IGN
Native iOS App

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Impact

Top 10

The app release earned a spot in the Top 10 most popular apps in the iOS (then iTunes) app store.

4.5

This release of the app garnered over 1000 reviews, and maintained a 4.5 start rating in the iTunes store.

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An engaged & passionate audience

Comparing the general gaming audience with IGN users, our audience over-indexes within several categories. We knew that our "Loyalists" segment would most likely lean into a new app. The most interesting audiences to consider for the new product were "Influential Core" and "Prestige Gamers". The team aligned to design and build for an audience who proudly identify as gamers who are reliable early adopters, and are multi-screen and multi-platform users.

While our mobile web presence gave us wide reach, our current (outdated) native app and franchise apps posted high engagement numbers. We saw huge user engagement with video on mobile devices, and knew through product experiments, that in-line and top-of-screen promotions for IGN franchise apps (apps focusing on a single entertainment franchise, such as Call of Duty) led to increased download rates.

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Shaping the product vision

Personalize the IGN experience.
Allow users to tailor the IGN app to be THEIR IGN app. Our target audience carries strong opinions about which entertainment genres, gaming consoles, franchises, etc. they prefer. Prioritizing the content that they care most about will result in return use and high pageviews per session – a win for our users and for the business.
Prioritize video.
Establish design patterns and features to surface video and enhance discoverability. Encourage deeper engagement by giving users the ability to consume video content where, when, and how they wish.
Lean into core content.
Users visit IGN most often in search of gaming and entertainment articles and reviews. By prioritizing these core content types, we can focus our efforts on features that best benefit our audience.
Revise the ad mix.
Replace outdated, low-CPM ad units that undermind the user experience. Explore ad products, mix, and frequency that feel native to the app, and to the mobile context.
Leverage IGN to leverage IGN.
Utilize the desktop site, email newsletters, and IGN video series' such as "The Daily Fix" and "Up at Noon" to promote the new app. Additionally, take advantage of our mobile web article reach by utilizing iOS Smart App Banner promotion modules at the top of mobile pages to raise awareness of the app and encourage downloads.

Influencing new leadership

In 2013, IGN was acquired by Ziff Davis during early stages of the new native app.

I met directly with Ziff’s COO (now President) on several occasions to discuss the direction and, ultimately, a go or no-go decision for the product.

Ziff Davis brought their knowledge and performance history of their native apps to the table, questioning the value for a dedicated IGN app. Their comparison example was for PCMag. Poor return user numbers and low ongoing user engagement over time vs. the opportunity cost for design, development, support, and maintenance of a stand-alone app was the challenge presented.

I formulated and shared some assumptions: 1) PCMag users most likely upgrade their devices every 2-4 years, 2) users download the app to learn, discover, and explore in order to inform their buying decision, and, 3) likely don’t have a need for an ongoing relationship with a native app. IGN is a different story altogether. In addition to IGN’s users relying on gaming reviews year-round, there are also seasonal waves that further drive engagement such as winter holiday game releases, summer movie season, international events such as San Diego Comic-Con, and more.

IGN's president and cross-functional teams were already bought into the vision. Through these conversations, I was able to secure the new holding company's position. I kept both our San Francisco exec team and Ziff's COO informed throughout the product design, development and release.

Design

We created a mood that was graphic and somewhat stylized, allowing the content to be the hero. We leaned into IGN's core color scheme to pair slight variations of dark tones with punches of red.

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James Witcher