Zak Arntson

Principal Engineer I @ PeopleFun

About

Engineer & Manager 25 years programming experience 15+ shipped titles C++, C#, Unreal, Unity, Custom Engines Notable projects are listed below. 🏢 ProbablyMonsters (2023-2024) | Engineering Manager | C++/Unreal 🕹️ Project Vance - Technical and career guidance to reports - Lead for cross-discipline foundation team, covering non-gameplay systems 🏢 Together Labs (2020-2023) | Engineering Manager | C++/Unreal, Python 🕹️ WithMe (iPhone/Android, C++/Unreal) - Grew team from engineers and missed deadlines to cross-discipline and meeting commitments - Project proposal, scheduling and status presentation up to C-Level. - Foundational: REST API, menus, etc. - Data tool for single-command import & deploy 🏢 Big Fish Games (2018-2020) | Principal Engineer | C#/Unity 🕹️ Deep Sea Solitaire (iOS) - Started studio tech talks with near 100% engagement - Data import & validation tooling - Tooling to allow designers to test their level designs via headless clients - Quest system (architecture and menus). Core system fully unit tested 🕹️ Worbs (iOS) - Worked with producer to drive late-stage prototyping 🏢 Signal Studios (2014-2017) | Director of Mobile Engineering/Engineering | C++/Unreal/Custom, C#/Unity 🕹️ Toy Soldiers: War Chest (PC/Console) - Guided studio from missed deadlines to delivering on commitments every week - Hands-on engineering, refining systems, improving performance, etc. 🏢 Freak’n Genius (2012-2014) | Senior Engineer | C++/Custom, Objective-C 🕹️ YAKiT & YAKiT Kids - Animated menus, particle simulation - Scrolling social feed to share YAKiT videos with comments & reactions 🏢 Griptonite Games / Amaze / Glu Mobile (2005-2012) | Engineer/Lead Engineer | C/C++/Custom, C#/Unity 🕹️ Iron Man 2 (DS) - Lead, UX, design support, gameplay & core systems - Project scheduling with other leads - Nearly all menus, including motion graphics 🕹️ Age of Empires: Mythologies (DS) - Motivation/action AI for three unique factions - Component-based unit system, linked to menus & AI 🕹️ Disney Friends (DS) - Game menus, multiple store & inventory screens - Stylus drawing minigame 🕹️ LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GBA) - Bosses: Rancor, Boba Fett, Emperor Palpatine 🕹️ Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (GBA) - Enemy AI, for sidescroller & sailing modes - Layered sprite system for showing ship status 🏢 LPCN (2000-2005) | Engineer | JavaScript, Progress 4GL 🏢 Microsoft (through Volt) (1999-2000) | SDET | JavaScript

Country

United States

City

Snohomish

Industry

Computer Games

Skill

Game Development, Unity3D, Game Design, Gameplay, Gameplay Programming, Game Programming, Video Games, Perforce, Mobile Games, Casual Games, Multiplayer, Console, C#, Level Design, Artificial Intelligence, Game Mechanics, XML, Programming, Scripting, Computer Games

Experience

Principal Engineer I

PeopleFun

2025-4 - Present · 1 yr 6 mos

Incubation Team Founder

Engineering Lead/Manager

ProbablyMonsters

2023-10 - 2024-10 · 1 yr 1 mo

Engineering Manager

Together Labs

2022-2 - 2023-7 · 1 yr 6 mos

Mobile App UI Lead Engineer

Together Labs

2020-10 - 2022-2 · 1 yr 5 mos

Principal Game Engineer V

Big Fish Games

2018-1 - 2020-9 · 2 yrs 9 mos

Greater Seattle Area

Gumball Heroes (Mobile), Deep Sea Solitaire (Mobile), Prototyping Unity/C# UX, AI (solitaire), Gameplay (solitaire, action), Performance, Tools, Systems, Core Tech, Mentorship

Director of Engineering

Signal Studios

2015-9 - 2017-12 · 2 yrs 4 mos

Toy Soldiers 3: War Chest (PC/Console), Savage Lands (PC), Call of Guardians (Mobile). Unity/C#, Unreal/C++, JavaScript, Ruby UX, AI (RTS/MOBA, survival), Gameplay (RTS/MOBA, survival, FPS), Realtime Networking, REST API, Tools, ReactiveX, Core Systems

Director of Mobile Engineering

Signal Studios

2014-3 - 2015-8 · 1 yr 6 mos

Kirkland, Washington

Sleeping Prince (mobile), others in development. Unity/C# Analytics, Gameplay (side-scrolling, turn-based), UX

Senior Engineer

Freak'n Genius

2012-12 - 2014-3 · 1 yr 4 mos

Greater Seattle Area

YAKiT, YAKiT Kids (iOS) Objective-C, C++ UX, REST API, Animation/Particle Systems, Core Engine.

Lead Programmer / Programmer

Griptonite Games

2005-1 - 2012-11 · 7 yrs 11 mos

Kirkland, WA

Titles include: Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (GBA) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (GBA) Lego Star Wars II: Original Trilogy (GBA) Disney Friends (DS) Age of Empires: Mythologies (DS) Iron Man 2 (DS) Captain America (DS) Penguins of Madagascar (DS) Gears 'n Guts (Mobile) C/C++, C#, XML, in-house engine (DSCore), Unity3D. Jam & make for builds. Technical Lead, In-house Database Development & Maintenance, AI (side-scrolling, isometric, turn-based strategy), Gameplay, UX, Tools (sprite/animation, build & script automation, localization)

Programmer

Lively & Partners Consulting Network

2000 - 2004 · 4 yrs

Everett, WA

Contracted to WSIPC (www.wsipc.org). ● JavaScript, HTML, Progress 4GL, DCL (DEC Command Language), FORTRAN. ● Technical Documentation, Database-driven Reports.