Seamlessly uniting Destiny players across platforms with the power of Cross-Save.
2019
Sr. UX Designer
Destiny 2:
Cross Save
OVERVIEW
The Destiny player base was originally split between major platforms, Xbox and PlayStation, with no way to play together across systems. Players had to either commit to one platform or manage separate accounts, grinding through character progression multiple times. This issue became even more pronounced when Destiny 2 launched on PC, drawing many players away from consoles due to its superior technical performance. Cross-Save was introduced to allow players to seamlessly access their characters, inventory, and progress across platforms, making their Destiny account function like a Netflix profile—accessible anywhere.
Challenges
One of the biggest challenges was leadership resistance, as some believed that players enjoyed managing multiple accounts across platforms. It took four years of persistence to secure approval for Cross-Save. Additionally, platform and currency limitations created a complex issue where in-game currency (Silver) was locked to specific storefronts, meaning purchases made on one platform would not carry over to another. The UX challenge was to ensure that players clearly understood these limitations and didn’t feel misled when enabling Cross-Save.
Approach
The UX design needed to be simple and foolproof to ensure players knew exactly how Cross-Save worked. A step-by-step guided flow was created to walk players through logging in, linking accounts, and selecting their primary set of characters. The design focused on clarity, displaying relevant information like characters, Silver balances, and hours played. To prevent confusion, copywriting was kept direct and transparent, and intuitive animations helped users move seamlessly through the process. TurboTax was used as a reference for making complex workflows feel effortless.
the outcome
Cross-Save launched in 2019 to overwhelming success, with massive player adoption and positive reception. The seamless UX was widely praised by the community, with players appreciating how easy and intuitive the process was. Even Reddit comments acknowledged how difficult it would have been to get the UX wrong, reinforcing that the design achieved its goal of being effortless and accessible.
Lessons Learned
Persistence is key when advocating for UX improvements, as great ideas may take years to gain approval. Communication is just as important as design—ensuring players understand how a feature works is critical to its success. The best UX experiences feel obvious and natural, eliminating friction and confusion for users.
Final Thoughts
Cross-Save was one of the most impactful projects in Destiny’s history, transforming how players engaged with the game across platforms. This project demonstrated the importance of solving real player problems, designing intuitive experiences, and advocating for features that improve long-term engagement. The success of Cross-Save reinforced the value of player-first UX, making powerful systems feel simple and seamless.