The NYT Games app has revealed a new redesign to aid users in discovering games and monitoring their progress more efficiently. The refresh follows the renaming of the New York Times’ games-focused app from “NYT Crosswords” to “NYT Games” as it expanded its range of games. With new game card designs and simplified navigation, the redesign represents the company’s commitment to growing its gaming platform.
According to NYT Games product design director Jennifer Scheerer, the app underwent a transformation from being crossword-centric to becoming a central hub for all their games. With an expanding portfolio of games, the previous app design no longer sufficed, prompting the need for a redesign to cater to a wider audience of players.
The aim of the redesign is to create a more modern and welcoming environment for users. NYT Games principal product designer Lian Chang explained that the new design appeals to both existing and new players.
Chang stated, “We want new players to explore the variety of games, hence the vibrant use of color. The brand icons are clear, typography is streamlined. New users should easily discover the games they want to play. For seasoned players, functionality is key. The game cards aid in game discovery for unplayed games.”
Progress tracking is easier with the new game cards, showing users their status in a game and motivating them to complete it. The redesigned game cards serve the purpose of both attracting users to new games and aiding functionality.
Simplicity in navigation was a priority, with all games, archives, and packs accessible in one place to streamline the user experience. Scheerer mentioned, “We moved away from a crossword-centric design with other games in a horizontal scroll. Providing a comprehensive list of all games simplifies game discovery and allows for easier additions of new games and features.”
The previous version with five tabs at the bottom was simplified in the redesign to feature only three tabs. Chang elaborated that after testing various configurations, the tabs for “Games,” “Stats,” and “Leaderboard” were chosen to enhance the app’s homepage.
Personalized greetings were integrated to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for players, changing based on the time of day and user activity. The team plans to gather feedback from users to further develop the gaming platform beyond the recent redesign.
