DriveClub: Creating a Seamless Second-Screen Experience for PlayStation 4

Lead UX Designer

Introduction

The launch of the PlayStation 4 marked a new era for gaming, with DriveClub positioned as one of its standout launch titles. Unlike traditional racing games, DriveClub introduced a social, team-based experience, where players formed clubs and competed against others worldwide.

To make this vision even more immersive, the development studio, Evolution Studios, wanted to introduce a second-screen experience—a mobile and tablet app that would allow players to track progress, watch live gameplay, and interact with their driving clubs on the go.

I was brought in as the UX lead and project manager, tasked with designing and managing the development of a multi-device experience that seamlessly extended the console experience onto iOS and Android. With tight deadlines, shifting requirements, and the pressure of launching alongside the PlayStation 4, the project required a mix of precision, adaptability, and innovative thinking.

DriveClub was a PlayStation 4 launch title, introducing a team-based driving experience.

Evolution Studios wanted a second-screen app that allowed live tracking, club management, and gameplay streaming.

I was responsible for UX design, project management, and ensuring seamless multi-platform integration.

The app had to be visually and functionally aligned with the console experience while working on iOS and Android.

“A second-screen experience should feel like an extension of the game—not a separate app. Every interaction had to be as seamless and immersive as playing on the PlayStation 4.”

Bringing the Console Experience to Mobile

The second-screen app wasn’t just an add-on—it was an essential part of the DriveClub experience, allowing players to stay engaged with the game even when away from their console. This meant designing an app that:

Looked and felt like PlayStation 4, ensuring a seamless transition between devices.

Offered real-time game tracking, so players could monitor races, leaderboards, and club progress live.

Allowed club management, enabling players to chat with teammates, set challenges, and plan strategies.

The biggest challenge was ensuring that the experience remained fluid—users needed to be able to jump between console and mobile without feeling disconnected. Every aspect of the app was designed to mirror the UI and UX principles of the PlayStation ecosystem, making it feel like a natural extension of the game.

The app had to replicate the PlayStation 4 experience on mobile.

Features included real-time tracking, club management, and live race streaming.

Seamless transition between console and app was key to immersion.

“Players don’t just want to check stats—they want to stay in the game. The second-screen experience had to feel like an extension of the PlayStation 4, not a separate tool.”

Tight Deadlines & Evolving Requirements

With DriveClub launching alongside the PlayStation 4, the timeline was incredibly tight. On top of that, game development is a constantly shifting process, meaning requirements changed frequently, and new features had to be incorporated quickly.

Press events and demos had fixed deadlines, requiring fully functional builds of the app at multiple stages before launch. To keep pace, I:

Worked closely with Evolution Studios, ensuring our roadmap aligned with the game’s development.

Managed a team of designers and developers, balancing creativity with delivery speed.

Adapted to evolving requirements, ensuring new features could be incorporated without disrupting progress.

Despite these challenges, every milestone was hit on time, ensuring the app was ready for launch and well-received during pre-release press events.

Game development was constantly evolving, requiring flexibility in design and development.

Press events and demos had hard deadlines, meaning no room for delays.

Strong collaboration between teams ensured all milestones were met on time.

“In gaming, deadlines aren’t flexible—especially for launch titles. Hitting every milestone required precision, adaptability, and a tightly coordinated team effort.”

Media & Industry Reception

When the app was showcased in pre-release events, it was well-received by both media and the gaming community. As one of the first PlayStation 4 titles to introduce a fully integrated second-screen experience, many saw it as a glimpse into the future of connected gaming.

Gaming publications highlighted its potential to redefine how players engage with their games, with some even touting it as the beginning of a new category of second-screen gaming experiences.

Early media feedback was positive, with excitement around second-screen integration.

The app was positioned as an innovative step forward in how players interact with their games.

Industry response reinforced the value of connected gaming experiences

“The gaming industry moves fast—when you introduce something new, you have to get it right. The second-screen experience showed how mobile could enhance, not replace, console gaming.”

Client Feedback & Long-Term Success

The success of the app’s development process led to multiple contract extensions, allowing me to continue refining the experience up until launch. Evolution Studios was extremely pleased with the outcome, particularly how the app mirrored the console experience while introducing new ways for players to stay connected.

By the time DriveClub launched, the second-screen app had proven its value as an essential companion to the game, setting a new standard for how racing titles could engage players beyond the console.

Client feedback was overwhelmingly positive, leading to multiple contract extensions.

The app successfully delivered a seamless, engaging second-screen experience.

DriveClub’s companion app set a new benchmark for connected gaming.

“Gaming isn’t just about what happens on the console—it’s about how players stay engaged beyond the screen. DriveClub’s second-screen experience proved how powerful that connection could be.”

Final Thoughts and Lessons Learned

Developing a second-screen experience for a major PlayStation launch title reinforced key lessons about building immersive, multi-platform gaming experiences:

Consistency is everything—if a second-screen app doesn’t feel like part of the game, players won’t use it.

Game development is fluid—teams must be ready to adapt to changing requirements while keeping deadlines intact.

Timing is critical—with fixed launch dates, every milestone must be met on schedule.

Second-screen gaming can enhance engagement—when designed well, mobile can extend gameplay in meaningful ways.

“A great second-screen experience doesn’t replace console gaming—it makes it richer, deeper, and more connected.”

Let's Work Together

If you’re looking to design immersive, multi-platform experiences, streamline development workflows, or integrate mobile with gaming, let’s chat.