"unleash'd" logo text with stylized dots

Redesigning a Mobile Gaming App

A modern, user-friendly aesthetic for a gaming subscription app

To bring our successful Android gaming subscription app, Unleashd, to iOS, we needed to meet Apple’s stricter requirements.

I led a full redesign to elevate the app’s functionality and user experience, introducing features like a game popup, a more engaging onboarding flow, and a personalised membership page. The result was a polished, intuitive app that stayed true to the brand while aligning with Apple’s standards.

Client

Unleashd by Multiscription

Tools

Figma, Illustrator

Role

UI/UX Designer

Time

2 months

MY OBJECTIVE

Redesign the app, enhancing functionality, user-friendliness, and user-centeredness while ensuring visual appeal and usefulness for the user.

Understanding Apple’s Rejection

Apple’s rejection wasn’t just a setback - it was an opportunity to understand what truly makes an app stand out on their platform. I dug deep into their feedback, focusing on their emphasis for purposeful content, lasting engagement, and a seamless user experience.

This guided the direction of the redesign, ensuring the app was simple, user-centric, and visually polished.

Screenshot of Apple Developer webpage focusing on designing for iOS, including text and a diagram of a smartphone icon for iOS design guidelines.

Brainstorm to Strategy

Together with the CEO and iOS developer, we brainstormed multiple strategies to meet App Store approval. After generating ideas, we assessed them based on impact and effort, selecting the most promising concepts.

Through desktop research, competitor analysis, and low-fidelity wireframes, we refined our ideas into actionable solutions.

Wireframe of a mobile article app interface showing screens for article preview, view, and overview with notes on features and design elements, including content ideas and navigation options.

From Lo-Fi to Hi-Fi Wireframes 

The next step was transforming our brainstormed concepts into concrete designs. I worked on creating low-fidelity wireframes to test the core functionality and user flows. Once we agreed on the direction, I developed high-fidelity designs, keeping the brand’s identity consistent and focusing on incremental improvements rather than a complete overhaul.

Vision Prototype 

To convey my design ideas to the iOS developer and ensure compliance with App Store standards, I created a detailed app prototype with significant functionality and design changes aimed at gaining App Store approval.

After team discussions, we decided to park these ambitious changes for a future project with more development time. My new challenge was to make essential app adjustments while maintaining App Store compliance.

Mobile app interface for "unleash'd" showing gaming subscription service. Left screen displays games like "Conduct THIS!" and "Tops.io - Spinner Blade." Right screen offers subscription benefits like exclusive game access, ad rewards, and new weekly games. Subscribe button visible.

Final Prototype 

After receiving feedback from the team, I made adjustments to the initial ambitious designs. The final changes we made for App Store approval include:

  1. Onboarding screens

  2. Personalized membership page

  3. Newsletter signup integration

  4. Social media links

  5. Game Popup for game details and benefits

  6. Share functionality for the app and games

  7. General visual design refinements

Two smartphone screens displaying the Unleash'd gaming app interface. The left screen shows a selection of games categorized under strategy, action, arcade, and sports. The right screen advertises a subscription service with benefits such as exclusive benefits, no intrusive ads, and new games added weekly. A subscribe button is visible, along with the price mentioned as 39 DKK per month. The Unleash'd logo is at the top of both screens.
Mobile app interface showing a gaming subscription service with various features, games, and subscription options on multiple smartphone screens against a light blue background.

Key Takeaways

  • The project's success relied on improving the user experience, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing users in design decisions, and seeking continuous improvements.

  • Redesigning the Unleashd app highlights the iterative nature of design, where feedback-driven adjustments lead to optimal results.

  • As a UI/UX designer, I played a role in prioritizing features based on user value and platform requirements.

  • Overcoming Apple's strict requirements underscores the need for innovative problem-solving in design.