Sanketh Bhat // Game Designer & Developer
sankethcb@gmail.com // sankethcb.com // Los Angeles, CA // Work Authorization: US Citizen

Education

Master of Fine Arts, Interactive Media [USC Games]
University of Southern California, 2024 

Los Angeles, CA
GPA: 4.00 // Annenberg Fellow // CYSTEM Scholar

Bachelor of Science, Game Design & Development

Rochester Institute of Technology, 2019 

Rochester, NY

GPA: 3.88 // Presidential Scholar // Dean’s List

Skills

Tools/Technologies:  Unity3D, Unreal Engine 5, Wwise, Git, Perforce, Microsoft Office, Jira, Google Suite, Flutter, Agile

Programming Languages:  C#, C++, HLSL, ShaderLab, Dart

Game Development: Technical Design, Systems Design & Balancing, Gameplay Design & Programming, UI Programming, Visual Scripting, Interaction Design, Combat Design, Design Documentation & Flowcharts, Rapid Prototyping, Technical Art & Animation.

Experience

Unannounced Project - Lead Game Developer & Designer [Unity] [Android // iOS]               [October 2024 - Present]

Contract // TinyFury Games // Los Angeles, CA

• Responsible for core game technical architecture, design of 10+ gameplay systems and in-engine implementation.
• Researching and developing 3+ live service features to scale future development of the project.
• Working closely with stakeholders to ensure that their vision and parameters for the project are being met.

Cards of Heart - Game & Polish Designer [Unity] [PC // Mac]                                             [June 2024 - August 2024]

Contract // GoodMind Games  // Los Angeles, CA // Mental-health focused cozy digital card game mixed with a top-down RPG.

Available on Steam with 90%+ Positive Reviews

• Identified over 40 individual game elements as areas of polish or unclear design to be worked on before release.
• Independently implemented 20+ systemic changes in-engine, including codebase adjustments and 8+ tech art components.

Eight Moons To Eternity  -  Creative & Technical Director [Unity] [PC // Mac]                     [March 2023 - May 2024]

Thesis Capstone // USC // Team Size: 15  // Sci-fi 2d/3d adventure blending text-based & twin stick shooter roguelikes.

Thesis Advisor: Rami Ismail

• Directed and managed an interdisciplinary team to achieve a cohesive vision of the project.
• Responsible for all core engineering, systems design, combat design, narrative direction, tech art & engine implementation.
• Designed and developed a procedural narrative engine, diegetic user interface systems and twin-stick combat scenarios.

Crab Rhapsody  -  Technical Director, Lead Designer [Unity] [PC // Mac]                          [August 2022 - May 2023]

Student Project // USC // Team Size: 7  // A fast paced 3D action game about a lone crab warrior trying to rescue a rock band.

2023 BAFTA Finalist for Student Game Project // USC Games Expo 2023 Selection

• A year-long project distinctly split into 6+ agile sprints with strict adherence to task breakdowns and milestones.
• Responsible for core gameplay programming, Wwise integration, core technical & systems design; including implementing a physics sandbox mechanic, procedural level generation, 6+ weapons and 5+ enemy types including bosses.

Grandma Green  -  Lead Designer, Gameplay Programmer [Unity] [Android // iOS]                 [June 2022 - May 2023]

Student Project // USC // Team Size: 21 // Comfy gardening sim about a spunky Grandma & her magical Golems!

60,000 Downloads, 4.0+ Rating on the App Store // USC Games Expo 2023 Selection

• A year-long project overseeing design, engineering & QA teams along with the lead engineer and lead producer.
• Oversaw overall game design, design documentation, game system architecture and player UX.
• Responsible for core technical & systems design, including the gardening system, entity pathfinding and player onboarding.

Atlas Mission -  Game Designer & Developer  [Unity] [Android // iOS]                                  [October 2019 - June 2021]

Full-time // Learning Yogi // India

• Designed modular educational games for young children that fit into a mobile platform with an overarching epic narrative.
• Researched & developed tools & game prototypes in Unity, taking on a hybrid designer/developer role.