Player Journey Mapping Template
Comprehensive templates for mapping player experiences across critical Gaming journeys. Identify touchpoints, emotions, pain points, and opportunities for improvement.
What is Journey Mapping?
Journey mapping is a visual representation of the player's experience as they interact with your Gaming brand across multiple touchpoints and stages. It captures not just the steps players take, but also their emotions, motivations, pain points, and moments of delight throughout the journey.
A well-constructed journey map helps Gaming operators identify friction points that drive churn, opportunities to enhance satisfaction, and moments where personalised interventions can increase engagement and lifetime value. By visualising the entire experience from the player's perspective, teams can align cross-functional efforts around improving the most impactful touchpoints.
The templates below provide structured frameworks for mapping two critical Gaming journeys: player registration and first deposit. Each template includes journey stages, key touchpoints, emotional states, pain points, and opportunities for optimisation.
Template 1: Player Registration Journey
| Journey Stage | Player Goal | Key Touchpoints | Emotional State | Pain Points | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Awareness Player discovers brand | Learn about the platform and decide if it's trustworthy | • Landing page • Marketing ads • Affiliate sites • Social media | Curious Exploring options | • Unclear value proposition • Too many competitors • Lack of trust signals • Slow page load | • Clear USP messaging • Prominent licences • Player testimonials • Welcome bonus clarity |
2. Consideration Evaluating the offer | Understand registration requirements and welcome bonus terms | • Homepage • Promotions page • T&Cs page • Game lobby preview | Evaluating Comparing options | • Complex T&Cs • Hidden wagering requirements • Unclear game selection • No demo play option | • Simplified bonus explainer • Visual wagering calculator • Demo game access • Comparison table vs competitors |
3. Registration Start Initiating account creation | Begin registration process quickly and easily | • Sign-up button • Registration form (step 1) • Email/phone entry • Password creation | Motivated Ready to start | • Too many form fields • Unclear password requirements • No social login option • Mobile keyboard issues | • Progressive disclosure (multi-step) • Social login (Google, Apple) • Real-time validation • Mobile-optimised inputs |
4. KYC Verification Identity verification | Complete verification quickly without frustration | • Document upload • ID verification • Address proof • Selfie/liveness check | Frustrated High friction point | • Unclear requirements • Document rejection (no reason) • Long verification wait • Poor mobile camera UX | • Clear document examples • Instant automated verification • Real-time status updates • In-app camera with guides |
5. Account Activation Completing setup | Activate account and start exploring | • Email verification • Welcome email • Account dashboard • Onboarding tour | Relieved Ready to play | • Email not received • Confusing next steps • Overwhelming dashboard • No guidance on first deposit | • Instant email delivery • Clear CTA: "Make First Deposit" • Interactive onboarding • Personalised game recommendations |
Template 2: First Deposit Journey
| Journey Stage | Player Goal | Key Touchpoints | Emotional State | Pain Points | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Deposit Decision Deciding to fund account | Understand deposit options and choose amount | • Cashier page • Payment methods list • Bonus information • Deposit limits | Cautious Evaluating risk | • Too many payment options • Unclear fees • Confusing bonus T&Cs • No preferred payment method | • Highlight popular methods • Clear fee disclosure • Bonus calculator • Trust badges (SSL, PCI-DSS) |
2. Payment Method Selection Choosing how to pay | Select trusted, convenient payment method | • Payment method grid • Method details • Processing time info • Limits & fees | Confident Found preferred method | • Method not available • Unclear processing times • Hidden minimum deposits • No saved payment methods | • Offer popular local methods • Clear timing expectations • Upfront limit display • Secure card tokenisation |
3. Amount Entry Entering deposit amount | Enter desired amount and see bonus preview | • Amount input field • Quick amount buttons • Bonus preview • Final amount display | Excited Seeing bonus value | • Below minimum error • Bonus not applied • Currency conversion confusion • No amount suggestions | • Real-time validation • Auto-apply best bonus • Clear currency display • Suggested amounts (£10, £20, £50) |
4. Payment Processing Completing transaction | Complete payment securely and quickly | • Payment gateway • 3DS authentication • Processing screen • Confirmation page | Anxious Critical moment | • Payment declined (unclear reason) • 3DS timeout • Long processing time • Redirect to external site | • Clear decline reasons + solutions • Seamless 3DS (iframe) • Real-time status updates • In-app payment flow |
5. Post-Deposit Funds received | See funds in account and start playing | • Success confirmation • Balance update • Bonus activation • Game recommendations | Delighted Ready to play | • Funds not visible immediately • Bonus not activated • No guidance on next steps • Overwhelming game choice | • Instant balance update • Auto-activate bonus • "Start Playing" CTA • Curated game suggestions |
How to Use These Templates
Gather Cross-Functional Input
Involve product, UX, marketing, support, and analytics teams in mapping sessions. Each team brings unique insights into player behaviour and pain points. Use workshops or collaborative tools (Miro, FigJam) to build the map together.
Validate with Real Player Data
Don't rely on assumptions. Use analytics data (drop-off rates, time spent), session replays (where players get stuck), and player feedback (surveys, support tickets) to validate each stage. Identify the biggest friction points with quantitative evidence.
Prioritise High-Impact Improvements
Not all pain points are equal. Focus on stages with high drop-off rates or low satisfaction scores. Use an impact/effort matrix to prioritise quick wins (high impact, low effort) and strategic bets (high impact, high effort). Ignore low-impact issues for now.
Test and Iterate
Implement improvements incrementally and measure impact. Use A/B testing for major changes (e.g., simplified registration form). Track metrics before and after (completion rates, time to complete, CSAT). Update the journey map as you learn.
Keep Maps Living Documents
Journey maps should evolve as your product, players, and market change. Review quarterly to incorporate new features, updated metrics, and fresh player feedback. Archive old versions to track progress over time.
Downloadable Resources
Use this blank template to map additional journeys such as withdrawal, game discovery, or VIP onboarding. Includes all standard sections: stages, touchpoints, emotions, pain points, and opportunities.
Comprehensive guide for running effective journey mapping workshops with your team. Includes agenda, activities, facilitation tips, and follow-up actions.
Related Resources
Learn how to measure and optimise customer experience across the player journey
Read Guide →Understand journey analytics platforms and methodologies
Read Guide →Analyse conversion funnels and identify drop-off points
Read Guide →