Helping Teamfight Tactics Users Rank Up
To comply with my non-disclosure agreements, I have omitted and anonymized confidential information. This case study is shared under fair use to demonstrate my research process, thinking, and impact.
TSM Esports
Blitz.gg desktop app and in-game overlays
Generative Survey, Playtesting, Diary Study
3 months
The Problem
In May of 2022, TSM Esports' stakeholders decided that they wanted their desktop app, Blitz.gg, to be the premiere statistics tracking and coaching software available for Teamfight Tactics (TFT), an auto-chess video game. Although it is an incredibly popular game, at the time none of our competitors supported TFT. Therefore, this was an incredibly valuable business opportunity that had the potential to increase our user base and our revenue.
Our cross-functional product team was tasked with developing in-game overlays and in-app features that would help our players rank up and have more fun while playing the game.
Research
To begin this massive project, we launched a generative survey via Qualtrics with our target audience: TFT players between the ranks of Bronze and Diamond. We identified their pain points within TFT and collected their ideas for helpful features that Blitz could provide.
Six major features (among others) came out of this initiative and underwent playtesting. The most notable among this was a Team Compositions in-game overlay, which allows users to view the strongest comps in the current meta + the best items to build on each unit while they play (as opposed to remembering them, or looking them up in another tab).
Finally, we conducted a diary study with this new beta build for TFT: players who had never tried Blitz before were instructed to use the app for a month. They completed surveys at the beginning, middle, and end of their experience. Additionally, our team monitored their ranks daily. Our sample was an even distribution of players from Bronze through Diamond, with a total sample size of N=25.
Results
In addition to stellar SUS scores, our diary study revealed that players ranked up an entire division (100LP) on average because of our app! With these data-backed insights, we launched our new features to great success.
Our user base for TFT increased by 23% post-launch, and general satisfaction ratings for TFT remained a solid 4.8/5.0 for the remainder of my time with TSM Esports.
Because of these features and others, Blitz.gg won the Esports Awards Supporting Service of the Year in 2024.
23%
Increase in TFT user base
4.8/5.0
User satisfaction ratings
100LP
Increase in player rank
Our final design for the team compositions in-game overlay, expanded view.