Mobile gaming platform terminology and tone of voice

Creating clear, accessible language in Meta Horizon as it pivoted from a VR product to mobile gaming.

Platform:

Meta Horizon mobile gaming platform

Scope:

Terminology, tone of voice, accessibility, style guide

Partners:

Product marketing and localisation

The problem

Meta Horizon was pivoting from a VR-focused platform into a mobile-first, AI-powered game creation experience. This required updates to terminology and tone of voice to engage a broader mobile audience.

Existing terms such as “Worlds” and “Go” were not immediately clear and messaging needed to match users’ mental models on mobile.

Naming was inconsistent across surfaces, with different teams using different terms for the same concepts.

Messaging needed to support both game creators and players. Language also needed to work consistently to reach audiences on Instagram, Facebook, and the wider Meta ecosystem so that users would recognise familiar terms and more readily engage.


The process

I worked with product design, PMM, UXR, and cross-functional partners to identify key concepts and where existing terms were no longer clear.

I then shaped clearer names, action labels, and tone guidance for key tasks and product objects. The aim was to make language more natural for mobile users while remaining consistent with the wider Meta ecosystem.

I also pushed for plainer, more accessible language that was easier to scan and understand in context. Approved terms were documented in shared guidance and added to Acrolinx so teams could apply them consistently.


The result

  • Reduced ambiguity in key terms through clearer definitions and guidance

  • Improved consistency in naming across teams and surfaces

  • Reduced rework in terminology decisions

  • Improved alignment in cross-functional reviews

  • Increased consistency across Instagram, Facebook, and Horizon surfaces

  • Faster adoption of approved terminology via documentation and Acrolinx

  • Supported a more scalable and maintainable content model