Discover Games That Are Truly Free to Play
Design a legal game discovery service that makes device compatibility, optional purchases, age ratings, and play access clear.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
Free game catalogs often mix demos, ad-supported titles, subscriptions, and games with optional purchases. Players need to understand the real access model before installing or starting a game.
User context
Camila wants a cooperative game to play with her ten-year-old nephew on a shared living-room device. She wants age-appropriate choices without surprise purchases.
Product problem
The word free can hide important conditions. The experience must communicate legal availability, hardware needs, monetization, and family suitability without turning discovery into a wall of warnings.
Objective
Create a game browse and launch flow that supports informed selection and family account controls.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Catalog browsing by device, player count, and age rating
- Game detail with access model and purchase disclosures
- Family approval and spending controls
- Launch or installation handoff
Screens and states
- Game catalog
- Filtered results
- Game detail
- Family approval
- Launch state
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Camila selects the shared device and two-player games
- 02
She filters for an appropriate age rating
- 03
She opens a game and reviews optional purchase information
- 04
She approves the title for her nephew's profile
- 05
They launch the game and receive a device storage warning
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Distinguish free access, trial access, subscription access, and optional purchases
- Show hardware, controller, storage, and account requirements
- Support age and content filters that adults can lock
- Keep editorial recommendations separate from sponsored placement
- Provide a clear path from discovery to the official game source
Constraints
- Catalog availability varies by region and device
- Age ratings differ across rating systems
- Purchase details can change after a game update
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Design five responsive screens for discovery, disclosure, family approval, and launch recovery.
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.