solution
Create a whole new universe that is coherent, scalable and engaging for the user
Introducing Molly the burglar and her challenge
What changed?
According to stakeholder feedback, the "Drill Up" event felt uninspiring and disconnected from the core game universe.
To address this, we pivoted to a theme centered around Molly—the food-stealing mole.
We developed a brand-new concept featuring a bottom-up reward ladder and vibrant, high-impact universes that resonate more deeply with our users.
Event scalability
- New worlds
- New costumes
- New visual rewards / obstacles
Building the solution
competitor analysis
Competitors
Royal Match
Royal King
Match Villains
Coin Master
Hole.io
Hole it
- Every game has one or more progress reward ladders
- Every game shares one or more mechanics for progression (level completion streaks, complete a set amount of levels)
- Simple, in-your-face CTA colors do the trick, clear color distinctions where it counts
- In-game visuals focused on simplicity – menu etc. more playful and complex
- Compared to competition, All in Hole’s storytelling around Molly could be improved to gain more user retention
What have we learned ?
User interviews
- 4 interviews
- Casual mobile gamers
- Age range : 20-70
Maria H.
“I want a goal, something real to reach in the end”
ideation
Listening to the Player
Through targeted user interviews and user persona, I explored whether players wanted more “game” or more “story.”
The results shifted our strategy: players didn’t want to learn new rules; they wanted to feel appreciated for the skills they already have and escape monotony.
This led me to focus on Molly’s narrative and a “bottom-up” reward structure, ensuring the event added value without adding cognitive load.
Design
- Two versions of the mvp were created for this project
V1 - Forest Party
To solve the engagement gap, we introduced a clear narrative arc: Molly’s rise from her burrow to the surface. By framing the reward progression as “gathering friends for a party,” we replaced a dry mechanic with a relatable, joyful objective. This thematic shift ensures the experience feels cohesive and emotionally rewarding for the player.
Stakeholder feedback
While our initial MVP was well-received by test users, it faced a strategic challenge with stakeholders. Although they appreciated the imaginative world-building and storytelling, the “Forest Party” theme was deemed too divergent from the core “Drill Up” identity, a focused, bottom-up experience. The complexity of the new world-building raised unnecessary narrative questions that threatened to distract from the gameplay.
Consequently, we were tasked with stripping back the concept to find a more streamlined, intuitive theme that maintained the game’s straightforward appeal.
V2 - Tower Heist
Returning to the drawing board, we developed Tower Heist, a concept that perfectly balances Molly’s mischievous personality with the game’s core mechanics. We pivoted from “collecting food” to “cracking safes,” heightening the stakes and the sense of progression. Molly’s objective is now a vertical ascent up a high-security skyscraper, aiming for the ultimate prize at the summit. This theme provides a clear, high-stakes narrative that feels both intuitive and exciting for the player.
Testing
Improvements
We conducted two rounds of comparative testing between the “Forest Party” and “Tower Heist” iterations. The qualitative data from our MVP testers provided a clear, though nuanced, direction:
Mechanical Clarity: Users found Tower Heist significantly more intuitive and easier to grasp.
Thematic Synergy: Feedback confirmed that the heist concept felt more “in-tune” with the core All in Hole mechanics.
Engagement: While Forest Party was noted for its high engagement levels, the complexity that drove that engagement ultimately conflicted with the goal of a streamlined user experience.
This data validated our pivot toward Tower Heist as the most sustainable and “on-brand” direction for the product.
Final product
- Screens produced
- Prototype
Reflection
Key Takeaways
This project underscored a vital lesson in product discovery: the importance of proactive inquiry. While the initial brief was broad, we recognized that more rigorous questioning at the outset would have sharpened the project scope and aligned stakeholder expectations earlier.
Future Roadmap
The upcoming phase will focus on high-fidelity usability testing. Our goal is to validate the matching logic against real-time user behavior, ensuring that the “Tower Heist” mechanics translate into the seamless, intuitive experience our data suggests.