I'm Mike Sanders
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• Identified product defects, reporting to database using strict standardized cleanliness-driven guidelines.
• Ensured product meets or exceeds defined quality goals in accordance to project production guidelines.
• Provided feedback about game design and art choices, game difficulty and balance to developers and leads.

• Identified product defects, reporting to database using strict standardized cleanliness-driven guidelines.
• Ensured product meets or exceeds defined quality goals in accordance to project production guidelines.
• Provided feedback about game design and art choices, game difficulty and balance to developers and leads.

Overview: I started in the Dystopia community as a moderator, league organizer, and playtester before stepping into leadership. As Lead Playtester, I managed QA and coordinated test cycles, later becoming Executive Producer to guide production while also contributing to level design, texture art, and audio.

Impact: I led the team through major updates and multiple releases, aligning volunteer developers around clear milestones and a structured QA process. My leadership helped transform Dystopia into one of the most recognized Source Engine total conversions, while my creative contributions in art and audio elevated its polish and atmosphere.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Oversaw production tasks—scheduling, task tracking, and milestone planning—for a distributed, volunteer-based team.
• Contributed directly to game assets, including level design, texture creation, and extensive audio implementation.
• Promoted updates and engaged with the player base through community events, patch notes, and feedback loops.

Overview: I oversaw all aspects of production for a distributed team that grew to 28 developers across North America, Europe and Asia. My role spanned scheduling, task prioritization, and delivery management while also contributing heavily to testing, marketing, and community initiatives that helped the game build and sustain a passionate player base.

Impact: Under my leadership, the project evolved from an ambitious mod into a full commercial Kickstarter-powered release that was critically received and financially successful. I directed not only production pipelines but also spearheaded player engagement, managed community feedback loops, and built marketing strategies that established Blade Symphony as a respected indie multiplayer title. The game's long tail success was driven by both development execution and ongoing community involvement.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Directed production for a 28-person distributed team, overseeing scope, scheduling, and task management.
• Led internal and external QA efforts, personally testing builds and coordinating bug triage with the team.
• Developed and executed marketing campaigns, including social media strategies and press outreach.
• Engaged directly with the player community, gathering feedback, moderating forums, and supporting tournaments.
• Balanced creative direction with production realities, ensuring design goals were achievable within resource limits.
• Oversaw release preparation, patch schedules, and live support to maintain momentum post-launch.

Overview: I led development from concept to launch, overseeing production, design, and technical implementation. Working closely with a team of 18 developers in the United States, Australia and Europe, I directed feature development, managed schedules, and ensured quality while also contributing directly to engineering and testing tasks.

Impact: We delivered Galacide in just nine months, shipping across PC and consoles while also building out Linux compatibility. In addition to production leadership, I created the website and build pipeline, coordinated QA testing, and implemented fixes for the Linux port. The project became a showcase of our studio's ability to blend creativity with technical precision, strengthening our reputation as both independent developers and co-development partners.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Directed game design, ensuring feature scope aligned with production realities and creative goals.
• Built and maintained the project's build pipeline to support rapid iteration and multi-platform deployment.
• Developed, tested, and debugged Linux builds, resolving cross-platform compatibility issues.
• Coordinated playtesting and QA efforts, personally testing builds and validating fixes with the team.
• Oversaw release preparation, including packaging, certification, and post-launch support.

Overview: I supported 3 shipped titles, though my primary focus was on Bard's Tale IV, where I developed a comprehensive CI/CD platform and pipelines, in addition to working closely with the development team to identify critical issues, optimize performance, and manage vendor delivery. For Frostpoint VR and Wasteland 3, my role involved extending the CI/CD pipelines to these products to ensure stable, multi-platform builds and timely releases.

Impact: On Bard's Tale IV, I was embedded with the development team during critical phases, directly supporting optimization and problem resolution that allowed the title to launch successfully. I established vendor workflows, tracked delivery, and coordinated cross-team priorities to keep production on schedule. In parallel, I developed a CI/CD platform that automated builds and deployments across platforms for all three projects, saving engineering hours and increasing iteration speed. This infrastructure became foundational to inXile's ability to release consistently on multiple platforms.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Partnered with producers on Bard's Tale IV to prioritize issues, track dependencies, and resolve blockers quickly.
• Analyzed code and asset pipelines to improve build stability and reduce compile times across all projects.
• Designed and maintained automated build pipelines supporting PC, console, and VR platforms.
• Ensured builds met compliance and performance requirements, coordinating fixes prior to milestone deliveries.
• Acted as a technical liaison between inXile and external vendors, aligning deliverables with project goals.
• Provided QA support through rapid build turnaround and debugging of build-breaking issues.

Overview: I was responsible for designing and maintaining the CI/CD pipeline that supported development and delivery across multiple platforms. My role ensured that builds were consistent, automated, and deployable to meet the demands of both internal testing and external platform requirements.

Impact: I created and implemented a build automation system that streamlined the deployment process, saving the team significant engineering hours and reducing human error. This platform allowed for rapid iteration, multi-platform testing, and predictable releases, directly supporting production goals and enabling faster feedback loops for designers, artists, and QA. By centralizing build stability, I helped the team focus on development while maintaining confidence in delivery.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Designed and deployed CI/CD pipelines to build and distribute multi-platform packages for internal and external use.
• Automated packaging processes for PlayStation, PC, and VR platforms, ensuring compliance with platform-specific requirements.
• Monitored build stability, debugging failures and working with engineers to resolve underlying code or asset issues.
• Provided rapid turnaround builds for QA and stakeholder review, reducing downtime and increasing iteration speed.
• Maintained infrastructure for build distribution and storage, ensuring reliable access for remote and distributed teams.

Overview: After 12 revisions on a 28 page proposal, I assembled and directed an 8-person team in porting the title from PC and PS4 to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. This work required in-depth technical analysis of the existing codebase, optimization across art and performance, and the management of client reviews and platform approval processes.

Impact: I guided the team from proposal to launch in under six months, delivering the ports five months ahead of schedule. By structuring production pipelines, coordinating across engineering and art, and navigating platform certification processes, I ensured that the game retained its quality while meeting aggressive timelines. This rapid turnaround expanded the game's reach to new player bases and strengthened its commercial viability across multiple consoles.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Analyzed existing game code and assets to identify technical and performance bottlenecks prior to porting.
• Directed optimization work across art and rendering to meet memory and framerate requirements for Switch and Xbox One.
• Structured production workflows and sprint planning to ensure predictable delivery against client expectations.
• Led client milestone reviews, incorporating feedback quickly and adjusting scope to maintain timelines.
• Managed platform compliance and approval submissions, coordinating fixes and resubmissions as needed.
• Mentored engineers and artists on porting best practices, building reusable knowledge for future cross-platform projects.

Overview: I led a 7-person team in building new product features while stabilizing the core experience. My role blended production leadership with hands-on design work, ensuring the platform delivered an accessible, professional, and user-friendly experience for enterprise clients. Additionally, I worked with a local university to onboard a large cohort of students for user testing and feedback.

Impact: Beyond managing production and coordination across engineering, art, and design, I personally designed and orchestrated a full UI/UX overhaul. This redesign modernized the interface, streamlined user flows, and aligned the platform's look and feel with the expectations of enterprise customers. By aligning technical delivery with client needs, I helped position Mytaverse as a competitive offering in the enterprise video conferencing and collaboration space.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Directed feature development and sprint planning to meet client priorities and enterprise-scale requirements.
• Created new UI wireframes and design documentation to guide engineers and artists through the overhaul.
• Collaborated with stakeholders on product vision, balancing usability with technical feasibility and timelines.
• Oversaw QA and iteration cycles to ensure new features and UI changes met stability and performance targets.
• Facilitated regular milestone reviews with clients, presenting progress, gathering feedback, and refining deliverables.

Overview: I managed the porting of the title from PC VR platforms to the Meta Quest ecosystem. The project required a major engine upgrade, extensive code refactoring, and art and level optimization to fit the technical requirements of standalone VR hardware. My role involved leading a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring technical quality, and securing platform approval for release.

Impact: I guided a 6-person team through an intensive rebuild of the codebase, balancing performance optimization with maintaining the integrity of the horror experience. I coordinated art and level design changes to meet platform performance targets, oversaw extensive QA and compliance testing, and navigated the certification process with Meta. This effort delivered a stable, high-quality release that brought the title to a broader VR audience while maintaining its core atmosphere and design intent.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Scoped and prioritized engine upgrade tasks, balancing technical feasibility with budget and schedule constraints.
• Directed optimization passes across art assets, levels, and rendering systems to achieve VR performance benchmarks.
• Managed codebase rebuilds, ensuring compatibility with Quest hardware while addressing legacy issues from the PC release.
• Oversaw platform compliance and submission process, coordinating fixes and resubmissions with the QA team.
• Reported milestone progress to stakeholders, identifying risks early and ensuring delivery against tight deadlines.

Overview: I was responsible for building and guiding a 12-person development team, 11 of which were sourced from Puny Human staff, to take the game from concept into production. I established the production framework, integrated agile processes, and worked across design, engineering, and art to ensure the project had both structure and creative direction from the very start.

Impact: I setup and administrated multiple tools, creating pipelines and workflows that scaled with the team. I directed early design efforts, ensuring gameplay systems aligned with the client's vision, while balancing technical constraints and delivery schedules. By structuring production and enabling clear communication between SuperVerse stakeholders and the internal team, I positioned the project to progress from early prototypes into a stable development cadence with clear milestones and reviews.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Set up Jira environments, workflows, and agile practices tailored to the project's team size and development scope.
• Brought Fider online to capture and prioritize player feedback and suggestions during early access phases.
• Established version control and build pipelines using PlasticSCM, ensuring smooth collaboration across remote team members.
• Led creative design discussions and documentation to align early features with technical feasibility and player experience goals.
• Oversaw hiring, onboarding, and integration of contractors into the team, scaling resources as the project evolved.
• Directed regular client-facing milestone reviews, presenting progress, risks, and recommendations for scope adjustments.
• Balanced art, code, and design deliverables to keep the project on schedule while preserving creative intent.

Overview: I managed the vendor relationship with Striking Distance Studios across the development of The Callisto Protocol for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. I secured and negotiated the initial contract, handled renewals, and transitioned personnel as production needs evolved. My role combined client management with hands-on team oversight, ensuring alignment between SDS producers and our contract developers.

Impact: I directly supported the release of a AAA survival horror title by leading hiring, onboarding, and performance management for our vendor team. I ensured deliverables aligned with SDS milestone goals and sprint priorities, while balancing schedules, budgets, and team dynamics. As the primary liaison between our developers and global stakeholders, including teams in California and Spain, Virtuos, Free Range Games, AMD, and Krafton, I provided clarity, mitigated risks, and maintained trust across organizations.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Negotiated rates, contract terms, and scope extensions to support evolving production needs.
• Assigned tasks based on developer strengths, reallocated resources as priorities shifted, and managed terminations when necessary.
• Delivered regular progress reports to SDS leadership, highlighting risks, blockers, and actionable solutions.
• Conducted performance evaluations, supported developer growth, and resolved production issues as they surfaced.
• Balanced client expectations, technical feasibility, and internal team morale to maintain long-term relationships.

Overview: I helped to connect and support one of the largest regional game development communities in the Southeastern United States. My role was to guide chapter initiatives, support and operate event programming, and advise on outreach strategies that brought together developers across studios, disciplines, and career levels.

Impact: During my time with the chapter, we expanded participation at local meetups, organized panels and networking events, and partnered with regional institutions to strengthen North Carolina's reputation as a hub for game development. I focused on ensuring programming remained relevant to both AAA studios and independent developers, fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment for the local community.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Supported coordination of regular chapter meetups, including networking nights, panels, and industry mixers.
• Advised on strategic partnerships with universities, studios, and local organizations to broaden chapter impact.
• Mentored emerging developers, connecting them with senior professionals and career opportunities in the Triangle area.
• Contributed to chapter governance, advising on long-term strategy and ensuring alignment with IGDA's global mission.

Overview:I co-founded and led the studio for over 16 years, growing it from a small modding team into a respected development partner. Under my leadership, the studio shipped three original titles across six platforms, pivoted into co-development and support for dozens of games, and built a reputation as a dependable collaborator in both indie and AAA markets. At its peak, the company supported 32 staff and generated more than $2M in annual revenue.

Impact: I oversaw corporate strategy, business development, financial planning, and vendor negotiations while simultaneously contributing hands-on to production, engineering, and design across client projects. I guided the studio through significant pivots, from creating original IP to becoming a trusted work-for-hire partner on 25+ game titles, 3 technology initiatives, and 9 media products. Even during challenging periods, I maintained client trust and incubated internal projects, positioning Puny Human as a long-term, reliable partner until its closure in 2023.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Negotiated contracts, licensing agreements, and publishing deals across indie and AAA markets.
• Directed HR, legal, and payroll functions to support staff growth and long-term operations.
• Created pitches, prototypes, and case studies to win new business and expand client portfolio.
• Mentored developers across disciplines, building structured programs for growth and retention.
• Oversaw corporate infrastructure, including web development, IT systems, and internal tooling.
• Acted as primary client liaison, ensuring projects met budget, schedule, and creative goals.
• Balanced leadership with hands-on roles in production, engineering, and technology delivery.
• Led incubation of new IP concepts, running design and production on prototypes for partners.

Overview: After closing Puny Human, I was invited by Galaxy Interactive to lend my experience in evaluating game projects and helping shape the foundations of a new publishing arm. They valued my ability to cut through pitches and provide a clear assessment of whether games could be made, finished, and succeed in the market, as well as whether the teams, budgets, and codebases behind them could realistically deliver.

Impact: In this part-time role, I partnered with Galaxy's staff to refine both the game evaluation process and the early publishing strategy. I reviewed numerous pitches and prototypes, assessed studio capability, and provided recommendations on budgets, schedules, and risk. At the same time, I collaborated on publisher strategy, helping design the pitch pipeline, shape corporate positioning, and model sustainable approaches to developer compensation. My work gave Galaxy actionable insights on which projects to pursue, while laying groundwork for a publishing framework aligned with their investment goals.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Evaluated pitches for feasibility, team skill, and technical execution, including codebase and asset quality.
• Reviewed budget and schedule proposals, highlighting risks, gaps, and opportunities for adjustment.
• Collaborated with staff to design an intake pipeline for pitches and prototypes.
• Advised on publisher corporate strategy, including positioning, compensation models, and portfolio planning.
• Provided market perspective on how publisher investments could scale across diverse platforms and genres.

Overview: I founded the GameDev Executive Support (GDES) Collective to create a trusted peer group for studio leaders navigating the challenges of building and sustaining game development companies. The collective has grown to include over 100 C-Level executives from studios such as Infuse Studio, T-Minus Zero, Jumpgate, and more. Our goal is to provide a private, collaborative environment where executives can exchange knowledge, share resources, and support each other through industry challenges.

Impact: As Executive Director, I organize and facilitate both in-person and virtual gatherings, from conference meetups to debriefing calls and focused web conferences. The collective has become a hub for sharing valuable resources (articles, books, tools, contacts, and industry insights) while enabling introductions, feedback, and practical advice on everything from financing to studio culture. My leadership ensures the group remains active, supportive, and impactful for studios of all sizes.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Coordinated in-person networking events at major industry conferences.
• Hosted regular debrief calls and online discussions to address emerging challenges.
• Curated and shared resources, including links, literature, and tools useful to studio executives.
• Facilitated introductions and connections across the industry to support member studios.
• Provided guidance, feedback, and strategic advice on studio operations and leadership.

Overview: Contracted through Puny Human, I was hired mid-project to deliver a high-risk, year-long engine migration. The upgrade had already burned nine months with little progress and was projected to be nine months overdue. My role was to take ownership, restructure delivery, and ensure the transition from Amazon Lumberyard to the Open 3D Engine (O3DE) was completed on schedule and within budget.

Impact: I reduced the timeline estimate from 18 months down to 13 months by streamlining workflows and improving communication between internal developers, external vendors, and foundation contributors. Leading a team of eight outsourced engineers and coordinating with six external partner engineers, I drove alignment, mitigated technical risks, and produced milestone reports for Carbonated and Amazon leadership. This work not only delivered the migration ahead of revised estimates but also positioned MadWorld for long-term scalability on a more modern engine platform.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Provided weekly progress reports and technical assessments for Carbonated and Amazon stakeholders.
• Acted as the primary liaison between Carbonated, the Linux Foundation, and hardware vendors like Qualcomm, and Oppo.
• Collaborated with Artists and Designers to validate engine upgrades against creative and performance targets.
• Supported Business Development staff in aligning engine work with external partner expectations.
• Contributed upstream feedback and bug reports to improve O3DE for broader adoption.
• Maintained documentation of risks, blockers, and long-term architectural considerations for the studio.

Overview: I was brought in to unify the company behind a new vision for its flagship title, address production and design gaps, and contribute to corporate strategy at the executive level. I helped define direction with fellow officers, redefined gameplay and metagame systems, and guided the company through multiple releases and live operations updates. Alongside these efforts, I built key partnerships with major tech providers, strengthened team culture, and mentored developers to deliver consistently at a high level.

Impact: I collaborated directly with the CEO, COO, CTO, and CCO on hiring decisions, budget planning, and pivots across mobile, Web3, and AI initiatives to keep the studio lean and competitive. I led a full redesign of MadWorld, transitioning it from a PvP arena shooter into a PvE extraction experience, while overseeing agile workflows as sole Producer and Product Owner. By driving alignment across teams, surfacing high-level design, and reinforcing milestone-driven execution, I positioned the studio to deliver a sustainable pipeline and secure industry partnerships critical to its growth.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Coordinated closed testing initiatives with board members, partner studios, and external vendors.
• Developed playtesting plans, milestone objectives, and documentation to maintain momentum during redesign phases.
• Worked with marketing and community teams to shape go-to-market efforts, including user acquisition campaigns.
• Created structured roadmaps by authoring user stories, tasks, and defects, and mapping dependencies across releases.
• Introduced new communication processes such as pitch-style feature presentations and key milestone reporting.
• Collaborated with engineers and designers on technical design discussions, surfacing risks and dependencies.
• Mentored staff across disciplines, building long-term development practices around ownership, urgency, and improvement.
• Oversaw administration and migration of Jira and Confluence, establishing automations and workflows for scalability.

Overview: I provide industry perspective to ensure the curriculum reflects current tools, trends, and practices in professional game development.

Impact: By advising on curriculum and program strategy, I've helped align graduates with the evolving needs of the industry. I annually attend and evaluate student Capstone projects, providing feedback to improve design, production, and presentation skills. My guidance supports both faculty and students in bridging the gap between academia and professional studio expectations.

Contributions:

• Reviewed curriculum and recommended updates in production, design, and technology focus areas.
• Advised faculty on integrating industry-standard tools, pipelines, and methodologies into coursework.
• Evaluated student Capstone projects required for graduation, delivering feedback on execution and presentation.
• Provided mentorship to students through panels, presentations, and direct feedback sessions.
• Helped connect the program with local and national studios, fostering stronger industry ties.