Building GamerComs: What a Side Project Taught Me About Product, UX and AI

I have been working on a side project called GamerComs, a platform for finding gaming teammates online. The idea is simple: make it easier for gamers to find people to play with.

What makes it valuable for me is not just the idea itself, but the opportunity to work across the full product lifecycle. From shaping direction to building and iterating in production, it has become a practical way to stay close to both product and the technical side.

Starting with a clear product problem#

Most ideas sound simple in the beginning. The real challenge is understanding where the actual value is created.

In this case, the core problem is not just “finding players”, but reducing friction in the process:

• where do you start looking
• how do you know who to play with
• how quickly can you get into a game

Avoid overcomplicating the solution#

One of the first lessons was how easy it is to overbuild. It is tempting to add features early, but most of the value comes from getting a few core flows right.

That means focusing on:

• clear entry points
• simple matching or discovery
• minimal steps to action

Working as a hybrid between product and development#

This project has allowed me to work in the space where product decisions and implementation meet.

That includes:

• defining features and prioritisation
• shaping UX and interaction flows
• building parts of the frontend
• working with structure and components in a CMS-like setup

Staying close to the implementation#

Being hands-on changes how you make product decisions. It becomes easier to:

• understand technical trade-offs
• avoid unnecessary complexity
• ship faster without breaking structure

This is where I do my best work, close to developers, but still focused on product outcomes.

Using AI as a practical tool, not a feature#

A big part of this project has been exploring how AI can support both development and product thinking.

Not everything needs AI, but when used correctly it can:

• speed up implementation
• support content and structure decisions
• help explore different solution paths quickly with a proof of concept

Separating real value from hype#

Working with AI in practice makes it clear that:

• some use cases create real user value
• others mostly add complexity

Understanding that difference is important when deciding what should actually be part of a product.

Learning what happens outside the product#

One of the most valuable parts of this project has been everything that happens outside of building.

That includes:

• distribution and how people find the product
• how to get initial users
• how infrastructure and costs scale
• how to think about monetisation early, even if it is not implemented yet

Product alone is not enough#

A product can work technically and still fail if it does not reach users. This has been a clear reminder that product, marketing and business need to work together.

Key takeaways from building GamerComs#

Working on this project has reinforced a few things:

• simple ideas are often harder than they look
• distribution is as important as the product itself
• small UX improvements can have a large impact
• it is easy to overbuild without clear priorities
• infrastructure and costs quickly become real constraints

Why this matters for how I work#

This project reflects how I prefer to work in a professional setting as well.

I work best when I can:

• stay close to both product and development
• move between idea, UX and implementation
• focus on building things that actually get used
• balance speed with long-term structure

Building GamerComs is not about launching a perfect product. It is about continuously learning by doing, and improving both product thinking and technical understanding along the way.