Forge was born out of a common frustration in the gaming world: in-game assets had no real-world value, were locked into ecosystems, and couldn't be traded freely. Gamers lacked control, transparency, and trust in how they owned and transferred digital items.
Key challenges:
Lack of interoperability between games for item usage and trade
Existing trading platforms lacked trust, UI clarity, and security
No mainstream solution to mint in-game items as NFTs
Web3 onboarding was too complex for non-crypto-native users
Balancing decentralization and seamless UX was a key design hurdle
As the product designer on Forge, I led the UX strategy and end-to-end design of a platform that merges gaming, crypto, and digital ownership in a user-friendly way.
Key activities:
Discovery & Research
Deep-dived into Web3 ecosystems, gaming marketplaces, and NFT platforms
Ran competitor analysis (OpenSea, Steam Marketplace, Rarible, Immutable)
Interviewed gamers to understand motivations, fears, and workflows around trading
Defined primary user personas: “The Collector,” “The Trader,” and “The Gamer Investor”
Product Strategy
Co-created the product vision: “turn any in-game item into a tradable, ownable asset”
Worked with engineers to understand blockchain constraints and smart contract capabilities
Defined MVP features: item upload, NFT minting, wallet integration, trading
Design & UX
Mapped out user flows for minting, buying, selling, and viewing owned items
Designed an intuitive Web3 wallet onboarding and linking experience
Developed UI patterns that made smart contract interactions transparent but non-threatening
Prioritised responsive, game-inspired UI using dark mode and modal-driven interaction
Prototyping & Testing
Prototyped the experience in Figma with micro-interactions
Ran usability testing sessions with both crypto-native and Web2 gamers
Iterated based on feedback to reduce friction and cognitive load
While Forge is still in development, we've already achieved key milestones that validate the product direction and user need.
Early outcomes and signals:
Completed a fully interactive prototype tested with 10+ users from gaming and Web3 communities
80% of testers reported the interface felt “more intuitive” than existing NFT marketplaces
Positive feedback from indie developers eager to integrate item trading
Established strong product-market fit signals through discovery interviews and market research
Defined scalable design system and core UX flows for onboarding, trading, and minting
The next phase of Forge’s development focuses on launching an MVP, expanding partnerships, and building community.
Planned initiatives:
MVP launch with core features: item minting, wallet integration, and peer-to-peer trading
Expand smart contract support for multiple blockchain networks (starting with Ethereum and Polygon)
Develop game studio partnerships to pilot item interoperability
Introduce educational flows to onboard Web2 gamers into Web3 safely
Build a loyalty and reputation layer to encourage trust and reduce trading fraud
Forge is more than just a trading platform - it’s a shift toward true digital ownership in gaming. This project has allowed me to design at the intersection of Web3, gaming, and user empowerment. I’ve tackled complex systems, simplified crypto UX for mainstream users, and laid the groundwork for a product that could reshape how gamers interact with digital assets.
