It seems zombies and Clash of Clans were everywhere in 2013, so it was little surprise to find myself creating the UI for a free to play mobile strategy game when Microsoft began exploring the idea of publishing its own mobile titles. The work was part of Microsoft’s Lift London studio, a new internal team set up to experiment with connected and free to play games for tablets, phones and cloud platforms.
By the time I joined the project the team had already established a strong visual direction reminiscent of The Simpsons, bright, characterful and slightly irreverent. My role was to design in game UI elements and shape the overall presentation, ensuring the interface matched the playful world the artists had created while still supporting the depth expected of a strategy title.
Lift London was working on several early mobile concepts, but Microsoft eventually moved away from the plan before any of the games were released. It was still an interesting moment to be part of and a glimpse into how the company was beginning to approach mobile gaming.
By the time I joined the project the team had already established a strong visual direction reminiscent of The Simpsons, bright, characterful and slightly irreverent. My role was to design in game UI elements and shape the overall presentation, ensuring the interface matched the playful world the artists had created while still supporting the depth expected of a strategy title.
Lift London was working on several early mobile concepts, but Microsoft eventually moved away from the plan before any of the games were released. It was still an interesting moment to be part of and a glimpse into how the company was beginning to approach mobile gaming.
