Mike Verdu

Started this new company (along with Mark Pincus) to reinvent game development and game experiences with AI.

After building Netflix Games, transitioned to full-time focus on transforming game development and player experiences with generative AI, building on an initiative started in 2022. Drove strategic investments and partnerships with AI startups. Guided development of several AI-powered games, with the first two launching in late 2024 and early 2025.

Founded and scaled Netflix’s games business from the ground up, growing to 500+ staff across studios and publishing. Acquired four game companies and integrated them into a coherent first party studio organization with an international footprint. Key stakeholder in new initiative to launch cloud-streamed games for TVs and PCs. Released 100+ licensed or internally developed titles, driving a significant increase in member engagement from the launch of games on the platform. Pioneered AI-enabled and AI-powered games in 2022-24.

Put the foundation for the Netflix Games org, including the strategy, the plan, and the first key hires for the leadership team.

Oversaw global content strategy, sourcing, development, and publishing for Oculus Quest and Rift virtual reality headsets. Led the acquisition and integration of six VR game studios, including Beat Games, Sanzaru, and Big Box. Scaled a world-class first-party VR games portfolio.

Oversaw top mobile game studios worldwide working on new and live service games based on SimCity, Star Wars, The Sims, Plants vs. Zombies, Real Racing, The Simpsons, etc. Managed live operations for games with millions of DAUs, including multiple high LTV titles. Drove significant new features in live games, increasing revenue and engagement.

Joined via acquisition of TapZen. Led studio network across US and China. As Chief Creative Officer (CCO), responsible for new games and overall game quality. Contributed creatively to multiple new games and oversaw pre-launch pipelines.

Founded TapZen in mid-2012 to create mobile strategy games with a hand-picked team of proven industry veterans. Funded by Zynga and Tencent. Launched This Means WAR! in June of 2014. TapZen was acquired by Kabam in January of 2015.

Oversaw flagship live games including FarmVille, Cafe World, and Mafia Wars and launched new hit games including FrontierVille, CastleVille, Empires & Allies, reaching hundreds of millions of monthly active users and generating billions in revenue. Grew large international studio organization with over 1,000 staff. Recruited top game talent. Defined the company's greenlight process, established a creative "brain trust", and sponsored the internal game design community.

General Manager of EA Los Angeles 2007-2009 overseeing Command & Conquer, Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth, and Medal of Honor franchises. Ran EALA RTS business 2005-2007 (doubling revenue during that time). Executive Producer and creative leader for Command & Conquer 3, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, and expansions. Joined EA as Sr. Producer on Command & Conquer Generals.

Managed this first person shooter studio for Atari with Bob Bates. The studio was best known for creating Unreal II, Unreal: Return to Na Pali, and Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time.

Co-founded and ran this developer and publisher of PC games in partnership with Bob Bates. Developed 15 adventure, role-playing, and first person shooter games including the Spellcasting series, Gateway series, Companions of Xanth, Death Gate, Mission Critical, and Sword of Shannara. Legend was acquired by GT Interactive in 1998 (which was subsequently acquired by Atari).