The importance of your website’s homepage cannot be understated. It’s easily the most influential aspect of your site because internet users are both shallow and fickle – perhaps a sentiment that’s too harsh, but it’s a good mindset for a designer to have. The whole online space is so easy to traverse that any website that doesn’t appease a user almost immediately can easily be passed over, regardless of the quality therein.
Several statistics support this, including: over 35 per cent of people leave a site if it’s deemed to be unattractive; the average time spent viewing the site’s main image is around six seconds; and as many at three-quarters of people say that web design does influence their perception of its credibility.
You have a lot at stake whenever someone arrives on your homepage, so to help inspire a theme or layout for your website, we’ve collected some of the very best from the world of gaming. Gaming websites, from those for single titles to ones hosting loads of games, all need to make great first impressions to emphasise their appeal.
From The Games Themselves
Arguably, individual games have a tougher job of designing their homepages because they need to be as appealing as possible while essentially only offering one product. Users don’t want to be mobbed with information, but they do need to get a sense of awe and excitement from the off.
The Mortal Kombat website does this very well. It immediately catches the eye with the striking use of contained effects on still images. The homepage features pictures of three of the game’s characters, with each of them having animated fists – one electric, one fire, and one green and clouded. The trio dominates the screen when you arrive, with the call to action button of ‘Buy Now’ being bold and very well-placed. Scrolling down gives clear-cut information about the game, and going to either side from the header image brings up action-packed videos.
The most impressive website, however, goes to the indie game developed alongside the Blue Planet II team, Beyond Blue. As the game itself is focussed on bringing the oceans to life in an immersive adventure game, it makes sense that the homepage gives the user the sense that they’re already exploring. As soon as it’s open, you’re shown an ongoing video that makes you feel like you’re swimming around, with the ability to look side to side just by moving the mouse cursor. Of course, prominently placed amidst this beauty is the ‘Buy Now’ button.
Showcasing The Diversity Of A Whole Platform
Modern online gaming platforms have learned that the best way to appeal to as many players as possible is to have a slick web design that demonstrates all of the entertainment packed into the site. This can be difficult, though, because websites are now capable of hosting several hundreds of games.
With hundreds of games, bonus offers, promotions, new arrivals, and side offerings, Royal Panda has a titanic task of showcasing its offering in an aesthetically-pleasing manner. However, the online casino manages to pull it off thanks to its crafty layout. Along the toolbar, users can see that there are many pages to explore, with the header image automatically flicking through eye-catching promotions and games. A subtle but effective aspect is that the header image only takes up three-quarters of the screen. So, it’s big and bold enough to grab attention, but there’s also plenty of space beneath to show off the top of the list of popular games and the ever-increasing jackpot tally, spurring intrigue and further scrolling.
Aiming to break into the monopolised space of PC launchers, the Epic Games Store homepage had to be near-perfect to appeal to the millions of gamers conditioned to playing through Steam. Epic went with a clean-cut design that feels bold but not overcrowded – as can often feel like the case elsewhere – running its promotions and featured games along the header slider. Just below, you can see good-sized tiles for games on sale, then the free games, and then the new games. It all blends very well to make scrolling through the store an exciting experience. Level Up Your Web Design Game
Whether you have a lot on offer or just a couple of goods or services, utilise the methods of these top gaming sites to inspire your web design.
