Designing a Great First-Time User Experience

How to design a great First-Time User Experience

Together with devtodev, we’ve compiled a list of tips for FTUE:

𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸.
• First impressions matter.
• Grab attention with visuals, a quick story, or a fun challenge.
• Highlight what makes your game unique (art, story, mechanics).

𝟮. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿.
• Show players what to do immediately.
• Use short, skippable instructions (e.g., tooltips, highlights).
• Let actions teach—avoid long explanations.

𝟯. 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆.
• Unveil one mechanic at a time.
• Reinforce learning before adding more.
• Reward players for mastering new features.
• Use animations or story to connect mechanics to gameplay.

𝟰. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.
• Early wins = emotional investment.
• Keep first levels easy for high success rates.
• Show progress with bars, collectibles, or milestones.
• Celebrate with sound or visual effects.

𝟱. 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
• Avoid early sales—it can feel pushy.
• Offer free premium items to show value.
• Introduce purchases after players understand gameplay.
• Use optional ads that provide rewards.

𝟲. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.
• Social features boost retention.
• Encourage sharing, inviting friends, or joining guilds.
• Offer rewards for social actions.
• Keep prompts optional and friendly.

𝟳. 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲.
• Use data to find drop-off points.
• A/B test onboarding flows.
• Track tutorial completion rates and analyze feedback.
• Heatmaps can show where players struggle or leave.

𝟴. 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗧𝗨𝗘.
• Guide players after the tutorial.
• Gradually introduce advanced features and challenges.
• Use daily tasks and notifications to keep engagement high.

A great FTUE builds trust, excites players, and sets the stage for long-term success.