Dylan Anderson
Designing
About
I'm a game designer with four years of experience building games. I'm passionate about designing memorable, engaging experiences that players genuinely enjoy. Whether I'm devloping mechanics, building prototypes, or collaborating with a team, I strive to create experiences that are both fun and meaningful to a wide variety of players. I'm always looking for opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute to games that leave a lasting impression on players.
Alongside my design experience, I have a strong technical background that allows me to bridge the gap between design and implementation. I've worked with commercial game engines including Unreal Engine and Unity, as well as proprietary in-house engines, giving me the flexibility to adapt to different development environments and workflows. My programming knowledge helps me prototype ideas, collaborate effectively with engineers, and approach design with a solid understanding of technical constraints.
Game Designer
Highly technical designer with AAA, indie development, and academic experience.
- LinkedIn: dylananderson51
- Phone: (801) 874 5305
- Location: Utah, USA
- Degree: Bachelor of Science - Games
- Email: dtanderson51@gmail.com
- Resume: View
Outside of development, I'm an avid gamer who enjoys exploring titles across every genre. I believe playing a wide variety of games is one of the best ways to grow as a designer, exposing me to new mechanics, design philosophies, and player experiences that continually inspire my own work.
Portfolio
Below are a selection of projects that I have worked on throughout my career, ranging from AAA to Game Jam projects.
Due to the unannounced nature of some of these projects, please reach out directly if you'd like more information!
Recommendations
These recommendations come from former coworkers and collaborators, offering insight into my work ethic, teamwork, and contributions to the projects we built together.
Dylan is a force to be reckoned with. It's always a joy to see someone building a strong foundation; you can tell they have a fantastic journey and career ahead of them.
When I started on the project, Dylan quickly became the SME on all things combat and implementation for our design group. Even as an intern and then promoted to associate, Dylan was the designer leading the charge to get content into the game and make it function. When working together, Dylan not only tackled implementation but also had a keen design sense, enabling in-depth design discussions on complex topics and issues.
Dylan brought a level of respect, approachability, and human kindness that made him so warm and welcoming to work with. Any team would be leveled up by having Dylan on their side.
Jon Walker
Lead Combat Designer
I had the pleasure of working with Dylan on multiple combat systems. He not only impressed me with his technical design skills implementing content in a very complex, brand new engine, but his game design sensibilities and document writing skills. He wrote multiple excellent design documents that covered some intricate systems.
Dylan was able to communicate designs through documentation really well and was also able to present those ideas to a large group of devs. He is an excellent collaborator and always brought a positive and upbeat attitude to work. Dylan was a fantastic coworker and I would work with him again in a heartbeat.
Quentin Cobb
Principal Combat Designer
If you didn't know Dylan's title was "Associate" and only looked at his work, you would assume he was a Senior Designer with years of experience.
Working with him was always a pleasure - he's a great communicator and collaborator, capable of writing quality systems and combat design documentation AND doing in-engine prototyping and implementation. He's a real gem and you'd be lucky to have him on your design team!
Lauren Hernandez
Principal Systems Designer
Going above and beyond only begins to describe Dylan's professionalism, aptitudes for combat design, and genuine empathy for his work and his team.
He is constructive at all times, and acutely action driven. There were always positive outcomes in cross-collaboration or team partnerships, where many designers of his level would struggle. These same high bars can be attributed to his technical skills, adapting and implementing task needs, even in the most challenging situations. I greatly look forward to all Dylan is primed to accomplish in the future.
Brad Fawas
Systems Designer
I had the pleasure of working with Dylan on ZOS's unannounced project. Dylan is a talented designer who thinks deeply about all the challenges he takes on.
Dylan's ideas were fresh, compelling and clearly articulated. In addition to laying out a clear gameplay loop, there was often a kernel of visual inspiration, accurately aligned with the setting and visual pillars of the project, that I could easily run with as a concept artist.
He often went the extra mile to outline his implementation process, and the solutions that he uncovered to avoid the pitfalls working within a nascent engine, so that other designers could more easily navigate those hurdles in the future. Following along allowed me to learn something about the challenges the player combat team were working to overcome day to day, and the limitations they were under.
Kyle Enochs
Principal Concept Artist
Resume
Below is an abridged version of my resume. Please click here for a more extensive overview.
Summary
Dylan Anderson
- (801) 874 5305
- dtanderson51@gmail.com
Education
Bachelor of Science - Games
2019 - 2023
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
The Utah Division of Games, formerly EAE, is an academic program that provides students with studio simulation experience, as well as elective opportunities to cultivate the various skills needed for game development.
University Affiliations
Crimson Gaming Board Officer | 2022 - 2023
Served as a board officer for the university's gaming club where I planned and hosted various social events.
Residential Advisor | 2021 - 2023
Voted 2022 & 2023 Residential Advisor of the Year
Professional Experience
Gameplay Designer
2025-2026
Ironroot Games - Remote
- Designed foundational combat systems for an unannounced solarpunk action indie title
- Utilized the Unreal Engine's Gameplay Ability System to implement various player mechanics
- Collaborated with art and audio teams to build cinematic sequences, interactive systems, and more
- Handled animation montages and notify markup for player and enemy behaviors
Combat Designer
2024-2025
Zenimax Online Studios - Remote
- Utilized proprietary tools to implement and tune combat systems and mechanics
- Created and maintained combat-related design documentation
- Supported bug fixing and troubleshooting for both combat and engine-related issues
- Collaborated within a cross-disciplinary team to develop engaging combat experiences
Contact
Email Me For More Info!
dtanderson51@gmail.com