Short Bio

Let's embark on my gaming journey from the beginning. I've been playing video games for as long as I can remember. From a young age, I immersed myself in the world of gaming, starting with consoles like the Sega Master System and Atari 2600. My passion grew stronger as I delved into educational games and enjoyed classics like Sonic 2, Firo&Klawd, and Duke Nukem 3D. Over time, I explored various genres on multiple platforms.

Deep down, I always knew I wanted to pursue a career doing what I loved. However, the gaming industry in Turkey was virtually non-existent, and there were limited opportunities for studying game development. After high school, I chose Software Engineering as the most viable path to enter the gaming industry. I secured a full scholarship at Izmir University of Economics, renowned for its excellence in this field. To my delight, the university introduced a selective game development certification course, allowing me to dive into game development sooner than expected. Throughout my degree, I gained valuable insights, and two of my games even achieved Greenlit status on Steam.

Despite my technical skills, I realized my true passion lay in Game Design rather than Game Programming. Determined to pursue my dreams, I enrolled in a Master's Degree in Game Design at Full Sail University in the United States. Shortly before graduation, I landed a position as a Single Player Level Designer at Sledgehammer Games, contributing to Call of Duty World War II. Unfortunately, my work permit expired, forcing me to leave the US. Lasty, I've worked with Sumo Digital in England until 2020 February until COVID hit hard.​

Upon my return to Turkey which wasn't possible until late July if I recall correctly, I found myself waiting for the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. During this time, I became fascinated with building ethereum miners. What started as a small project soon grew into a significant endeavor. I continued building and maintaining mining systems until ethereum mining became less profitable. However, my thoughts started shifting towards returning to my roots in software engineering.

In the past few months, I have dedicated myself to studying web development, preparing myself for my next challenge in the software industry. While my love for games remains strong, I have come to terms with the fact that working in the gaming industry may be a thing of the past for me. Nonetheless, I am excited to embark on this new chapter and apply my skills in software engineering to create innovative solutions.

Hobbies

• I love travelling, and I've been fortunate to visit over 30 countries, including enchanting places like China, Egypt, Italy, India, and New York. Most of these adventures were shared with my family.

• As expected, my love for video games runs deep, and I've proudly completed over 530 games throughout my gaming journey.

• I have a strong passion for food and have developed a unique palate over time.

• Basketball holds a special place in my heart, and I used to devote countless hours to the sport. Although circumstances have limited my playing time in recent years, my love for the game remains strong.

• Streaming was a thrilling endeavor for me, and for a solid year, I immersed myself in sharing my gaming experiences. Unfortunately, after relocating, I faced challenges with my internet connection, forcing me to temporarily halt streaming. However, I eagerly look forward to resuming this passion in the near future.

• I have a genuine appreciation for both competitive and recreational sports.

• An insatiable thirst for knowledge drives me, and once a subject piques my interest, I can delve into it endlessly through reading and research.

• Curiously, I find enjoyment in shopping, appreciating the experience of discovering new products and indulging in retail therapy from time to time.

• Lastly, I find great pleasure in indulging in the world of music, movies, and anime.

In summary, my interests span the globe, from exploring new destinations to diving into immersive gaming experiences. I find delight in diverse cuisines, sports, continuous learning, shopping, and the captivating worlds of music and movies.

Travel / Geography

• I am originally from Kocaeli, Turkey. I have since lived in Izmir, Shanghai, Orlando, San Francisco, and Sheffield.
• I've been to ~ 26 countries, many of which I would like to revisit.
• I mainly focus on seeing historical artifacts and locations, but I also appreciate a nice/interesting city like New York or an amazing location like Disney World.
• Between 2002-2009, I visited: Cyprus, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Italy, Thailand, Czechia, Germany.
• Between 2010-2013, I visited: Russia, Spain(2x), Greece, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, China.
• Between 2014-2017, I visited: Greece, United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sri Lanka.
• Between 2018-2020, I visited: South Korea, England, Greece, India, Nepal, Scotland.
• Between 2020-2023, I visited: Turkey, United States. Mostly travelled locally because of COVID
• Also saw countless ancient sites in Turkey ranging from Ephesus to Gobeklitepe.
• You can check which cities around the world by clicking the link in the stats section.

Video Game Trivia

• My favorite genre is RPG.
• I primarily play games on PC but also own consoles for exclusive titles.
• I make time to finish as many good games as I can, which adds up to a significant number.
• I've completed over 530+ titles.
• I strive to fully experience every game I play and make a point to finish what I start.
• I have a strong affinity for VR games.

Some of my Favorites:

• Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
• Demon's Souls/Dark Souls Series/Bloodborne/Sekiro/Elden Ring
• The Curse of Monkey Island
• Shadow of the Colossus
• Persona 3 FES/Persona 4 Golden
• Dragon Age Inquisition
• The Witcher Series
• Mass Effect Series
• Heavy Rain
• League of Legends
• Uncharted Series
• Metal Gear Solid Series
• Dead Space Series
• Assassin's Creed Series
• Dragon's Dogma
• Battlefield 3-4-1
• Fallout Series
• Final Fantasy Series
• Kingdom Hearts Series
• God of War Series
• GTA Series
• Infamous Series