Matchday Champions — Motion
Matchday Champions is a mobile game designed to bring the excitement and authenticity of football to mobile devices. With a focus on creating an immersive user experience, the game combines the thrill of football with the strategy of a trading card game. Players must create their ideal starting eleven using cards of real football players and compete against players from around the world. The match experience is designed to appeal to casual players, with accessible yet exciting gameplay that allows users to enjoy football anytime, anywhere.
Services
Motion Design, Unity implementation
Client
Matchday
Year
2024
Motion Design Pillars
At Matchday, our goal was to create an experience that was more than just another football game. We wanted to capture the heart of the sport while making every interaction a joy for players. Our design approach revolved around three key pillars: delightfully crafted user interfaces, a design ethos that is distinctly football, and a tone that remains charmingly playful throughout the experience.
Every element, from the intuitive card upgrade system to the fast-paced match simulations, was designed to resonate with players while maintaining the energy and excitement that football brings. The result is a game where form meets function, delivering an immersive, football-first experience that’s both entertaining and easy to navigate.
Delighting Players with Every Interaction
To enhance the overall user experience, we introduced micro animations throughout the player’s journey in Matchday. Each animation was carefully crafted to bring moments of delight, guiding users through the interface while maintaining the game’s playful and football-centric tone.
From the satisfying feedback of completing a challenge to the subtle motions in navigating the squad selection, these micro interactions make every tap feel intuitive and rewarding. Our goal was to create a fluid experience that not only looks sleek but also amplifies the emotional connection players have with the game. Every detail—whether it’s claiming rewards, upgrading cards, or tapping the play button—was designed to immerse players and make Matchday feel as responsive as a real match.
Customizable VFX Library
For Matchday, we built a versatile VFX library using stock assets. This approach allowed us to create a cohesive visual style across the game while streamlining the production process. These effects were crafted with reusability in mind, meaning they could be applied in multiple scenarios throughout the game.
For instance, the card upgrade animations (shown below) leverage these stock-based visual effects, ensuring a consistent and polished look that enhances the overall player experience. This method allowed us to maintain visual quality while optimizing production efficiency.
Motion Design in the Match Experience
Motion design was a critical element in shaping the match experience for Matchday. Inspired by the look and feel of social media platforms, the matches unfold like a dynamic feed, where key events are highlighted with impactful animations. Player cards appear seamlessly during critical moments, while the scoreboard updates in real-time, keeping players engaged and informed.
Our primary focus was to make the experience fun, fast-paced, and rewarding, catering to our casual player base. Every animation was designed with a purpose—to amplify the excitement of each event and to ensure the gameplay felt responsive and satisfying, delivering a compelling experience within a short playtime.
Collaborative Creative Process
Throughout the development of Matchday, we participated in numerous creative huddles with the Matchday team, fostering a strong and collaborative relationship. These sessions were essential in aligning our vision and pushing the project forward.
One of the highlights was a huddle held in Amsterdam at the FIFPro offices, where we worked together on crafting the second version of the player cards. This iteration introduced evolutions and rarities, adding more depth and excitement to the game. The collaborative energy and shared creativity during these sessions were pivotal in shaping the unique visual style and gameplay enhancements for Matchday.
Expanding Our Team for Enhanced Execution
To bring our vision for Matchday to life with precision and fidelity, we expanded Bisuala’s team by adding two technical artists. Their expertise was instrumental in bridging the gap between design and implementation, ensuring that the motion design and visual effects translated seamlessly into the game environment. With their technical skills, we were able to push the creative boundaries and make sure that every animation, from player cards to match events, was faithfully represented in-game. This addition to our team allowed us to elevate the quality of the final product and deliver an engaging, visually polished experience for players.
