“Navigating the Steam Mobile application can be a challenge due to its lack of user-friendliness, and it is unnecessary to create a separate application solely for the chat functionality.”
Low-Fidelity Sketches, Style Guide and Figma Prototype
In order to gain a better understanding of how to address the problem, existing direct online game store applications along with online game sales webpages, and online social messaging apps, have been utilized as reference points to assist in further improving Steam Mobile.
To further understand the negative backlash from the Steam community, it is essential to look into the users’ feedback direct via app reviews from both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Additionally, we have to also look through the reviews for the Steam Chat application. for the chatting functions.
Through analysing and identifying key features that has been pointed out, the collated review points are as follows.
While the interface looks better after their update, the experience especially in navigation has gotten worse
Application works and feels like a poorer version of a browser rather than an application itself
Interface is not intuitive; e.g. poor navigation, the back button brings the user all the way to home rather than the previous page
Not much use or functions given to the app other than Two-factor authentication (2FA) since friends list and chat have been ported to an external application
Feels very limited as a chat application as compared to other prominent messaging applications like discord
Want features more fitted for their mobile e.g. voice
Emojis and stickers do not animate when you want to select them (Part of the experience)
Making a group chat name, one can only do so when they have created the group instead of when they are inviting and creating the group
People would still prefer to have this chat as a feature in the main Steam Mobile app rather than it on the side
UI for selecting and sending images looks very clunky
When viewing images sent, users are unable to zoom in or download them
Based on the reviews and also looking into the target audience for Steam, the primary target age groups would be:
This is probably due to the fact that Steam is an online gaming marketplace with mature material and a large selection of challenging titles. These players usually possess the cognitive capacity to interact with more complicated gaming mechanisms, follow sophisticated storylines, and make decisions wisely.
Adults are also generally more tech-savvy and possess the financial capability to necessary to buy games and support the platform's ongoing viability. Steam's emphasis on this particular demographic corresponds with the prevailing demographic trends in the gaming business, wherein the player base is increasingly composed of older age groups.
Persona 1
Empathy Map 1
User Journey 1
Persona 2
Empathy Map 2
User Journey 2
For Persona 1
For Persona 2
In order to further identify which features to improve on, a heuristics evaluation has been conducted on both applications. Heuristics evaluation has also been conducted on competitor applications that have been identified prior.
Improved navigation bar to showcase main functions
Rearranging icon buttons for profile, hamburger menu, news and chat functions (Essentially rearranging main function pages to be easily accessible)
Revamping ‘hamburger menu’ page
Sticker/Emoji to be 'connected' overlay with typing box rather than pop up overlay
New Voice Call feature
Easier customisability in group creation process
Chat theme in overall settings
Chat settings in overall settings