Warped Kart Racers (2024)
iOS, Mac, Apple TV
I worked as a Live Ops Designer on Warped Kart Racers, a kart racing game on Apple Arcade supporting Mac, iOS, and Apple TV. As part of Lively’s design team, I helped shape the live experience and led the design of new game modes across five updates.
Studio: Electric Square
Clients: 20th Television / Apple Arcade
Engine: Unity
Team Size: 12+
Development Duration: 2022–2024
Role: Live Ops Designer
Key Contributions
- Led live-ops design across five major updates, analyzing retention and engagement data to inform feature direction.
- Designed and feature-championed three new game modes: Elimination, Crowned, and Overcharged.
- Designed League and Arcade systems, including progression logic, difficulty balancing, and rewards.
- Created and maintained documentation in Confluence covering design, analysis, and playtest feedback.
- Coordinated localization for all live updates and achievements.
- Fixed and balanced gameplay issues based on playtest data and community response.
Featured Game Modes
League
Expanded the core experience with weekly tournaments and milestone-based rewards.
Designed new AI difficulty tiers and implemented hidden rubber-banding systems to maintain fair challenge at higher leagues.
Elimination
A battle-royale-inspired mode where the player in last place is removed at timed intervals until one remains.
Served as prototype for later modes, establishing a consistent UX flow and modifier rhythm for live events.
Crowned
Introduced asymmetric competition where the crowned player earns double points but can be dethroned by others.
Balanced AI targeting and temporary buffs to maintain fair, exciting matches.
Overcharged
Removed random items, replacing them with a drift-powered battery mechanic that directly affects kart speed and boost.
Focused on rewarding precision and mastery for competitive players.
