Aaron Casillas
award winning game Designer and STORYTELLER
Aaron Casillas
(702) 904-0038
Actapatio2007@yahoo.com
HIGHLIGHTS
Over 35 awards and nominations in various categories
26 years of industry experience
Directed all phases of the development process, from creative conception to prototyping, release and live operations. Live ops experienced.
Versed in nearly all genres, FPS, RPG, RTS, Story, Casino, Survival, Open World, NFT/Web3
Experienced in Premium, Freemium, DLC, UGC, Tokenomics and ecosystems.
USC Games and UCLA Game Design Instructor
World Narrative Builder and Consultant
EXPERIENCE
March 2021 to Feb 1st 2023 Fan Controlled Sports, Head of Product/Gamification
Emmy Nominated
All things creative/design for the first ever Real-Life Video Sports Video Game
Direct gamification and economy efforts across multiple platforms and products
3rd party developer relations, Apple, Google et al
Web3 Peer Nominated NFT design for real life game sports utility and itemization
March 2019 to March 2021, PokerGO, Head of Games
Stake holder for PokerGO’s day to day operations, including coordination of operations.
Head of Games and production for all platforms, systems, features, and ventures
3rd party developer relations, Apple, Google et al
Roadmap direction based on KPIs
Feb 2017 to Sold 2020, Last Bastion Studios, Co-Owner, Executive Producer
VR Casino, Interior Design prototypes, to an Unannounced IP for console.
XR Hologram consultant
Investor and Advisor, in depth counseling to financial institutions
Nov 2014 to Feb 2017, Zynga, Product Owner
Best Streaming on Facebook
Directed all game Design, Creative and Social Media efforts on the team for Zynga Poker
20% 2016 booking inc. 40% YoY growth, record 4m DAU, record Daily revenue $500-600K
Roadmap creation and direction
Zynga wide Live Streaming Operations, average 1.2m reach, 35k unique viewers
March 2013 to Nov 2014, Tell Tale Games, Lead Narrative Designer
Game of the Year/Story of the Year and various other categories, BAFTA nominated
Lead Designer and Co-Story Creator, “Wolf Among Us” Episode 4
Co-Story Creator, “Tales of the Borderlands” Episode 2, high level design of Action Sequences.
Season Story developer and data analysis
Jan 2012 to March 2013, Red Ronin Entertainment, Co-Founder, Creative Director, EP
Created "Amazing Flying Machines", an original IP available exclusively on the iOS
Top 10 Game in Japan.
Managed external team of contract engineers and artists
June 2011 to Jan 2012, Atari SA, Creative Director/Sr Game Designer
Adapted and updated company's design strategies for mobile and social games. This involved leading new design initiatives, adjusting technology requirements, and R.F.P. creation
Publisher Design lead and liaison for Atari’s portfolio
Atari changed direction and reorganized
Nov 2009 to June 2011, Petroglyph Games, Creative Lead/Game Designer
Back-to-Back Year Award Winning Awards and Nominations
Lead Creative for Award Winning E3 Design, End of Nations MMO RTS.
Designed, built, and balanced maps, missions, and systemic content
Nov 2008 to May 2009, Big Huge Games, Sr. Lead Level Designer
Prototyped dungeons for Ken Rolston's RPG, Kingdoms of Alamur
High Level design for 150 dungeons, including layout, object placement, lighting, scripting, and enemy and FX placement
THQ closed the studio
July 2007 to Feb 2008, Collision Studios, Contract Lead Designer/Bus Dev Design
Wrote proposals, created gameplay prototypes, and worked on experimental projects such as Warner Brother's Viral Video
Helped grow projects from proposals through final contract
July 2005 to July 2007, Trilogy Studios, Lead Game Design/Director/Partner
Helped manage initial development of IP, company vision, and brainstorm non-traditional delivery concepts
Lead game designer for Daybreakers, an action-RPG hybrid like Borderlands
Pitched and designed Shrek Worlds, a children's MMO-lite for DreamWorks
2001 – 2005, Electronic Arts, Lead Level Designer
Medal of Honor: Lead Level Designer
E3 Nominated Best of
Created and prototyped new IP proposals using in-house technology
Designed all phases of the acclaimed E3 "Pearl Harbor" level and its counterpart that shipped in the final product
Created scenarios that acted as foundational design blueprints for the rest of the game
2000-2001 Novalogic, Design Manager
Titled Design Dept. Manager charged with managing mission design and the day-to-day operation of the design department.
Co-Created Black Hawk Down original mission scenario which later became Black Hawk Down IP
Design real world military encounters for the military with “Secret” tier status
1999-2000 Black Ops Studios, AI/Level Designer
Implemented level design, managed texture memory and asset database
AI design and scripting
The World is Not Enough E3 Level
1996-1999 Activision, QA Console Sr. Manager- Tester
Co-Managed a department of more than 30 testers and 3 teams as Sr. Manager
Responsibilities included Budget management, Coordinating with Sr. VP, Producers and Marketing to ensure a timely ship of the product.
Co-Created 3rd party shipping standards for ATVI's console department.
EDUCATION
UCLA Graduate of School of Fine Art: Bachelor's degree/ 3.79 GPA
Adjunct instructor at USC’s #1 ranked Game’s School
Extension teacher at UCLA’s Game’s program
Misc. Credits
FCF Fan Controlled Football
PokerGO Game and SVOD
Zynga Poker
Wolf Among Us
Tales of the Borderlands
Walking Dead 400 Days
Amazing Flying Machines (Mobile)
Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes of Never Winter (FB)
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3d (3DS)
Deer Hunter Online (FB)
Super Bunny Breakout (Mobile)
Asteroids: Gunner (Mobile)
Breakout Mania (Mobile)
Centipede: Infestation (Wii)
Centipede: Infestation (3DS)
DnD: Heroes of Never-Winter (Social)
Putt Putt/Freddie Fish (Mobile)
Jumper: Griffin's Story (2008), Brash Entertainment, LLC.
Medal of Honor: European Assault (2005), Electronic Arts, Inc.
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (2003), Electronic Arts, Inc.
Medal of Honor: Frontline Xbox Multiplayer
Delta Force: Urban Warfare (2002), NovaLogic, Inc.
Comanche 4 (2001), NovaLogic, Inc.
Delta Force: Land Warrior (2000), NovaLogic, Inc.
U.S. Govt. Tank Simulations (2000), NovaLogic, Inc
Star Trek: Armada (2000), Activision (UK) Limited
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (2000), Activision, Inc.
The World is Not Enough (2000), Electronic Arts, Inc.
Disney/Pixar A Bug's Life (1999), Activision Publishing, Inc.
Disney's Tarzan (1999), Activision, Inc.
Space Invaders (1999), Activision, Inc.
Star Trek: Hidden Evil (1999), Activision Publishing, Inc.
Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense (1999), Activision, Inc.
Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style (1999), Activision, Inc.
Asteroids (1998), Activision, Inc.
Quake 2 patches 3.14
Quake 2 Expansion Packs
Sony OEM
3dfx Mechwarrior Mercenaries
Dark Reign: Rise of the Shadowhand (1998), Activision, Inc.
Guardian's Crusade (1998), Tamsoft Corporation
Quake II Mission Pack: The Reckoning (1998), Activision, Inc.
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (1998), Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), Inc.
Dark Reign: The Future of War (1997), Activision, Inc.
Heavy Gear (1997), Activision, Inc.
Interstate '76 (1997), Activision, Inc.
NetStorm: Islands at War (1997), Activision, Inc.
Mech-warrior PSX