# Mike Lopez > Design, UX, Monetization, Retention, Big Data & Production Consultant Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/mikelopez *** With 26 years of experience I am a highly specialized and experienced consultant looking for remote consulting opportunities only. I am not interested in new roles or relocating from Nicaragua. *** I am a veteran Studio-level Design Director, Product Management & Executive Production Professional with 26 years of experience from both the Developer and Publisher sides of Console, PC, Social and Mobile game development. I also have experience as a top contributor on multiple AAA Racing, Action and Open-World blockbuster successes including Scarface, James Bond, Road Rash & Blood & Glory (a Top 10 Grossing Overall app in 103 countries including the USA). Specialties: Special expertise in Free-to-play, Monetization, Retention, Data Analytics, Usability, Playability, A/B Testing, IP Development, Vision Development, mechanics, feature, & systems design, Economy balancing, UI/UX, and Best Practices content & design processes for AAA console and Mobile action, driving and open world games. Leadership experience including technical/creative problem solving, task management, milestone definition and audition, usability moderation, contract negotiations, screening/hiring, mentoring, career management and Product Management. I am available for advanced, in-depth Free2Play Monetization, Retention, Usability, Analytics, & Design/Production Consulting and Support. For the right fit I am open to more permanent Studio or Division level opportunities which lie at the intersection of Design, Production, Monetization, Retention & Usability. I am currently 66% of the way through a Data Mining Certification Program via UCSD Extension.(part time, on-line), with a projected completion by Q2, 2015. I expect this supplementary education will improve my Analytics-driven Decision Making in the future. ## Work Experience ### Design, UX, Monetization, Retention & Production Consultant @ Self-Employed Jan 2017 – Present | Las Peñitas, Leon, Nicaragua I now live in Nicaragua but am still available for remote consulting opportunities, with potential for some on-site visits to North America or Europe. I prefer shorter term projects of 1-9 weeks. ### Executive Producer/Design Executive @ Gameforge Jan 2015 – Present Champion and Lead Multiple Freemium Game Products on Mobile, PC and/or Console Platforms, Provide additional Design Direction, Production, Development, and Mobile Launch/Retention/Monetization Best Practices, Veteran Leadership and Expertise at the Company level. ### Monetization, Retention & Design Direction Consultant @ Self Jan 2013 – Jan 2015 Free2Play consulting, training, analysis and support for Mobile & Institutional Investment clients, with special focus on Monetization, Retention, Usability, Economy & Analytics Best Practices, and Mobile Market trends. - Provided analysis and F2P Monetization, Retention & Usability direction on projects in multiple stages of development. - Distilled & refined comprehensive Freemium Best Practices for client instruction and direction - Directed the economy and UI conversion of a Premium game to Free2Play (not yet released). - Consulted on Free2Play App market suitability for various early concepts. - Provided Free2Play Game & App market insights for multiple Institutional Investment clients ### Co Founder, Design Director @ Indie Mobile Game Developer (Self) Jan 2013 – Jan 2014 I have been working on the side with some former colleagues to bootstrap the unfunded development of an unannounced mobile game. Much of this time has been spent honing the Concept and main system and mechanics design, while the actual Development has been limited due to other priorities. ### Studio Design Director @ Glu Mobile Jan 2011 – Jan 2013 | San Francisco / Sao Paulo, Brazil Provide Product Management and Best Practices Direction on Monetization, Retention, Usability, Analytics, Economy, A/B Testing, Design, Gameplay, and Interface/UX to all studio teams. Co-ran Production with EP. - Blood & Glory (iOS) - Top 10 Grossing in US Apple App Store (+102 other countries) - Blood & Glory Legend (iOS) I wrote the on-line Glu Best Practices playbook to drive global design processes for analytics, monetization features/UI, economy design, store design and IAP (In App Purchases). I have also given company-wide lectures to help communicate the Best Practices. I wrote multiple project, design and monetization analysis post-mortem presentations of unsuccessful external titles for Executive staff. I standardized all Glu Soft and Hard Currency IAP vales with a progressive value increase to encourage upswell. ### Design Lead (contractor) @ Disney Playdom Jan 2010 – Jan 2011 | San Francisco, CA I contracted at Disney Playdom in order to obtain valuable social design and development insight on the rapidly emerging social gaming industry. My goal was to discover which elements of social design could be adapted for the Freemium mobile, console and PC markets. Unreleased IP (Facebook) - Concept Design - Concept Vision - Pitch Presentation ESPN Sports Bar (Facebook) - Systems and mechanics - Content design and production strategy - Social Gaming Economy Organization/Balancing - Viral Mechanics - Monetization Hooks ### Contractor/Consultant @ Self Jan 2009 – Jan 2010 * Vision Development * IP Concept Design * Detailed Design * Concept Pitch Development/Presentation * Experience with emerging iPhone and Facebook games markets Contracts have included social and mobile gaming companies such as Social Gaming Network. ### Sr. Creative Manager @ THQ Jan 2006 – Jan 2008 - Design Direction on multiple external action and racing next gen console projects (360/PS3). - Assisting Business Development in design content, process and team analysis for game pitches and materials. - Author, Best Practices of design documentation (Internal). - Usability Testing organization, moderation and analysis. - Honing and steering Creative Vision for two new IPs. ### Design Director @ Radical Entertainment Jan 2002 – Jan 2005 - Scarface: The World Is Yours (Xbox/PS2) ### Creative Director/Lead Designer @ Electronic Arts Jan 1992 – Jan 2001 | EAHQ I started entry level in EA QA and then moved into Production before Design even existed as a separate development Discipline. So my focus has always been on building games within time, budget, market and company constraints. With an aptitude for Level Design I was one of EA's first handful of Designers in the mid-90s before becoming instrumental in Systems & Mechanics design for several Road Rash releases and graduating into Lead Design and Creative Direction on the last two Road Rash releases. - Virtual Pinball (Genesis) - Level Design/Assistant Producer - PGA Tour Golf II (Mac) - Level Design - Euro Golf (Genesis) - Level Design, Assistant Producer - Escape From Monster Manor (3DO), Level Design, Assistant Producer - Road Rash (3DO), Level Design, Assistant Producer - Road Rash 3 (Genesis),- Level Design, Assistant Producer - Road Rash (Sega CD), - Level Design, Assistant Producer - Road Rash (PC) - Level Design, Assistant Producer - Road Rash (Saturn) - Level Design, Assistant Producer - Road Rash (PSOne) - Level Design, Assistant Producer - Road Rash 3D (PSOne) - Lead Design - James Bond: Agent Under Fire (PS2/Xbox) - Supporting Systems/Mechanics Design - Road Rash: Jailbreak (PSOne) - All Systems & Mechanics Design, Creative Director ## Education ### Certification in Data Mining UC San Diego ### BA in Quantitative Economics & Decision Sciences UC San Diego ### MBHS ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/mikedlopez --- Source: https://flows.cv/mikelopez JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/mikelopez/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13