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When MetaMask set out to reward its 30 million users for the activity they were already doing, the question wasn’t whether to build a loyalty program, it was how to make one worth returning to again and again. Studio Freight was brought in to help answer that.
In this written conversation, digital design director Ilya Kostin walks through how a small team shaped the experience into seven explorable 3D worlds — complete with character progression, AI-augmented production workflows, and a marketing page designed to turn curiosity into commitment.
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CF
Let’s start with setting some context. Can you tell us about the client and the mission of the project?
IK
MetaMask is the most widely used self-custodial crypto wallet with more than 30 million monthly active users. They're owned by Consensys, who we'd already built a relationship with through designing their main website.?? So when MetaMask started developing a loyalty program, they came to us.
The project was MetaMask Rewards, essentially a points-based system built directly into the wallet app.
You earn points for swapping tokens, trading perpetuals, using prediction markets, spending with the MetaMask Card, referring friends. There's a seven-tier progression system, seasonal resets, stacking boosts. It borrows a lot from gaming mechanics!
For me personally, this was actually my first full project at Studio Freight. I worked alongside Ken Pena (digital designer at Studio Freight) and Nick Nelson (global head of brand at Consensys), and the scope was massive — integration with the MetaMask mobile app, desktop (web) app, a marketing page, a full 3D level (tier) system, 3D icon kit. It touched almost every surface of the MetaMask product.
The project was MetaMask Rewards, essentially a points-based system built directly into the wallet app.
You earn points for swapping tokens, trading perpetuals, using prediction markets, spending with the MetaMask Card, referring friends. There's a seven-tier progression system, seasonal resets, stacking boosts. It borrows a lot from gaming mechanics!
For me personally, this was actually my first full project at Studio Freight. I worked alongside Ken Pena (digital designer at Studio Freight) and Nick Nelson (global head of brand at Consensys), and the scope was massive — integration with the MetaMask mobile app, desktop (web) app, a marketing page, a full 3D level (tier) system, 3D icon kit. It touched almost every surface of the MetaMask product.
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CF
What would you say is the conceptual center of this work and where did it come from — a visual, a phrase, a feeling? And how early did that anchor show up in your process?
IK
The client came to us with a fairly straightforward concept — levels, rewards, a dashboard to track progress.?? Through early conversations, we kept pushing on the same question: why would someone want to come back to this every day? A dashboard doesn't do that. An immersive world does.
MetaMask already had a work-in-progress 3D illustration system with characters and a couple of environments. Those characters were the unlock for us. Once we saw them, the whole concept shifted — we realized that instead of just levels, we could create worlds. Seven worlds you progress through. Each one changes the environment around the character, changes the look of the character itself. Users are not just watching a progress bar fill up. They’re moving through different places.
It pulls directly from how games handle progression. You pick the character, unlock outfits, earn perks, but the thing that keeps you engaged is that the world around is evolving. We studied a lot of game UI?? to understand how that feeling works, and what makes progression feel spatial, not just numerical.
We were so locked in on the idea that we skipped wireframes entirely and went straight into high-fidelity comps — designing the first landscape and the first character outfit straight away. That's unusual for us but the conviction was there from the start. The 3D system gave us enough of a foundation that we could see the whole thing clearly before we built it.
MetaMask already had a work-in-progress 3D illustration system with characters and a couple of environments. Those characters were the unlock for us. Once we saw them, the whole concept shifted — we realized that instead of just levels, we could create worlds. Seven worlds you progress through. Each one changes the environment around the character, changes the look of the character itself. Users are not just watching a progress bar fill up. They’re moving through different places.
It pulls directly from how games handle progression. You pick the character, unlock outfits, earn perks, but the thing that keeps you engaged is that the world around is evolving. We studied a lot of game UI?? to understand how that feeling works, and what makes progression feel spatial, not just numerical.
We were so locked in on the idea that we skipped wireframes entirely and went straight into high-fidelity comps — designing the first landscape and the first character outfit straight away. That's unusual for us but the conviction was there from the start. The 3D system gave us enough of a foundation that we could see the whole thing clearly before we built it.
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CF
Let’s go deep on the rewards levels/worlds. From start to finish, how did that come about?
IK
The central challenge was visual progression that feels earned. You have seven tiers, or worlds, and every single one needs to feel like an upgrade from the last. But you also can't make the early levels feel empty or punishing. Someone at Level 0 should still open the app and think, "this looks beautiful, I want to unlock the next one."
So we started with the first couple levels. Level 0 is “Genesis” where your character is standing in a landscape built around a tree of life.?? It's the beginning, the birth. The character is wearing their default outfit, nothing extra. It's clean and it's inviting, but it's clearly a starting point.
From there, we originally designed four worlds on top of Genesis. Later in the project, the brief expanded and we ended up with six plus Genesis.
The first couple of levels stay grounded. Level 1, “Frontier”, is a fantasy forest — pristine, lush, a clear step up from Genesis but still in the same visual family. The character keeps the default outfit, but the world around them has evolved. Then Level 2, “Chroma” shifts the tone. It's a completely different forest inspired by the Roman Empire, and the character's outfit changes dramatically for the first time. That's the moment the user feels real progression, not just in points but visually.
After Chroma, each level breaks away entirely. “Oceania” puts the character underwater. “Nexus” is a cyberpunk city. “Titana” takes you to space. And then “Utopia” is the final level, the hardest one to reach — your character has become a ruler of this MetaMask world. The early levels are variations on a forest theme, the later levels are entirely new realities.
For the 3D work, I used Cinema 4D and Octane Render. Most assets were built from scratch, though the MetaMask team provided some base models — the character's skeleton, for example. I rigged the character myself, created all the custom outfits for each level, placed and rigged them within each scene, built out the movement and poses. It was a huge amount of 3D production work sitting underneath what feels like a seamless progression when you're using the app.
So we started with the first couple levels. Level 0 is “Genesis” where your character is standing in a landscape built around a tree of life.?? It's the beginning, the birth. The character is wearing their default outfit, nothing extra. It's clean and it's inviting, but it's clearly a starting point.
From there, we originally designed four worlds on top of Genesis. Later in the project, the brief expanded and we ended up with six plus Genesis.
The first couple of levels stay grounded. Level 1, “Frontier”, is a fantasy forest — pristine, lush, a clear step up from Genesis but still in the same visual family. The character keeps the default outfit, but the world around them has evolved. Then Level 2, “Chroma” shifts the tone. It's a completely different forest inspired by the Roman Empire, and the character's outfit changes dramatically for the first time. That's the moment the user feels real progression, not just in points but visually.
After Chroma, each level breaks away entirely. “Oceania” puts the character underwater. “Nexus” is a cyberpunk city. “Titana” takes you to space. And then “Utopia” is the final level, the hardest one to reach — your character has become a ruler of this MetaMask world. The early levels are variations on a forest theme, the later levels are entirely new realities.
For the 3D work, I used Cinema 4D and Octane Render. Most assets were built from scratch, though the MetaMask team provided some base models — the character's skeleton, for example. I rigged the character myself, created all the custom outfits for each level, placed and rigged them within each scene, built out the movement and poses. It was a huge amount of 3D production work sitting underneath what feels like a seamless progression when you're using the app.
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CF
You mentioned that, despite a lot of manual effort, you also accelerated your work using a novel AI-augmented approach. Could you describe that approach?
IK
Oh yes, it was a genuinely novel approach at the time. You know Google’s Nano Banana AI model, right? Everyone knows it now, but this was literally the day it launched. I was deep into designing character outfits and really pressed for time, and Nano Banana happened to drop that exact day. So I decided to try it.
I was immediately impressed. I generated a couple of small parts of the character's outfits in Nano Banana, then converted those into 3D models using tools like Hunyuan 3D and Tripo AI. Not entire outfits but specific elements, smaller pieces that I could bring into the scene as 3D meshes.
AI helped to generate the base form, and then I took it into Cinema 4D to refine and integrate it into the character rig like any other asset.
It was one of those moments where the timing just aligned perfectly. A tool launches, you're in exactly the right situation to use it, and it actually delivers.
I was immediately impressed. I generated a couple of small parts of the character's outfits in Nano Banana, then converted those into 3D models using tools like Hunyuan 3D and Tripo AI. Not entire outfits but specific elements, smaller pieces that I could bring into the scene as 3D meshes.
AI helped to generate the base form, and then I took it into Cinema 4D to refine and integrate it into the character rig like any other asset.
It was one of those moments where the timing just aligned perfectly. A tool launches, you're in exactly the right situation to use it, and it actually delivers.
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CF
Can you take us through the process of developing the icon/illustrations kit?
IK
The project needed a large number of 3D icons (over fifty across several categories). We needed icons for each reward, for every task and quest, and then something more unusual: miniature versions of each level.
That last category was the most interesting to solve. Each world needed a small representation in the interface — a way to preview what you'd unlock at the next level. The idea was to treat these as miniatures, almost toy-like versions of the full landscapes.?? Small enough to sit inside a card in the UI, but detailed enough that you immediately recognize which world it is. And they all had to feel consistent with each other, like a collection.
For production, I used a combined approach with Cinema 4D and Nano Banana. I'd build the base mesh in Cinema 4D — untextured, grey geometry — then bring that mesh into Nano Banana and use an image of the actual full-size world as a reference to generate the textures. So the shape was precise and hand-modeled, but the surface detail was AI-assisted, guided by the existing world art.
That workflow was critical for us. Fifty-plus icons on a tight timeline meant doing full manual texturing for each one wasn't realistic. The hybrid approach allows us to maintain quality and consistency without blowing through the schedule.
That last category was the most interesting to solve. Each world needed a small representation in the interface — a way to preview what you'd unlock at the next level. The idea was to treat these as miniatures, almost toy-like versions of the full landscapes.?? Small enough to sit inside a card in the UI, but detailed enough that you immediately recognize which world it is. And they all had to feel consistent with each other, like a collection.
For production, I used a combined approach with Cinema 4D and Nano Banana. I'd build the base mesh in Cinema 4D — untextured, grey geometry — then bring that mesh into Nano Banana and use an image of the actual full-size world as a reference to generate the textures. So the shape was precise and hand-modeled, but the surface detail was AI-assisted, guided by the existing world art.
That workflow was critical for us. Fifty-plus icons on a tight timeline meant doing full manual texturing for each one wasn't realistic. The hybrid approach allows us to maintain quality and consistency without blowing through the schedule.
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CF
You delivered multiple parts of the project, basically multiple apps. Tell us about the Rewards mobile app experience (cards, tabs, etc)?
IK
The project had three main pillars: a web application with the core features, a mobile application integration (a new page inside the existing MetaMask app), and a marketing page on the MetaMask website that users would see before logging in into the Rewards experience.
Everything needed to feel consistent across the three, but the constraints were different for each. Mobile was probably the most nuanced.
The app already had its own design system, built by MetaMask internal team. So we weren't designing in a vacuum — we were inserting an entirely new experience into a mature product. The challenge here was to respect that system while introducing something that feels completely different from anything else in the app. New page, new mechanics, animations, new ways to interact with a page — all living inside an interface that was never built for that kind of content. Plus we needed to support both light and dark themes.
Performance was a real constraint too. Unlike the desktop experience, we couldn't lean heavily on videos and scroll interactions on mobile. So we rendered smaller preview assets, pulled back on animation where it wasn't essential, and relied more on native iOS and Android patterns.
I'd say the main challenge for the app was the tension between integration and ambition. You're working with someone else's design system, respecting their patterns, their components, but you're also building a page that's supposed to feel like a game. Finding where those two things meet without compromising either one was the real design challenge.
Everything needed to feel consistent across the three, but the constraints were different for each. Mobile was probably the most nuanced.
The app already had its own design system, built by MetaMask internal team. So we weren't designing in a vacuum — we were inserting an entirely new experience into a mature product. The challenge here was to respect that system while introducing something that feels completely different from anything else in the app. New page, new mechanics, animations, new ways to interact with a page — all living inside an interface that was never built for that kind of content. Plus we needed to support both light and dark themes.
Performance was a real constraint too. Unlike the desktop experience, we couldn't lean heavily on videos and scroll interactions on mobile. So we rendered smaller preview assets, pulled back on animation where it wasn't essential, and relied more on native iOS and Android patterns.
I'd say the main challenge for the app was the tension between integration and ambition. You're working with someone else's design system, respecting their patterns, their components, but you're also building a page that's supposed to feel like a game. Finding where those two things meet without compromising either one was the real design challenge.
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01 of 02
“A dashboard doesn’t make you come back every day. An immersive world does.”
CF
You mentioned there was a separate landing page.
IK
Yes, the marketing page was the last piece we designed after the app experiences were already locked. The purpose of the page was to tease what's inside without giving everything away. We wanted to show enough to make people curious but didn’t want someone seeing some of the last and coolest levels before they've even signed up.
We walked through the features, showed some of the world art, gave people a sense of the progression system but kept the best things hidden. The page had to sell a feeling without revealing every detail.
We walked through the features, showed some of the world art, gave people a sense of the progression system but kept the best things hidden. The page had to sell a feeling without revealing every detail.
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CF
How did you connect the marketing page with an actual experience?
IK
The most engaging part, and I think the smartest decision we made on the marketing page, is the footer. Instead of a standard call to action, we placed a full character creation experience right there on the landing page. You can configure your avatar, pick your look, see how you'll appear in the world. And then the natural next step is to continue into the actual app. You've already invested in your character so it feels like you're already in.
It works because it gives the user a taste of the immersive experience before they even commit to anything. That conversion from passive viewer to active participant, directly on the marketing page, was the whole strategy.
It works because it gives the user a taste of the immersive experience before they even commit to anything. That conversion from passive viewer to active participant, directly on the marketing page, was the whole strategy.
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CF
What was the biggest challenge or constraint on this project, and how did you choose to work with it rather than fight it?
IK
The scope was massive — seven worlds, fifty-plus icons, three platforms, a full 3D production pipeline — and the deadlines were tight. On top of that, we were integrating into MetaMask's existing design system, which means every creative decision also had to work within internal team’s constraints.
We chose to optimize rather than compromise. The worlds, the characters, the icon kit — none of that got scaled back. Instead, we got smart about production. This was nearly a year ago, when the AI tooling landscape was very different, and getting good results out of generative tools was harder than it is now. That said, I’m glad that we discovered early that image-to-image editing and image-to-3D generation could slot into our Cinema 4D workflow — not as a replacement, but as an accelerant. Texturing fifty miniature world icons by hand wasn't feasible in the timeline. Using AI to generate textures from reference images of the full-size worlds was. That kind of targeted optimization is what made the scope possible.
We chose to optimize rather than compromise. The worlds, the characters, the icon kit — none of that got scaled back. Instead, we got smart about production. This was nearly a year ago, when the AI tooling landscape was very different, and getting good results out of generative tools was harder than it is now. That said, I’m glad that we discovered early that image-to-image editing and image-to-3D generation could slot into our Cinema 4D workflow — not as a replacement, but as an accelerant. Texturing fifty miniature world icons by hand wasn't feasible in the timeline. Using AI to generate textures from reference images of the full-size worlds was. That kind of targeted optimization is what made the scope possible.
CF
What is a part of the project — a detail, an idea, etc — that’s easy to overlook but that you gave a lot of attention to?
IK
The onboarding and data layer for both beginners and experienced MetaMask users.
A core question related to existing MetaMask users who have been working the wallet for months or years — how do they understand what their historical activity is now worth inside Rewards? We needed to make it immediately clear how the user's past activity translates into points, how to connect additional wallets to consolidate the progress, and what actions to take next to keep earning.
Someone who's been in the MetaMask ecosystem for a long time should feel rewarded for that loyalty the moment they enter, not confused by a system that treats them like a newcomer.
That meant a lot of work on charts, data visualization, and progress tracking to make dense information feel legible and motivating rather than overwhelming. It's a different design problem than the worlds and characters. How do you show someone a number and make them feel like they're getting somewhere?
A core question related to existing MetaMask users who have been working the wallet for months or years — how do they understand what their historical activity is now worth inside Rewards? We needed to make it immediately clear how the user's past activity translates into points, how to connect additional wallets to consolidate the progress, and what actions to take next to keep earning.
Someone who's been in the MetaMask ecosystem for a long time should feel rewarded for that loyalty the moment they enter, not confused by a system that treats them like a newcomer.
That meant a lot of work on charts, data visualization, and progress tracking to make dense information feel legible and motivating rather than overwhelming. It's a different design problem than the worlds and characters. How do you show someone a number and make them feel like they're getting somewhere?
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CF
Anything you wanted to do but didn’t make it into the final result?
IK
Oh, a lot. There's an incredible amount of unused material, but I’ll focus on the most interesting ones.
The biggest one is another world concept called “Shinkai.” It was a Japanese-inspired samurai theme. It didn't make it into the final build, but it was one of my favorites.
There was also a different approach to the reward-claiming animation. I animated a crazy sequence where the character's actual hand reaches out and opens the reward box. It was more cinematic, more physical. In the end, we went with a simpler approach — which was the right call for performance and consistency — but that original concept had a lot of personality.
Both original and new animations were built using After Effects and Lottie.
The biggest one is another world concept called “Shinkai.” It was a Japanese-inspired samurai theme. It didn't make it into the final build, but it was one of my favorites.
There was also a different approach to the reward-claiming animation. I animated a crazy sequence where the character's actual hand reaches out and opens the reward box. It was more cinematic, more physical. In the end, we went with a simpler approach — which was the right call for performance and consistency — but that original concept had a lot of personality.
Both original and new animations were built using After Effects and Lottie.
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Unused World
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CF
If you had to distill the entire project into a single creative principle or lesson, what would it be? Why?
IK
Don’t be afraid to experiment with bold ideas, even when you're working with a large company that has an established design system.
But boldness alone doesn't ship. The other half of the lesson is to know your stack and know how to combine it. Some users do not care whether a texture of a 3D icon is AI-generated or whether you spent eighteen hours designing it, for it to only appear in the interface once. Optimize for productivity and speed, and pour that saved time back into the work that actually matters.
Use your multidisciplinary skills whenever you can. Being able to move between 3D, product design, motion, and marketing — and knowing where each discipline serves the project best — is what made this scope possible with a mostly two-person team!
But boldness alone doesn't ship. The other half of the lesson is to know your stack and know how to combine it. Some users do not care whether a texture of a 3D icon is AI-generated or whether you spent eighteen hours designing it, for it to only appear in the interface once. Optimize for productivity and speed, and pour that saved time back into the work that actually matters.
Use your multidisciplinary skills whenever you can. Being able to move between 3D, product design, motion, and marketing — and knowing where each discipline serves the project best — is what made this scope possible with a mostly two-person team!
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CF
What part of the project was most satisfying?
IK
The 3D work, without question.
I work across UI, 3D, and motion, but 3D is what I enjoy most. And Ken is a pro at UI, so it was an incredibly well-balanced collaboration.
Every step of building those worlds was the most satisfying part of the process for me. From sculpting each landscape in Cinema 4D to rigging the characters to creating and animating outfits for every level. And then seeing it live, knowing that millions of MetaMask users are opening their wallet and stepping into a world you shaped really closes the loop. The craft matters more when it reaches people at that scale.
I work across UI, 3D, and motion, but 3D is what I enjoy most. And Ken is a pro at UI, so it was an incredibly well-balanced collaboration.
Every step of building those worlds was the most satisfying part of the process for me. From sculpting each landscape in Cinema 4D to rigging the characters to creating and animating outfits for every level. And then seeing it live, knowing that millions of MetaMask users are opening their wallet and stepping into a world you shaped really closes the loop. The craft matters more when it reaches people at that scale.
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