Context

During my internship at Mobile Premier League (MPL), I worked on Callbreak, a strategic trick-taking card game where new players were dropping off after their very first game. Many users struggled to understand critical game mechanics like bidding, scoring, and trump cards, leading to frustration, poor performance, and early churn.

My task was to create an onboarding experience that educated players without slowing down real-time competitive gameplay — all within the existing structure and technical constraints of MPL’s gaming platform.

Problem Statement

First-time Callbreak players struggled to understand key mechanics like bidding, scoring, and using trump cards. This confusion led to poor gameplay, frustration, and a higher dropout rate. Improving early education in a lightweight, non-disruptive way was essential to boost retention and build player confidence from the very first match.

Pain Points

• Difficulty understanding the bidding system and estimating the right number of hands to bid.
• Confusion about how the scoring system works, especially how points are awarded or deducted based on performance against bids.
• Lack of clarity on the use and importance of trump cards (Spades) and when to play them.
• Frustration due to unfamiliar rules like "following the suit" during play.
• Feeling overwhelmed and lost due to no proper introduction to the game mechanics.

Objectives

• Help new players make informed bids before starting the match.
• Clearly explain how scoring works in different scenarios (matching, exceeding, or falling short of bids).
• Teach new players about trump cards and their strategic importance.