Contraband, 2023 | Avalanche Studios | Console
Senior UI / UX Designer
Contraband was a highly anticipated, cooperative heist-driven open-world game by Avalanche Studios, slated as an exclusive for Xbox Series X|S. Announced in 2021 as a “co-op smuggler’s paradise” set in a 1970s fictional world, it was unexpectedly shelved in 2025 following industry-wide development cuts and strategic shifts.
Bkom Studios was contracted by Avalanche to explore how matchmaking and loadout flow could be streamlined for a multiplayer mode. This presented an opportunity to design a player-facing system that balanced narrative immersion (“mercenaries picking up contracts”) with functional gameplay funneling—despite the project's uncertain fate.
My Role & Responsibilities
Represented Bkom Studios as Lead UX Designer, partnered with a programmer specializing in multiplayer tech.
Defined core UX flow for matchmaking and in-lobby loadout customization through user flow charts and interactive UE5 mockups.
Led pre-production research, prototyping entry point, and flow logic during a short engagement window.
Conducted user testing with the prototype and accompanying survey, analyzed the results, and integrated findings directly into design refinements.
Compiled design deliverables and user insights into a cohesive package, then presented recommendations and final mockups to Avalanche.
Delivered a functional UI mockup—both wireframe and stylized—for Avalanche before contract completion.
Process & Key UX Considerations
User Contextual Framing: Designed systems to feel thematic—players gathering as mercenary crews while waiting for matchmaking.
Parallel Streams: Enabled proactive loadout changes during matchmaking waits without breaking flow or aesthetic immersion.
Rapid Prototyping: Converted flow charts into a working mockup with UE5 in collaboration with programmer, enabling early visual validation.
Team Collaboration: Integrated real-time feedback loops with the programmer and client representatives to ensure fidelity and usability within tight deadlines.
Outcome & Impact
Delivered the UI mockup ahead of schedule, showcasing strong team coordination and agile delivery.
Helped Bkom Studios strengthen its relationship with Avalanche, positioning us as a reliable partner.
Though Contraband was later canceled, the project demonstrated how rapid prototyping, user testing, and clear UX strategy can de-risk early multiplayer design.
One of the proposed screens in the new Co-Op UX
Creating UI components for our UE demo based on the provided style guide
Pregame screen