Project start: March 2012 Timeline: 12 months Client: Copag Services: UX, UI, User Research, IA & Data Analytics Platform: Printed Cards and Responsive Website
Copag Cartamundi is one of the most famous game companies in the World. Its product line is extensive, with options for the whole family, and licensed brands such as Disney, Marvel and Pokémon. Its main product is the traditional playing card game with a global presence.
The challenge.
Create a Trading Card Game with Marvel licensed brand. The game would have a complex mechanic, and should support at least two expansions of cards per year. The main goal was to create the biggest Trading Card Game ever made in Brazil. Digital would be the main advertising and branding channel for this product, with a website, social networks, tournament system, collector’s album and much more.
My role.
I was the Lead Designer working with a Product Design team and a Product Manager. I worked on both the print and digital products.
Design tools.
Design process.
The work began with desk research for market data. We studied the main niches to develop a new product line. We came to the conclusion that there was a young adult’s niche for collectible games, and then we sought Marvel licensing team to develop a new product. We hired a Game Designer to create the game mechanics. With the first sketches, I managed to create the components and card layouts. From the first layout to the last, I had created more than 10 different options, testing them all with beta players. I also created the digital branding, submitted and approved every layout with Marvel’s branding and digital teams.
Specific issues.
There has never been a project so complex made for a Brazilian Trading Card Game. Besides being the first of its kind, it was created with one of the biggest content licensors in the World: Marvel Studios. Both TCG and Marvel fans are very demanding when it comes to the final quality of the products, so we had a double challenge here. Every component of the game was created following Marvel’s look and feel illustrations, and the digital content also followed this guideline.
The results.
The game was a hit. From its first collection, launched in the beginning of 2013, we’ve made more than 10 expansions, the last one launched at the end of 2017. More than 1000 unique cards were created, and more than 3000 players were active on the tournament organizing system. It was elected Game of the Year in 2013 by Ludo Awards. Although it was discontinued, people still create fan made cards for the game. As planned, the digital medium was instrumental in making the product such a big hit. The game’s website was the main medium for information and releases. Social networks have become big hubs for players and collectors. The tournament system was instrumental in giving breadth to the game as well as the virtual album for collectors.
View next.
