Designer Q&A: Ubisoft Reflections Website

Working with North East based gaming studio Ubisoft Reflections to design their new website was a bit of a dream project for our own resident designer, Thomas Wood.

How did you feel about working with Ubisoft Reflections?

When I heard we had won Ubisoft Reflections as a client I was ecstatic. As a creative individual with a huge interest in video games, it was a dream project of mine to work on a brief that involved such a veteran studio of the games industry. I requested to take the lead role in the project due to it being a career goal I’d set myself at a young age.

Being able to work on a project like this within KOMODO was one of the main reasons I joined the company. It was an ambitious step in securing Ubisoft as a client but one I felt very proud of when we achieved it, especially once I was chosen to lead the design work on the project.

What are your thoughts on Ubisoft Reflections as a gaming studio?

As I grew up playing their games, including the likes of Destruction Derby and the Driver series, I already had an understanding of who they were. It was a great experience, to me personally, as well as professionally to visit a studio in which games had been created that I’d played earlier in life. They have cemented their place in the industry with 30 plus years experience and I still continue to play their games today, with Grow Home and Grow Up being firm favourites of mine.

It was clear that Ubisoft Reflections take a lot of pride in what they produce. Visiting the studio allowed us to see just how dedicated and hard-working the team were. Their meeting room walls were adorned with artwork taken from their back catalogue of games, along with awards and team photos. It was quite a nostalgic experience to see artwork from games I’d spent my childhood playing.

What did you enjoy most about the project?

Reflections were very hands-on in their approach. It was great to work so closely with them in order to bring the project to life. Being able to collaborate on ideas, as well as review and amend designs, over numerous meetings, was fundamental to allowing us to create the visual identity they wanted as part of their brand. Reflections were also punctual with providing imagery, copy and assets that allowed us to continue our exploration of various design concepts.

Did you experience any challenges along the way?

It was difficult to detour from the initial concept I had for how I thought the site could look. The client already had an idea pretty much set in stone due to a photoshoot and internal discussion that had occurred before our involvement, which made it difficult to find a happy medium between my idea and theirs. We got there in the end, it’s always a learning curve to understand when to compromise and go with a new direction, no matter how much you liked the original idea.

How do you feel looking back on the project now?

Looking back I feel like we were able to achieve exactly the concept that they wanted. Coming to a compromise on my idea and theirs, we were able to create the initial vision they wanted from us when they first approached us. It was great to work with such a dedicated team and a career-high for me personally to work on a project that I’d always wanted to.