Mike Verdu

Co-Founder

Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, United States39 yrs 9 mos experience
Highly StableAI Enabled

Key Highlights

  • Pioneered AI-powered games at Netflix.
  • Scaled Netflix's games business to 500+ staff.
  • Founded multiple successful game studios.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Gaming Industry Leader with expertise in AI-driven game development and strategic business growth.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Game DevelopmentCreative DirectionGenerative AiGame Business StrategyAiGame Development StrategyVr Content StrategyMobile Game DevelopmentGame DesignSoftware Development

Other Skills

Strategic InvestmentsCloud-Streaming GamesLeadershipLive OperationsGame Quality AssuranceGame ManagementProject ManagementStudio ManagementPublishingInformation SystemsIllustrationVideo GamesSocial GamesGameplayCasual Games

About

Creative and business leader

Experience

39 yrs 9 mos
Total Experience
3 yrs 6 mos
Average Tenure
1 yr 2 mos
Current Experience

Playful.ai

Co-founder, co-CEO

Apr 2025Present · 1 yr 2 mos

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

Netflix

3 roles

VP, GenAI for Games

Nov 2024Feb 2025 · 3 mos

  • 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.
Generative AIGame DevelopmentStrategic Investments

VP, Games

Promoted

Dec 2021Nov 2024 · 2 yrs 11 mos

  • 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.
Game Business StrategyCloud-Streaming GamesAI

VP, Game Development

Aug 2021Dec 2021 · 4 mos

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

Facebook

VP, AR/VR Content

May 2019Aug 2021 · 2 yrs 3 mos

  • 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.
VR Content StrategyGame Development

Electronic arts (ea)

SVP, EA Mobile

Feb 2017Jun 2018 · 1 yr 4 mos

  • 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.
Mobile Game DevelopmentLive Operations

Kabam

President of Studios, Chief Creative Officer

Jan 2015Jan 2017 · 2 yrs · San Francisco

  • 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.
Game Quality AssuranceCreative Direction

Tapzen

Founder, CEO, Chief Creative Officer

Sep 2012Dec 2014 · 2 yrs 3 mos · San Francisco / Los Angeles

  • 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.
Mobile Game DevelopmentGame Design

Zynga

Chief Creative Officer, Co-President of Games, SVP/Games

Jun 2009Aug 2012 · 3 yrs 2 mos · San Francisco

  • 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.
Game DevelopmentGame Management

Electronic arts

VP/GM EA Los Angeles (previously VP/EP, EP, Sr. Producer)

Jul 2002May 2009 · 6 yrs 10 mos · Los Angeles

  • 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.
Game DevelopmentProject Management

Atari

Studio Head

Dec 1998Jul 2002 · 3 yrs 7 mos · Northern Virginia

  • 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.
Game DevelopmentStudio Management

Legend entertainment

Co-founder, co-CEO

Dec 1990Nov 1998 · 7 yrs 11 mos · Northern Virginia

  • 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).
Game DevelopmentPublishing

American systems corporation

Director, Information Systems Group

Oct 1987Nov 1990 · 3 yrs 1 mo · Northern Virginia

  • Software development for Department of Defense, intelligence community, and commercial clients
Software DevelopmentInformation Systems

Paragon systems

Founder, CEO

Jan 1985Sep 1987 · 2 yrs 8 mos · Northern Virginia

  • Software development for Department of Defense, intelligence community, and commercial clients (company acquired by American Systems Corporation in 1987)
Software DevelopmentInformation Systems

Education

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

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