Zynga Poker – From Startup to Industry Leader

I joined Zynga in its early startup days, working on Zynga Poker, one of the company’s most successful and enduring games. As a designer in a fast-paced environment, I played a key role in animating the game’s UI and mechanics, enhancing player engagement through UX/UI improvements. Working at a startup meant adapting to rapid changes, tackling multiple disciplines, and evolving with shifting team dynamics and project needs.

During my time on Zynga Poker, we grew the game's audience to 35 million monthly players, frequently achieving million-dollar sales days. Our success was fueled by a data-driven approach, using A/B testing and live analytics to respond to player behavior and optimize the experience in real time. My contributions included designing leaderboards, mini-games, store pages, daily gifts and spin-off game concepts, all aimed at keeping players engaged.

As the company expanded, I advanced to Art Producer for a team of 14 artist and designers, where I redesigned the art pipeline to improve efficiency and streamline workflows. The success of Zynga Poker played a major role in propelling Zynga to its IPO and beyond, cementing its status as a leader in social gaming. This experience solidified my ability to navigate high-growth environments, innovate within tight deadlines, and lead teams to deliver engaging, data-driven design solutions at scale.