Shopee Game
Shopee is the biggest e-commerce site in Asia. To boost user engagement and drive advertising revenue, we designed a gamified experience on Shopee’s e-commerce platform. This initiative blended entertainment with seamless shopping interactions, strategically integrating ads to create a new revenue stream.
TIMELINE
May 2022 - Nov 2022
6 Months
ROLE
Frontend Engineer
( Collaborated with 2 Product Managers, 2 Frontend Engineers, and Ads Team)
KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
Propose a new game-based revenue model
Develop AI-powered gameplay to replace real-time matching
Collaborated across teams to implement ADs and optimize eengagement
Introduced CI/CD and unit testing for faster iterations
TOOLS
React
Typescript
Phaser
Unit Testing(Jest)
Firebase
PROCESS
Iterative Development, Business Impact, and Agile Methodology
Sprint 1: Identifying the Opportunity
Surviving the Downsizing: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
50%
reduction in Product & Design
40%
reduction in Engineering
100%
reduction in QA Testing in Taiwan branch
Shopee, the largest e-commerce platform in Asia, made global headlines when news of its layoffs emerged, drawing widespread attention from major news outlets (News Link)
Can Gamification Drive Engagement During Constraints?
Despite these constraints, we needed new ways to drive engagement and revenue. I collaborated with Product Managers to refine this concept into a proposal for senior management, ensuring both UX and business viability.
Drawing from past successes with gamified experiences, I proposed integrating ads into simple, fast-paced games. This approach aimed to:
Increase user engagement through interactive content
Enhance advertiser visibility with strategic ad placements
Ensure monetization without disrupting gameplay
Sprint 2: Initial Real-Time Matchmaking Issues
A Rocky Launch: When Engagement Drops by 30%
At launch, the game received positive feedback and strong engagement.
However, after three weeks, we noticed a sudden drop in engagement rate. Upon deeper investigation, we identified the following key issues:
Sprint 3: AI-Powered Gameplay Iteration
AI-Powered Gamplay for Better UX
It became evident that real-time gameplay was not scalable for our goals. To maintain smooth gameplay and sustain ad visibility, we needed a new approach.
This UX-driven pivot didn’t just fix the problem—it transformed the game into a sustainable, revenue-generating experience while keeping players immersed and satisfied.
Brainstorm the issue
As engagement plummeted, user frustration became clear—long wait times, overheating devices, and declining interest were driving players away. We needed a breakthrough.
💡 The turning point? AI-generated opponents. Instead of waiting for real-time matchups, players could now jump straight into the action.
Find out the Solution
Instant matchups – No more waiting, just play
Optimized performance – Reduced processing load, eliminating overheating issues
Higher engagement – More time in-game meant more ad impressions and revenue
Sprint 4: Implementation & Monetization
What Made Cross-Team Collaboration Essential?
With a short timeline, we needed efficient execution. Key decisions:
Tech Team
Frontend Framework – React + Phaser for rapid development
Backend Integration – Optimized API calls for smooth AI interactions
CI/CD Pipeline – Automated testing to maintain stability despite quick iterations.
with 2 Product Managers
Held regular syncs to ensure alignment with business goals.
Defined the user experience, balancing engagement with monetization.
Collaborated on data analysis, using early metrics to refine game mechanics.
with ADs Team
Determined optimal ad placements to maximize visibility without disrupting gameplay.
Tested different ad formats (rewarded ads vs. interstitials) to find the best-performing model.
Refined the technical implementation to ensure fast-loading ads with no performance issues
FINAL DESIGN
Home Page
As engagement plummeted, user frustration became clear—long wait times, overheating devices, and declining interest were driving players away. We needed a breakthrough.
💡 The turning point? AI-generated opponents. Instead of waiting for real-time matchups, players could now jump straight into the action.
Game Page
Instant matchups – No more waiting, just play
Optimized performance – Reduced processing load, eliminating overheating issues
Higher engagement – More time in-game meant more ad impressions and revenue
This UX-driven pivot didn’t just fix the problem—it transformed the game into a sustainable, revenue-generating experience while keeping players immersed and satisfied. 🚀
Online Store Page
As engagement plummeted, user frustration became clear—long wait times, overheating devices, and declining interest were driving players away. We needed a breakthrough.
💡 The turning point? AI-generated opponents. Instead of waiting for real-time matchups, players could now jump straight into the action.
Daily Login Rewards
As engagement plummeted, user frustration became clear—long wait times, overheating devices, and declining interest were driving players away. We needed a breakthrough.
💡 The turning point? AI-generated opponents. Instead of waiting for real-time matchups, players could now jump straight into the action.
ADs for Earning
Instant matchups – No more waiting, just play
Optimized performance – Reduced processing load, eliminating overheating issues
Higher engagement – More time in-game meant more ad impressions and revenue
This UX-driven pivot didn’t just fix the problem—it transformed the game into a sustainable, revenue-generating experience while keeping players immersed and satisfied. 🚀
Sprint 5: Business & UX Success
Turning UX into Business Impact
15% increase
in shop exposure & orders during promotions
Launched in 6 markets
Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
, Malaysia, Philippines
Flagship in-app attraction
for Double 11, Double 12, and Shopee Spree
LESSON LEARNED
What I Learned
Understanding UX principles is critical – The absence of a UX team made me realize the importance of UX skills, inspiring me to pursue further education in user-centered design
Iterative problem-solving is essential – Rapid testing and adaptation helped us create a scalable and efficient solution
UX drives business success – Optimizing user experience directly improved revenue and engagement
