users are presented with options to add games to the homepage and prompted to connect external hardware for an enhanced experience. Accessibility features, such as screen readers, are available, alongside integration with prominent streaming platforms for content sharing. The menu tab highlights playtime, promoting time management accountability while encouraging continued use of the application. Throughout the experience, the platform subtly reiterates the option to upgrade services, driving engagement with premium subscription features and fostering deeper interaction with the application.
User Testing
User testing involved participants with backgrounds in video gaming experience. After obtaining their consent, participants were asked to complete various tasks within the application. Following task completion, they provided feedback and critiques through a series of targeted questions. The feedback from all participants was compiled into a single document and used to refine the standing prototype. These refinements significantly enhanced the application’s overall performance and navigation, ensuring a smoother and more intuitive user experience.
Following user testing, several areas for improvement were identified to enhance the application’s usability and overall user experience. In terms of visual feedback and content sharing, users recommended adding a clear visual status bar or indicator for ongoing activities such as streaming, as well as dynamic, color-coded icons for better visibility during streaming and recording (e.g., green for active, red for recording). To simplify and refine the user interface, suggestions included redesigning dropdown menus for intuitive access to core functions like exit and microphone toggles, adding visible and user-friendly controls for in-game settings (including audio adjustments), and improving navigation with genre-based filtering and a unified single-view option with tags. Additionally, highlighting recent activity with a dedicated section for recently played or favorited games on the home screen was proposed. General improvements included revamping the settings menu for easier navigation and incorporating tooltips for critical options, as well as adding a visible audio adjustment feature accessible during gameplay. These enhancements aim to create a more intuitive, efficient, and engaging user experience.
Conclusion
After integrating the user testing feedback, the Nvidia GeForce Now app saw significant improvements in user retention, navigation efficiency, and overall satisfaction. The updates addressed critical usability concerns, creating a more seamless and intuitive experience that resonated with users, ultimately enhancing their engagement and satisfaction with the platform.
By conducting thorough research and user testing, the problem of unintuitive controls, limited accessibility, and cumbersome settings management informed targeted solutions, including optimized touch controls, enhanced accessibility features, and improved navigation.
The iterative design process focused on creating a cohesive experience that aligned with Nvidia’s branding while addressing user needs. Key updates, such as dynamic visual feedback, personalized game management, and proactive service upgrade prompts, enhanced engagement and usability. As a result, the app now empowers users with a desktop-level gaming experience on mobile, bridging accessibility and functionality gaps.
Ultimately, the project succeeded in not only improving user retention and satisfaction but also setting a strong foundation for future innovations in cloud gaming. This case study demonstrates the value of leveraging user insights and iterative design to deliver impactful, user-focused solutions in the competitive gaming industry.