Meta – Avatar Migration Migrating 500M+ users from legacy avatars to a next-generation identity and bridging them onto a new platform Context I took on two distinct challenges – preserving identity during a visual upgrade, and convincing users to step into an entirely new platform Since their launch, Meta’s avatars have gone through several small incremental style updates – but this was different. A complete aesthetic overhaul to bring the visual quality in line with AAA games, which meant users’ familiar avatars would look fundamentally different. At the same time, a separate challenge: getting those users to cross into Horizon, an entirely new platform, by surfacing compelling enough reasons to make the leap. People don’t like change – and they’re even less likely to download a new app to go along with it. “I’ve had my avatar for years – I don’t want it to change and look weird. And honestly, I don’t even know what Horizon is or why I’d want to go there.” – FoA Avatar user Problem Both challenges were rooted in the same thing – needing confidence before committing to something unfamiliar: Identity anxiety: Users couldn’t clearly see how their avatar would change, creating fear that they’d no longer be recognisable A forgettable moment: The new style was beautiful, but without a reason to show it off the migration risked going unnoticed by others New platform: Users could use their avatars on the family of apps – making it hard to articulate why a new app was worth it Solution I designed the upgrade to feel like an event, and built a seasonal activation framework to make crossing into Horizon feel irresistible. Upsells and reveal: Subtle upsells built anticipation before launch; at launch users saw their avatar transform, and received exclusive art-directed stickers to share Seasonal activation: Contextually timed, art-directed promos surfaced Horizon-exclusive content at the right moment to motivate the download Frictionless onboarding: A single-screen sign-up and one-tap download meant users went from tapping an upsell to being signed into Horizon Outcome 250 million users migrated, 5.2 million Horizon accounts created – and a 400k MAU target hit three months ahead of schedule. 60% migration rate against a 40% target – migrating ~250M users at a pace of ~230k per day 5.2M Horizon accounts created; which accounted for 45% of all Horizon users and over 85% of Horizon MAU The seasonal activation framework became the standard playbook for all Horizon growth initiatives