PlayTogether turns remote game nights into something that actually feels like being in the same room — one link, one space, zero app-switching.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Name | PlayTogether |
| Type | Social Gaming Platform |
| Course | Interaction Design Practice — Final Project |
| Team | Ibrahim AlAntary · Siddharth Prabhakar · Suhith Vasanth · Vishakha Ghodekar |
| Tools | Figma · Paper Prototyping · Think-Aloud Studies · Expert Heuristic Review |
| Status | Completed |
Remote work and migration have scattered friend groups, eroding rituals like weekly game nights. But the real problem isn't distance — it's the tools.
"Without faces in view or social cues to anchor them, players multitask or drop off quietly, leaving sessions feeling hollow."
To follow one game night, people currently juggle:
Every switch breaks the social energy before play even begins.
| Stat | Data |
|---|---|
| Americans playing games online with others | ~112 million (1 in 3) |
| Global board-game market by 2028 | $30 billion |
| Fully remote full-time workers | 12%+ |
| Hybrid workers | ~28% |
| Tool | Strength | Critical Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom / FaceTime | Face-to-face video | No shared activities |
| Discord + Bots | Voice + basic games | High setup friction, feels bolted-on |
| Tabletop Simulator | Simulation fidelity | Steep learning curve, intimidating |
| Board Game Arena | Large game library | No integrated voice or video |
| Jackbox Party Packs | Accessible and fun | External chat needed, 8-player cap |