Winnipeg, Canada • Remote friendly
Nexus CS2
North American platform connecting Counter-Strike players
- Role
- Owner and Product designer
- Timeline
- 4 weeks
- Platform
- Web app
- Tools
- Figma
Nexus CS2 website
About the project
Nexus CS2 is a beta-launched platform connecting players, coaches, and teams in the North American Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) scene, with a focus on leagues like ESEA. It addresses gaps in existing tools, streamlining team-building and networking for the competitive community.
Idea
The inspiration for this project struck me upon realizing the proximity of Esports to our daily lives. Its popularity is on the rise every day. For instance, stars from traditional sports like Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Daniil Medvedev became owners or co-owners of esports organisations that are participating in Counter-Strike 2 tournaments.
Problem
The competitive CS2 community still lacks a dedicated platform for finding teammates, teams, and coaching opportunities. As a result, players and organizations rely on fragmented solutions that make communication harder and slow down the growth of the ecosystem.
- There is no single platform for finding players, teams, and coaches.
- Twitter and Discord are commonly used, but they are chaotic and difficult to navigate.
- Existing solutions make it hard to quickly find relevant posts and trustworthy connections.
- Faceit, despite being the leading competitive league platform, does not solve networking and team-building needs.
- Fragmented tools reduce efficiency and make community interaction more difficult.
- This slows down the growth and development of the competitive CS2 scene.
Before: cluttered hierarchy
Before: inconsistent components
Solution
Nexus CS2 provides a streamlined, user-centric platform tailored to the competitive CS2 community. It eliminates the inefficiencies of existing tools by offering:
For players
Find compatible teammates quickly
For Coaches
Showcase expertise and attract clients
For Teams
Streamline recruitment and build stronger rosters
To make Nexus CS2 a comfortable and efficient platform for users, key problems were identified, and tailored solutions were developed to address them:
Problem 1: Difficulty in Finding Compatible Matches
Current platforms lack the tools to match players and teams based on important criteria like skill level, time zone, and goals.
Solution 1: Streamlined Player and Team Matching
Nexus CS2 provides advanced filters, enabling users to find ideal teammates or opportunities based on specific criteria like skill level, goals, and availability.
Problem 2: Limited Showcasing Opportunities
Unstructured profiles make it hard for players, teams, and coaches to highlight their achievements and aspirations, leading to missed connections.
Solution 2: Comprehensive Profiles
Structured and comprehensive profiles make it easier to showcase expertise and build credibility, fostering meaningful connections.
Problem 3: Disorganized User Experience
Existing platforms like Twitter and Discord are not designed for competitive gaming, making the process of finding relevant posts or contacts inefficient.
Solution 3: User-Focused Interface
With a clean, user-focused design, Nexus CS2 eliminates clutter and streamlines the search process, saving users valuable time.
Shown above: Players Looking for Team forms on Nexus CS2.
Market research
The global CS2 community is rapidly expanding, with over 1.5 million concurrent players and 20% of the esports market based in North America.
The esports industry is projected to exceed $1.9 billion by 2025, creating a significant growth opportunity.
Nexus CS2 seizes this potential by offering a dedicated platform that meets the unique needs of competitive players, teams, and coaches.
Shown above: Statistics showing CS2's growing community.
User research
For user research, I interviewed three groups of people: players looking for teams, coaches, and team captains. These interviews revealed key insights into the challenges they face when trying to connect with others in the competitive CS2 community:
Players
14 of the 20 players struggle to find reliable teammates who match their skill level, time zone, and goals.
Coaches
Coaches (4 interviewed) often have difficulty connecting with teams and promoting their expertise effectively within the community.
Team Captains
6 of the 9 team captains reported having difficulty finding new players, relying on recommendations rather than exploring new options.
Based on these insights, the next step is to create user personas that reflect the needs, goals, and pain points of players, coaches, and team captains.
These personas will guide the design of Nexus CS2 to ensure it effectively addresses the challenges identified in the research.
Shown above: A player frustrated by the lack of team-finding features.
User personas
User personas
Through interviews with competitive players, coaches, and team captains, I gained valuable insights into the unique challenges and goals within the CS2 community. These findings were instrumental in shaping the user personas for Nexus CS2.
Nicki Harris
21 y/o • Georgia, US • Student
“I need a team that is focused on constantly growing together. Finding committed, skilled players who align with my goals is tough. A platform that connects me with like-minded individuals would be a game-changer.”
Goals
- Find a stable team with strong coordination and competitive ambitions.
- Access training resources and coaches who can elevate the team’s strategy and performance.
- Be part of a larger esports organization to help with career growth and sponsorships.
Pain points
- Frustrated with teams that lack consistency or aren't aligned with her goals.
- Wants better access to professional-level coaching and development tools.
- Needs a better way to evaluate players’ performance and playstyle before reaching out.
Daniel Carter
29 y/o • Chicago, US • Unemployed
“Helping players reach their potential is what drives me. But finding teams that value coaching is a challenge. I need a platform where I can connect with those serious about improving”
Goals
- Find players and teams willing to invest in coaching to improve their performance.
- Develop a strong track record to gain recognition as a top coach in the scene.
- Build long-term relationships with players and teams to foster growth.
Pain points
- Limited visibility as an up-and-coming coach.
- Difficulty finding players and teams who value coaching services.
- Faces competition from established coaches with more experience.