Hi. I'm
Yichao.

Organization Leader

Creative Director

Game Designer

Playwright

Actor

Improvisor

Nerd of All Trades

I make things up for a living.
Contact Me
Who I Am

I am a game developer and theater artist currently based in Seattle, WA.

GAME DESIGN: CREATIVE LEADERSHIP

For the past ten years, I've worked in creative leadership and narrative design roles in the game industry, writing original content for beloved IPs and new games alike. I've shipped titles and features for studios such as Riot Games, Wizards of the Coast, ArenaNet, Phoenix Labs, and more.

In 2023, I cofounded Jam & Tea Studios, a seed-funded, remote first game studio. I served as Chief Creative Officer, raising a $3M seed round and overseeing our design disciplines on an immersive RPG codenamed Project Emily. I also oversaw and managed the launch and go to market of our demo game, Retail Mage.

THEATER, FILM, ENTERTAINMENT

In addition to my games work, I am a playwright, actor (stage, film, and VO), improvisor, and teaching artist. I am the founder and creative director of Take 5 Improv. I hold an MFA in Acting from California Institute of the Arts and a BA in Theatre and English as a Flinn Scholar from Arizona State University.

I've worked as a freelance writer and designer for themed entertainment, with clients including Rhetroactive, On Track Themes, and Disney Imagineering. I also worked as a staff writer on a Chinese sitcom, and have continued to write plays, direct, music direct, and perform in various theater, film, improv, and voiceover projects.

What I Do
Available for hire and consultation
Creative
Director

I help game projects deliver emotion-based storytelling that inspires players and drives towards KPIs. I'm here to help you translate business targets into creative direction that excites your customers and energizes your designers.

Narrative
Design

From leading ideation and story breaking sessions, to writing dialog and cutscenes, to delivering mograph comics, prose fiction, flavor text, and more, I've crafted memorable story content for globally beloved IPs and new properties alike.

Voiceover Acting
and Direction

I have directed voiceover sessions for major game studios and indie game projects, covering cut scenes, animations, trailers, and more, and have led and produced ADR and looping sessions for major film projects. (Samples available upon request.)

Music
Director

I have music directed for mainstage shows at regional, community, and nationally recognized youth theaters. I am also available as an accompanist for voice performances, lessons, and rehearsals. I love opportunities to work with non-profits that serve their communities with song.

Teaching
Artist

I've taught acting, improv, and musical theater for nationally recognized programs, including Great Books Summer Program, Childsplay, Valley Youth Theatre, TBA Theatre, Rise Up and Sing, and more. I also have taught adult courses in improv, acting, and music for a wide variety of organizations, and have done 1 on 1 coaching for individuals as well.

Commissioned
Playwright

I have written numerous plays on commission for theaters as part of their New Works development programs. I have also written many works for theater for young audiences and youth camps, and love working directly with a cast to write works specifically tailored to the actors involved.

Game Dev
Highlights of Past Engagements
VC Startup
Jam & Tea
Studios

Cofounder and Chief Creative Officer. Raised $3M seed. Managed creative disciplines at studio. Owned partner relationships. Set creative direction and GTM for Project Emily (Immersive RPG) and Retail Mage (demo game shipped in 6 mo of dev).

Project:LAX
Phoenix
Labs

Narrative Director for unnannounced new live service game built in UE5. Led Narrative discipline across our R&D and live games portfolio. Oversaw projects in incubation through live production.

DigiPub
Wizards
of the Coast

Creative Lead and stakeholder on numerous digital game developments with first and second party partner studios. Managed relationships with partner studios working in Magic, D&D, and new IP.

LoL and R&D
Riot
Games

Narrative Designer and lead writer on numerous features and projects. Deliverables included VO scripts and direction, mission design, prose fiction, comics (mograph and traditional), animated cinematics, character design documentation, item naming, worldbuilding, live AR/VR performance direction, and more.

GW2
ArenaNet

Narrative writer on Path of Fire and Season 4 content for Guild Wars 2. Worked in writers rooms to break season story arcs and in engine to implement written and designed content. Delivered GDDs, feature specs, narrative outlines, dialog scripts, and more.

Magic
Wizards of the Coast

Where I got my start in games. Worked on Magic: the Gathering, contributing to multiple set releases across flavor text, game and mechanics design, prose fiction, and more. Led creative design on Global Series product.

Plays
Select Plays, avail on New Play Exchange
Goose
  • O'Neill Theater NPC Semi-finalist
  • Kennedy Center ACTF Winner
  • Great Plains Theatre Conference
  • Workshops and readings: Forward Flux, Orchard Project
  • Various productions, US and UK
    •
  • Dallin's turning 13... and no one's coming to his birthday party. Instead, he finds himself on a journey through memories, space, and time. A play about relativity, aging, quantum mechanics, and, unexpectedly... geese.
    Full Length. 2M 1F
Request Script
jellyfish pine
  • O'Neill Theater NPC Finalist
  • Kennedy Center ACTF Winner
  • Workshops and readings: Drive Theatre, PlayLAB
  • Various productions, US
    •
  • Jack loves Emily. Emily loves Jack... just never at the same time. A play about missed connections, queer love, evolving relationships, and the unexpected quantum entanglement of lives.
    Full Length. 3M 1F
Request Script
Between
  • O'Neill Theater NPC Semi-finalist
  • World Premiere, Valley Youth Theatre
  • Various productions, US
    •
  • Taylor is moving into another new foster home. Caitlin's dad is distant. Jayden finds out he's getting a new brother. Mary copes with illness. Four kids' lives collide in unexpected ways as they navigate the space between being a kid and growing up.
    Full Length. 8-14 Actors.
    Min cast 4M 4F.
Request Script
Surface
  • Written in conversation with Jayna Sweet.
  • Staged Reading: Bespoke Plays
    •
  • Swimming through time and space, Kierah navigates the complex expectations and expressions of relationships and love, seeking light in the wake of darkness.
    Full Length. 9-20 actors.
    Min cast 5F 4M.
Request Script
Bread
  • Kennedy Center National 10 Minute Festival
  • Workshop: ATHE
  • Various productions and fesitvals, US and UK
  • Dan and Olivia spend a lot of time not saying how they feel. A 10 queer minute play on poetry and (poorly kept) secrets.
    1M, 1F.
Request Script
Portfolio
Writing Samples and Game Design Links

I directed our launch trailer, created in collab with marketing studio, SUMMONER.
Launch Trailer
Retail Mage

An early stage tech demo for Project Emily, a game built on on our proprietary AI platform powering more immersive, dynamic RPG worlds.
R&D Game
Project Emily

I wrote the 5 issue comic run, owning story on the project from concept pitch to final delivery.
Webcomic
K/DA Harmonies

I owned scripting and character direction for a variety of AR interviews with the K/DA cast, working with VO actors, musical guests and producers.
Live AR Performance
K/DA Interview

I pitched, concepted, and scripted for a series of animations titled Tales of Runeterra, introducing players to the various regions of Runeterra, the game setting of LoL and LoR.
Animation Screenplay
Before Glory

I was narrative lead on Yone, a then new champion for League of Legends. This video showcases the in-game VO.
Character Design
Yone

I was narrative lead on Mordekaiser, a refreshed champion for League of Legends. This video showcases the in-game VO.
Character Design
Mordekaiser

I worked as a designer and writer for Spirit Bonds, the in-client visual novel game mode that debuted as part of Spirit Blossom 2020.
League of Legends Event Design
Spirit Blossom 2020

I wrote the script for the release trailer for Rell: The Iron Maiden.
Champion Trailer
Rell, the Iron Maiden

I wrote a five part time travel short story for the Pulsefire Event for League of Legends.
Prose Fiction: League of Legends
Out of Time

I wrote the short story for Magic: the Gathering introducing the Jeskai faction as part of Tarkir: Dragonstorm.
Prose Fiction: Magic the Gathering
The Unknown Way

A fan-made video of a questline I wrote and designed for Guild Wars 2, Season 4, as part of larger narrative design for the Olmakhan Village.
Guild Wars 2 Quest and Zone Design
Ewyn's Retreat

I wrote the script in English and Chinese for the Frozen Singalong Celebration in Disneyland Shanghai, which debuted with the opening of the park in 2016.
Live Show: Disneyland Shanghai
Frozen Singalong Celebration

The opening scene to a sci fi spec script, set in a world where dreams can unlock powerful magic.
Scripts
Dreamwalkers
Contact

For general inquiries or requests to schedule time for a meeting (video or in person): letschat@michaelyichao.com.

For new play commissions, script reqeusts, teaching artist inquiries, music direction requests, and other theater related topics: theater@michaelyichao.com.

For game dev related topics: gamedev@michaelyichao.com.

FAQ

Do you work pro bono?
Usually, no. For non-profits, I am currently available for hire and also do enjoy donating my time and skills to causes I believe in. If you believe that's your org, let's chat!

Are you available for commissioned works?
Yes! Depending on timelines, I currently have bandwidth for new projects in 2026.

How do I say your name?
Yee-chow (or /jiː tʃaʊ/ for my fellow IPA nerds out there).
Hot tip: someone calling me Michael is the quickest way I weed out strangers and spammers. It's a scientific fact there's always 8 other Michaels to get confused with in any given organization. (Good thing spam emailers don't read FAQs!)

M. Yichao