Building an ICO platform to fuel growth in gaming & blockchain
Discovery, UX Design, UI Design, 3D
Thomas Dyrks
Hoard is digital platform designed to bridge the gap between NFTs and gaming, enabling true ownership of in-game assets on the blockchain. Imagine a world where players aren’t just participants in games - they are stakeholders in their virtual economies. Through Hoard’s marketplace, users can trade, loan, or rent their NFTs, unlocking new opportunities for monetization and gameplay innovation. With an easy-to-use, open-source toolkit, Hoard aims to disrupt the $80 billion virtual items market.The mission was ambitious: create an ICO platform in under two months to raise $20 million. This funding would accelerate Hoard’s product development roadmap, ensuring the company could seize its position at the forefront of blockchain gaming.
My role
As a Product Designer, I was responsible for:
Outcome
Build a high-impact ICO platform quickly
Hoard’s core products were still in development, with the MVP a few months away. Our task was to create an ICO platform that could secure the funds needed to bring these products to life - all within a tight timeframe.
Craft a compelling narrative
As a disruptive force in both the blockchain and gaming industries, Hoard needed a bold visual identity and impactful messaging to capture attention and build investor confidence.
Align with business priorities
Despite Hoard’s extensive product roadmap, the ICO platform was the immediate priority. Staying laser-focused on this goal was essential
Our journey with Hoard began by going beyond surface-level requirements - we immersed ourselves in their world. I spent time with the team to deeply understand their business model, customer base, and long-term vision. This discovery phase helped us identify what truly made Hoard unique, setting the tone for every creative decision that followed.
To ignite creative thinking, we began with moodboarding. Not as a visual exercise alone, but as a strategic deep dive into trends, aesthetics, and positioning opportunities. These boards acted as a visual compass throughout the project. At the same time, we tackled the challenge of translating Hoard’s intricate value proposition spanning blockchain, NFTs, and gaming into simple, compelling messaging. We iterated through various brand slogans and distilled complex ideas into language that resonated clearly with a broader audience.
Our design choices were rooted in audience insight. From our research, we identified three core segments: gamers, developers, and investors each with distinct needs. We created tailored value propositions for each group, ensuring the brand spoke directly to their motivations. Visually, we aimed for a brand identity that felt bold yet accessible. A vibrant color system, custom illustrations, and distinctive iconography gave Hoard a fresh, confident look - one that reinforced its innovative spirit at every touchpoint.
To reinforce Hoard’s message and stand out in a crowded market, I developed a custom illustration system tailored to its brand voice. These illustrations weren’t just decorative - they were purposeful tools that clarified complex concepts, brought personality to the platform, and supported the core value propositions for each audience segment. By maintaining visual consistency and thematic alignment across use cases, the illustration system became a key driver of differentiation, helping Hoard communicate with clarity, warmth, and originality.
This project demonstrated how strategic design, when aligned with business priorities, can support rapid growth in emerging industries.
Focus drives results
Prioritizing the ICO platform’s core goal - raising funds - kept the team aligned and efficient, ensuring we met tight deadlines without compromising quality.
Simplicity wins
In complex industries like blockchain, clear communication and simple design are key to engaging audiences and building trust.