Polker Case Study
With stakeholders across three products, this project started as a Florida-focused MVP and evolved into a scalable, unified title search experience designed to support all 50 states through continuous collaboration and future-ready design.
Product Overview
Figma
Adobe XD
Adobe Illustrator
Jira
Role
Polker.game is a blockchain-powered, play-to-earn poker platform that combines traditional poker gameplay with immersive 3D visuals, NFT-driven assets, and a decentralized player economy. The product is designed to introduce new layers of engagement and ownership to online poker by allowing players to earn tokens, collect in-game NFTs, and personalize their experience through cinematic environments built with Unreal Engine 4. From a UX perspective, Polker addresses the challenge of integrating complex blockchain mechanics—like crypto wallets, token rewards, and NFT transactions—into a seamless, approachable interface for both crypto-native users and newcomers. The product’s experience strategy focuses on balancing rich, dynamic visuals with clarity, accessibility, and trust, creating a play-to-earn ecosystem that feels both modern and user-friendly.
- Product Strategy
- Product Design
- User Experience
- User Research
- Website Design
Merging Immersive Gameplay with Intuitive UX in a Blockchain Poker Ecosystem
Polker.game set out to merge online poker with blockchain features like NFT ownership and token rewards, delivered through immersive 3D gameplay. The core UX challenge was designing a seamless, accessible experience for both crypto-savvy users and casual gamers, while simplifying complex interactions like wallet setup, token management, and NFT transactions.
In addition to refining the in-game user flow and navigation within a dynamic 3D environment, the product team also identified the need for a website redesign. The website would serve as both an entry point and resource hub for players, requiring a consistent UI language and visual style aligned with the game’s cinematic, modern interface. This case study explores how Polker balanced these complexities with a unified, intuitive, and trust-driven user experience.
Polker Game Design
The Research Process
In-Game Site Map
Collaborating closely with the product team, art department, and reviewing the product roadmap, I created a high-level site map outlining the ideal in-game user flow. This exercise helped establish a clear structure for how players would navigate between core experiences—such as entering a game, managing their NFT assets, tracking rewards, and accessing settings—within a dynamic 3D environment. The site map also served as an early alignment tool across teams, ensuring the navigation logic supported both gameplay objectives and long-term product goals.
In-Game Wireframes
Based on the user flow, I developed a full set of wireframes to visualize the platform’s core screens and interactions. The in-game experience presented the most complexity, requiring careful attention to navigation, player actions, and on-screen feedback within a 3D environment. I’ve showcased this in-game wireframe set below, highlighting how key moments and user decisions were mapped out.
Final Game Design
Gameplay
For the final in-game design, I integrated stills of the environment, dealer, and table provided by the VFX team to maintain visual consistency with the game’s cinematic style. I designed the HUD and UI elements to feel light, clean, and unobtrusive—ensuring they supported gameplay without overwhelming the 3D environment. To align the call-to-action buttons with the game's immersive aesthetic, I applied subtle gradients to create a metallic, tactile look that complemented the surrounding visuals.
Game Selection
The main dashboard serves as the hub where players select which game mode to join. Most games require entry keys, which players can craft by collecting scraps earned through gameplay. This process is visualized in the final design shown below.
User Profile
Within the Account section, users can manage their profile details and link crypto wallets. The platform allows them to connect to their preferred blockchain network, either Ethereum (ETH) or Binance Smart Chain (BSC), for handling in-game transactions and NFT assets.
Jackpot
The Jackpot feature was introduced as a later add-on, giving users a chance to spin daily for rewards. For this segment, I contributed beyond UX by also designing the prize wheel illustration in Adobe Illustrator to align with the game’s visual style.
Polker Gameplay Demo
Website Design
Designing for Consistency
I collaborated with the marketing team to gather and organize content for the website, ensuring it aligned with both product messaging and gameplay features. Using this content, I created a set of clean, functional wireframes to establish the website’s layout and content hierarchy. A core priority for the site was to be educational—introducing new users to the platform’s play-to-earn mechanics—while also placing strong emphasis on visual storytelling through prominent NFT displays and immersive game visuals.
Since I was also involved in the in-game design, I made it a point to maintain visual and UI consistency across both platforms. This led me to design an organic, visually engaging roadmap for the website—giving visitors a preview of the game’s artistry and cinematic aesthetic. The goal was to create a seamless connection between the website and in-game experience, reinforcing the brand’s identity and elevating anticipation for what players would encounter inside the game.
Wireframes and Final Design
Conclusion
Bringing clarity, consistency, and clean UX to the fast-evolving world of blockchain poker.
Polker.game presented a unique challenge in blending immersive 3D gameplay, blockchain mechanics, and NFT-driven systems into a seamless, approachable user experience. By collaborating closely with the product, art, and marketing teams, I was able to design intuitive user flows, craft a consistent UI system across both game and web platforms, and build experiences that balanced technical complexity with clarity and visual storytelling.
This project reinforced the value of maintaining consistency across multi-platform products and the importance of thoughtful, progressive onboarding when introducing emerging technologies like crypto wallets and NFTs to broader audiences. The final outcome was a cohesive, engaging ecosystem that delivered both playability and accessibility, setting a strong foundation for Polker’s evolving product roadmap.