Roger Yuen
Development DIRECTOR
Making teams unstoppable with clear systems, aligned partners, and outcomes that actually ship.
What I Bring to YOUR Team
Efficiency · Consistency · Execution · DELIVERY · Growth
Artist. Lead. Manager. Director. Producer. Department Head. I've worn many hats. What I've learned: one of the best things I do, is help teams thrive. I plug in fast, lift-up and empower the people doing the work, and make the whole machine run better.
Where I Light Things Up
Clear Plans
I turn big ideas into deliverables, milestones, and clear plans so everyone knows exactly what winning looks like.
Smart Workflows
I build systems that keep teams moving without the chaos, the crunch, or the confusion.
Single Truth
Brand integrity, quality standards, consistency. All locked in with one approach that scales.
Real Alignment
I turn vision into clear decisions and timelines everyone can actually follow.
problems I solve FAst
Crush Communication Gaps
I bridge disciplines so nothing gets lost in translation. The right people always have the right context.
Get Everyone Flowing Together
I bring teams and partners to a shared definition of success before a single pixel gets pushed.
Turn Chaos Into Clear Priorities
I establish clear priorities so teams always know what to work on, what to defer, and why it matters.
Build Roadmaps That Drive Growth
I map what gets built and how teams grow, quarter by quarter, with milestones that actually mean something.
Supercharge Your Production
I tighten how work comes in, gets scoped, tracked, and shipped so the pipeline flows and nothing stalls.
Reduce Rework & Raise QUALITY
I install quality standards, style guidance, and smarter review gates so rework becomes the exception, not the norm.
How I Operate
Can you lead both creatively and operationally?
Absolutely. I live at the intersection of vision and systems. I can set bold creative direction AND build the operating model that makes it repeatable across every team, partner, and project.
Have you worked across disciplines and with development teams?
Yes, and I love it. I've led and partnered across Art, UI/UX, Production, Engineering, Design, and External Vendors. My focus: clarity at handoffs, shared definitions of DONE, and review rhythms that keep quality high and momentum unstoppable.
Can you scale quality across multiple projects?
Yes, and this is one of my superpowers. I standardize what should be consistent: templates, guidelines, intake, reviews, asset readiness. That frees teams to focus on the creative work that actually moves the needle.
How do you manage partners & stakeholders?
I make expectations crystal clear from day one: what great looks like, what approvals require, and how decisions get made. My documentation travels well across orgs. Briefs, style guides, checklists, milestones, heat maps, quality criteria. No surprises. Just results.
My Leadership Philosophy
Every person is wired differently. My job is to build an environment where each team member does their best work, grows into something bigger, and feels genuinely proud of what we ship together.
The Standard
Not tradeoffs. The non-negotiable standard I hold for every project, every team, every time.
Honest Clarity
Direct feedback. Real context. Genuine respect. No ambiguity, no guessing games. Just honest conversations that make everyone better.
Guard Focus
I guard the team's time and attention fiercely so they can execute on what actually matters, not just what's loudest.
Active Coaching
I celebrate wins loudly and invest deeply in each person's growth. Your ceiling is higher than you think.
Calm Ownership
No drama. No ego. Steady, grounded leadership with full ownership of outcomes at every level.
Give Autonomy
I push people to take pride in their work and give them the autonomy to make the right calls. Ownership is earned and celebrated.
Building SUPERCHARGED Teams
I start by hunting down the bottlenecks and find opportunities, then redesign the entire workflow around eliminating them:
Defined Roles
Defined ownership so nothing falls through the cracks, and more responsibility flows to the people ready for it.
Zero Gaps
Eliminate ambiguity at every handoff. The right information reaches the right people, every single time.
Steady Reviews
Consistent review gates that protect quality and consistency without ever slowing down delivery.
Visible Priorities
Full transparency on capacity and workload. Everyone sees the board. No one is flying blind.
Coaching & Growth
Every person is unique and I treat them that way. The goal: a team that's measurably stronger every quarter.
How I've scaled quality
Quality at scale isn't magic. It's systems. I standardize everything that should be consistent: templates, guidelines, intake, reviews, and asset readiness. That frees teams to pour their energy into the creative work that actually requires it.
Game Launch
Led a cross-functional team to ship highly anticipated titles on schedule, within budget, and above quality benchmarks. The released timing was always on point.
Pipeline efficiency
Redesigned the creative pipeline for a 60-person team, cutting production time by 20% while raising visual consistency & content quality across the board.
Team Alignment
Built a shared system that gave 100+ people across 5 teams real visibility into the work. Everyone knew what was happening and didnt have to ask the why.
Raised Standards
Installed quality frameworks, style guides, and review gates that became the baseline for every team and every project. Future teams onboarded the process swiftly.
What to Expect From Me
Communication You Can Rely On
I share a clear plan, call out risks early, and keep decisions visible. Equally comfortable in the exec room and on the production floor, because both matter.
Voice & Work ethic
Welcoming and honest. Patient and thoughtful. I listen closely, respond with intention, and champion solutions that work for the whole team, not just the loudest voice in the room. I'm extremely dedicated to the products and teams. I work ultra hard everyday, and I foster leading by example.
Quick Career Snapshot
A track record of building teams, fixing systems, and shipping games that actually matter at every level.
Managing Director / Head of Art
Iron Galaxy Studios
Apr 2020 – Jun 2026
Led art across multiple shipped titles. Set quality standards, streamlined workflows, and managed key external partnerships.
Executive Producer
Kongregate
Sept 2018 – May 2020
Oversaw studio operations, people, and game portfolio. Drove alignment across disciplines from dev to SaaS.
Art Director / Lead Producer
WMS / Scientific Games
May 2013 – Sept 2018
Built an interactive team from scratch. Delivered B2B and B2C game products at scale with consistent quality.
Top Game Credits
games ShippeD
partnerships formed
platforms upgraded
key Partnerships
BIO SUMMARY
I've had the incredible fortune of working with some of the best studios in the industry, making games and content I'm genuinely proud of. On weekends, I'm still doodling on the iPad, nurturing the skill that got me into this space. I'm a proud cat dad to Tater Tot (orange cat) 🐈 and Hazelnut (chunky brown tabby) 🐈⬛, and a die-hard fan of retro 80s and 90s everything. Not to mention, I'm an avid lover of retro 80's and 90's content. One day I hope to see a live action remake of the epic Thundercats. Thanks for stopping by. Don't hesitate to reach out. Let's build something great together.
