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CREATIVE LEADER

VISION • DIRECTION• GAME DESIGN • NARRATIVE  •  WRITING • PRODUCTION
Creative, multi-faceted visionary with over two decades of experience leading and designing game experiences. Strong acumen in multiple types of gaming platforms, gameplay genres, and target audiences. Ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams through creative direction, design direction, narrative direction, vision holding, mentorship, and management.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
  • Vision & Design Management

  • Greenlight/ Pre-production

  • Ideation/IP Development

  • Narrative Design

  • Creative Writing/Editing

  • Content/Level/Systems/Feature Design

  • Cross-Functional Team Management

  • Design/Production Process Leadership

  • Staff Training & Guidance

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Design Manager, Creative, WB GAMES (MONOLITH), San Francisco, CA                                            2022 - Present

Wonder Woman (PS5, Xbox Series)

  • Managed the design and narrative department of over 50 designers and writers, from ICs to directors

  • Responsible for department hiring, training, growth, team assignments, etc.​

  • Grew people to leadership positions where they were recognized for their work and leadership

  • Directed design for multiple teams, including game content, world, features, systems, and technical

  • Served as the project’s IP expert and guided all design and narrative teams with use of the Wonder Woman IP

  • Built out the fiction of our piece of the DC universe

  • Coordinated co-development across two WBD studios. Collaborated with external stakeholders

  • Drove project-related vision documents and presentations

  • Responsible for the project’s large, 300+ page GDD

  • Established and trained department in design documentation standards

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Game Director, DECK NINE GAMES, Westminster, CO                                                                                     2020 – 2021

Life is Strange: Double Exposure

  • Led the vision, narrative, game design, and development for Life is Strange: Double Exposure​​

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Game Design Lead & Producer (Contract), ENDLESS STUDIOS San Francisco, CA                               2019 – 2020

Several Games (PC, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux)

  • Managed multiple external teams while overseeing game design and development of multiple games and our associated gaming platform, Terminal Two

  • All games on Terminal Two focus on fun while also providing and reinforcing kids (8-14) with the logic and principles of various aspects of programming. The games are on PC, Mac, Mobile, and Linux

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Co-Founder/Creative Director / Producer, MADORIUM INC., San Francisco, CA                                      2016 – 2019

The Puppet of Tersa & other games (PC, macOS)

  • Co-founded Madorium Inc., an indie studio focused on visually unique games for console, PC, VR, and mobile

  • Led for all creative, narrative, game design, and production across multiple titles, including The Puppet of Tersa, a narratively driven point-and-click adventure

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Creative Director, KABAM INC., San Francisco, CA                                                                                             2014 – 2016

Star Wars: Uprising (iOS, Android), Project Embersoul, Project Flagship

  • Liaised with Lucas Arts and Disney to deliver new canonized story experience for Star Wars: Uprising, directed the award-winning narrative design across multiple disciplines, and authored 40,000 words worth of content

  • Developed original IP and led creative vision for “Project Embersoul” and “Project Flagship”

  • Collaborated with a strike-team of directors to plan the reorganization and structure of game teams in the San Francisco office

 

Freelance Game Designer/Creative Director/Producer (Contract)                                                             2011 – 2014

  • Contracted with mobile start-up companies to provide guidance and development for multiple games

Clandestine: Anomaly (iOS, Android – Client: Zenfri)

  • Led game design

Reflectoids (iOS, Android – Client: Tin Truck), Grem Legends 2 (iOS, Android – Client: Tin Truck)

  • Composed backstory, narrative, content, and core game design for Reflectoids

  • Led design and UI/UX flow for Grem Legends 2

Battle Tails (iOS, Android – Client: Chocobots)

  • Analyzed design, directed, and tested support for Battle Tails

Family Village (iOS, Android – Client: Funium)

  • Directed event content for Family Village

March on Oz (iOS - Client: City State Entertainment), Oz Defender (iOS - Client: City State Entertainment)

  • Vetted design and provided testing support for March on Oz and Oz Defender

Hero Town (iOS, Android– Client: Second Star Interactive)

  • Led vision, design, sprints, and deliverables for Hero Town

 

Studio Lead Designer/ Producer/ Project Manager, BIGPOINT INC., San Francisco, CA                        2011 – 2012

Battlestar Galactica Online (PC)

  • Created and maintained game vision by collaborating with players and developers to define the game, identify target audience, and the intended type of gameplay

  • Monitored, planned, and developed monetization initiatives around performance analytics

  • Managed a team of senior designers. Screened, interviewed, and hired designer candidates

  • Spearheaded the studio’s greenlight process, inviting developers to submit concepts, vetting, and providing feedback

  • Employed approved concepts to develop future games

  • Wrote several feature designs and/or implemented features and content

  • Executed producer and project management functions for Battlestar Galactica

  • Key Achievements:

  • Developed design department to provide each designer with career guidance and design feedback

  • Significantly reduced implementation time and grew efficiency for game designers and live operations by spearheading tool design and development for Unity-based design tools

 

EA / BIOWARE / MYTHIC ENTERTAINMENT, Fairfax, VA                                                                                    1996– 2010

Lead Designer / Producer [Dark Age of Camelot Franchise]     (2009– 2010)

Facilitated “green light” team. Drafted/planned all milestone goals and live game updates for Dark Age of Camelot. Headed and planned all design-related initiatives. Led team comprised of designers, artists, engineers, and producers.

Key Achievements:

  • Specially selected for “green light” team, developing a proposal for the game that was extremely well received by senior management.

 

Dark Age of Camelot (PC), Warhammer Online (PC & Mac)  (2008-2009)

  • Managed the UI team tasked with identifying and fixing UI bugs, re-designing game interface, and implementing new design

  • Lead 3rd party production for the Mac version of Warhammer Online

  • Directed development team for Dark Age of Camelot that delivered bi-monthly game updates, Live Op events, and expanded content

 

Key Achievements:

  • Increased revenue for Dark Age of Camelot 20% through strategic game designs implementations, live events new content, and retention-focused game updates. Led to reversal in decision to sunset the game

  • Raised subscriptions for first time in 5 years for Dark Age of Camelot, by initiating regular cycle of player-to-developer chat, developer diaries, and open communication. Ultimately prevented shutdown

 

Creative Producer/Design/Narrative Director (2007 – 2008) [Dark Age of Camelot Franchise & Ultima Online]

Dark Age of Camelot (PC), Ultima Online (PC)

  • Managed 12-person development team for Dark Age of Camelot to deliver bi-monthly game updates, introduce Live Op events, and release expansion content

  • Increased revenue for Dark Age of Camelot 20% by implementing strategic game designs, new content, and retention-focused game updates, causing a reversal in the decision to sunset the game

  • Prevented shutdown and increased subscriptions for first time in 5 years (for Dark Age of Camelot) by initiating regular cycle of player-to-developer chat, developer diaries, and open communication

  • Requested to lead and manage the UI team consisting of 10 members for Warhammer Online to identify and fix UI bugs, re-design game interface, and implement the new design

  • Managed 3rd party production for the Mac version of Warhammer Online

 

Associate Producer II (2005 – 2007) [Dark Age of Camelot, Ultima Online]

Content Director (2003 – 2005) [Imperator Online]

Lead Content Designer (1997 – 2003) [Dark Age of Camelot, Darkness Falls]

Assistant Producer, Many Games/ Lead Game Designer (1997 – 2001) [Dragon’s Gate]

Assistant Producer/ Lead Game Designer (1996 – 1997)

ADDITIONAL / ON-GOING

Adjunct Instructor, ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY, San Francisco, CA                                             2018 – Present

  • Instructed multiple courses in the School of Game Development, including: Narrative Design, Freemium and Monetization, Production and Entrepreneurship, Game Theory and Analysis, History of Gaming, and Prototyping

  • Developed a Story in Video Games curriculum for the school

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Sponsored Writer, FABLE LABS, San Francisco, CA                                                                                         2019 – 2020

Aegis (Interactive Graphic Novel)

  • Working as the sole creator, writer, and game designer of my own Interactive Graphic Novel, Aegis, which is being sponsored by FableLabs and the Tales Writer platform. Aegis went into beta on 4/17/2020

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Excel, Google Sheets | Confluence, Word, Google Docs | PowerPoint, Google Slides | Miro, Figma, Balsamiq, XMind | Final Draft, Scrivener, Twine, Ink, Tales Writer | Jira, Monday, Trello, Asana | MS Project, Hansoft, SmartSheet | Perforce, SVN | Visio, Lucid Chart | Unity, Unreal, | Hero Engine, proprietary game engines | Aeon Timeline, Campaign Cartographer, Inkarnate, proprietary tools | Console, Switch, PC, Mobile, Web | MMOs, Single Player | Freemium, F2P, Subscription Models | Persistent Worlds, Open Worlds | Gaming Communities | Live Game Operations

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Bachelor of Science, Biology (Zoology)
SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY | San Diego, CA | 1996

Voice-Acting Training

VOICETRAX VOICEOVER ACADEMY, Sausalito, CA, 2013-Ongoing

© 2016-2025 by Lori Hyrup.

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