Video games have come a long way from the simple pixelated graphics and basic interfaces of the early arcade and home console games. As technology has advanced, video games have become more immersive and complex, with incredibly detailed 3D graphics and intricate game worlds for players to explore.
Alongside these graphical advancements, game interfaces have also evolved to be more user-friendly, intuitive and streamlined. Modern AAA (triple-A) game titles aim to provide players with smooth, seamless user experiences that get them into the action as quickly as possible. To achieve this, game developers are increasingly turning to principles and techniques borrowed from web and app design.
Similar to trends in the web and app space, AAA game design company create games that embrace minimalist interfaces to avoid clutter and information overload. Gone are the days of game screens crowded with complex menus, stats, maps and indicators competing for attention.
For example, the 2018 PS4 exclusive “God of War” streamlined the heads-up display (HUD) to just a few hidden elements — the player’s health bar, an indicator for controlling the camera, and a small compass. Everything else fades away, even during combat, to fully immerse players in the stunning game world.
Other games like “The Last of Us” and the rebooted “Tomb Raider” series also exemplify clean interface design. They keep HUD elements subtle and contextual, fading them in and out depending on the player’s needs. This approach helps eliminate distractions to focus attention on the environment and cinematic action.
Another key principle AAA games have adopted from web design is focusing interfaces around core user tasks. Interfaces are designed to enable key player actions as smoothly as possible, without excessive menus to click through.
For example, multiplayer shooter franchises like “Call of Duty” and “Battlefield” have refined interfaces to focus on things like weapon switching, aiming and shooting. Information related to these core tasks is made easily accessible, while other mechanics fade into the background.
This principle applies even for more complex open-world games like “Elden Ring” and “Horizon Forbidden West”. Despite their scale and layers of RPG mechanics, these games still design interfaces and control schemes to emphasize exploration, combat mechanics and character progression.
Modern AAA blockbusters feature huge open worlds with an incredible amount of content. But rather than overwhelming players with map markers, indicators and detailed stats, games are turning to intuitive navigation systems.
For example, the 2022 game “Elden Ring” uses subtle visual cues in the environment along with sites of grace that act as waypoints, instead of cluttering the HUD with mini-maps and quest markers. This encourages players to explore the lush open world more immersively.
Meanwhile, PlayStation exclusive “Horizon Forbidden West” has an intelligent “focus scanner” mechanic that highlights interactive objects, enemies, resources and quest markers seamlessly in the world. This acts as an intuitive navigation system that integrates smoothly with exploration and combat.
While PC and console gaming experiences have historically differed, modern AAA game interfaces are designed for both. Franchises like “Call of Duty”, “Elden Ring” and “God of War” aim to provide intuitive control schemes and streamlined interfaces whether players use a gamepad or keyboard/mouse setup.
For example, the PC version of Sony’s cinematic action game “God of War” retains the same minimalist HUD as the PlayStation edition. But text and interface elements are scaled and positioned appropriately for comfortable viewing on wider computer monitors. The control scheme is also optimized for keyboard/mouse without compromising the original game design.
This focus on providing quality experiences across platforms has helped fuel the rise of multiplatform AAA franchises. Games like “Elden Ring” and “Horizon Forbidden West” drive massive engagement by making interfaces and controls accessible to all players.
Another way AAA games are borrowing from web design is with adaptive and “responsive” interfaces. Just as modern websites dynamically scale layouts to suit different devices and screen sizes, games are making interfaces flexible.
For example, sci-fi shooter “Halo Infinite” introduced an innovative “TacMap” that gives players a zoomed out view of the area around them. Players can seamlessly zoom in and out of this mini-map to get the right level of detail as needed in the moment.
This responsiveness mirrors progressive web apps that adapt layouts and information density for mobile vs. desktop experiences. Applying a similar principle to game interfaces improves usability across various display sizes and player needs.
Game developers are also looking at web accessibility guidance to make AAA game interfaces usable by all players. Options like remappable controller inputs, text scaling, colorblind support and closed captioning make games more accessible for players with disabilities.
Recent Sony exclusive blockbusters like “The Last of Us Part II” and “Horizon Forbidden West” are prime examples of incorporating extensive accessibility options. For example, “The Last of Us Part II” offers over 60 customizable settings to fine-tune visual, auditory and control aspects to suit each player’s individual needs and abilities.
The priority placed on accessibility indicates how AAA studios are taking cues from web design best practices to make games truly usable for everyone. This upholds principles of universal design – making products accessible to the widest range of users from the outset.
Game developers have also adopted web design philosophies like rapid prototyping and iterative design based on user testing feedback. Instead of perfecting interfaces before release, AAA studios are rolling out minimum viable products (MVPs), then refining them post-launch.
For example, 2018’s “Red Dead Redemption 2” went through massive changes between its beta testing phase and retail release. Based on playtester feedback, Rockstar Games tweaked everything from font sizes to inventory menus to weapon wheel controls. This agile, iterative approach produced one of the most intuitive and well-polished AAA game interfaces in years.
Other studios like Kevuru now have entire playtesting labs to gather player feedback in order to keep refining interfaces and UX long after launch. Instead of a “fire and forget” mentality, top developers treat games as ongoing services, responding to usage data just like web products. Ongoing refinement then feeds into future sequels and franchise iterations.
As AAA video games continue pursuing more immersive realism through cutting-edge graphics and expansive 3D worlds, the interfaces that players interact with are becoming increasingly critical. Slick, unobtrusive and intuitive UI/UX design is now imperative to complement the other technical achievements of modern games. Looking ahead, we can expect even more convergence between web design philosophies and AAA games development.
