Tomb Raider is one of gaming’s most enduring franchises, built on exploration, mastery, and earned progression. Fans arrived on this site with high intent, but account registration functioned as a basic gate rather than a designed conversion moment. Behind the scenes, teams relied on manual processes and disconnected systems that limited flexibility and scale.

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Crystal Dynamics needed a registration system that could reduce friction for fans, withstand real-world complexity, offer enticing incentives, and operate as a product their teams could confidently manage and grow.

From the beginning, this work was about more than improving a single flow. We set out to design a conversion system made up of multiple, interconnected moments that work together to drive registration.

Crystal Dynamics knows how to design video games. We applied that same mindset to the web by treating registration, incentives, and interaction as coordinated mechanics rather than isolated features.

Registration Is the Payoff, Not the Starting Line

Registration works best when it feels earned. Instead of pushing fans directly to sign up, we designed experiences that build motivation first, then introduced account creation at moments of peak intent.

Conversion Depends on Systems, Not One-Off Ideas

Incentives, puzzles, and campaigns only succeed when they can be repeated and managed at scale. We had to lay the operational foundation so the front-end experiences could function reliably under real-world conditions.

Give Teams the Same Power as Players

Just as fans need intuitive experiences, internal teams need control. Admin tooling, automation, and visibility were treated as first-class features, enabling confidence, speed, and experimentation.

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Rather than leading with registration alone, the solution brings together incentives, interaction, and onboarding into a single conversion journey. Each component reinforces the others.

Reimagining Registration as a Guided Experience

Account creation was redesigned as a multi-step onboarding flow that unfolds over time. Instead of asking for commitment upfront, the experience introduces value first and guides users toward registration as a natural next step.

Clear messaging supports first-time visitors and returning fans alike, while progressive disclosure reduces friction and leverages moments of adventure. 

This flow serves as the destination for all other conversion mechanics across the website.

Building Incentive Infrastructure That Scales

A new Code Generation system served as the engine of the experience. This system provides all the tools for code generation, distribution, and redemption that allows teams to run registration-driven campaigns with reduced manual overhead.

Admins can create static or unique codes tied to specific rewards, distribute them across channels, and track redemption status with clarity. The system integrates content management, player profiles, email delivery, and analytics into a single operational workflow.

This infrastructure turns incentives into a reliable conversion lever rather than a fragile, one-off tactic.

Using Interactive Gating to Drive Commitment

Reusable Tomb Door puzzles extend the incentive system into interactive space. These puzzles are fully configurable and modular, allowing teams to design custom experiences without rebuilding from scratch.

For fans, puzzles introduce challenge and discovery. For the business, they function as intentional gates that connect effort to reward and naturally lead users toward registration.

By designing puzzles as a system rather than a novelty, Crystal Dynamics can deploy them repeatedly as part of broader campaigns.

Removing Barriers with Single Sign-On

Single Sign-On was one of the most underrated wins of the project. By allowing fans to create accounts using platforms they already trust, we dramatically reduced friction while preserving flexibility and security.

Together, these decisions transformed the Tomb Raider website from a static destination into a living product.

Fans now encounter registration as part of the experience, not an interruption. Curiosity is rewarded. Progress feels earned. Creating an account becomes a meaningful first step into the community.

Internally, Crystal Dynamics gained something just as valuable. Confidence. Teams can now launch, manage, and evolve campaigns without fear that the system will break under scale or scrutiny.

For ThreeSixtyEight, the impact extends beyond this project. This work demonstrates where we are headed as a company. Deep technical partnerships. Bespoke gamification. Conversion systems that feel like adventures.