Hello! My name is
Matthew Bianchi.
AKA "GENERAL MORT"
Game Designer
Product Manager
Player Advocate
Tech Enthusiast
Golf Fanatic
I'm a game designer and product leader with 5+ years building live service games, player economies, and engagement systems. I've scaled platforms to 500K MAU, shipped features that moved conversion by 90%, and led cross-functional work that translates good ideas into shipped products. As a gamer myself, I build from the player's perspective, because I know the difference between a system designed to extract value and one designed to create it.
View Resume
Projects
Juice Tools | POE 2 Farming Tracker
Objective: Path of Exile 2 is one of the most complex and rewarding ARPGs ever made, but tracking the efficiency of your sessions, understanding what you're earning, and optimizing your strategies has always been a manual, fragmented process. Juice Tools was built to solve that. The goal was simple: give PoE2 players a clean tool to log sessions, parse loot, and surface the insights they need to play smarter.
My Role
As a Solo Developer & Product Designer, I developed Juice Tools end-to-end, from concept through launch:
Owned the product from ideation and user research through UX design, system architecture, and deployment.
Defined the core product vision and mapped out data models and user flows for session logging, loot parsing, and earnings tracking.
Led development using AI-assisted workflows to move from idea to shipped product as a solo builder.
Conducted ongoing user research within the PoE2 community to prioritize features and drive iterative improvements.
Outcomes
Launched a live, production web app (juicetools.app) for Path of Exile 2 players to track and optimize their endgame map sessions.
Built a comprehensive feature set spanning real-time clipboard parsing, session tracking, intelligent drop logging via the POE2 Scout API, loadout management, and performance analytics.
Validated the product through 200+ personal sessions and 50+ hours of in-game testing, surfacing UX issues and refining analytics accuracy through direct daily use.
Upland Onboarding Overhaul
Objective: Upland’s original onboarding flow was underperforming; new users were often confused by the platform’s core mechanics, leading to low conversion and retention. We needed a more engaging, tactile first-time experience that could teach, excite, and convert.
My Role
As the Product Lead for Player Engagement, I spearheaded the end-to-end overhaul of the onboarding journey:
Audited the legacy FTUE and player drop-off points using behavioral analytics.
Worked cross-functionally to define key onboarding goals and learning moments.
Designed UI/UX mockups and wrote all in-game copy to ensure clarity and cohesion.
Oversaw implementation, testing, and iteration based on player feedback.
Outcomes
Introduced a Mission System that guided users through core actions like claiming land, earning UPX, and exploring the map.
Built a Tutorial System for prospective users using dynamic UI cues and inline education to minimize friction and confusion.
Resulted in a +90% increase in signup and payer conversions.
Diablo.Trade Marketplace Re-Design
Objective: Diablo 4's player economy is active and fast-moving, but trading high-value items between players meant navigating Discord servers, Reddit threads, and unreliable manual processes. Diablo.Trade existed to solve that, but its platform had usability and trust issues limiting adoption. We needed a cleaner, more intuitive marketplace experience that players could trust and transact through quickly.
My Role
As a Product Manager & UI/UX Designer, I led a full redesign of the marketplace platform:
Identified core usability and trust gaps in the existing platform through competitive research and user flow analysis.
Defined the full product vision and authored detailed specs covering user flows, auction mechanics, listing logic, and notification systems.
Built a comprehensive UI component library and high-fidelity mockups in Figma to provide clear, unambiguous direction for the engineering team.
Coordinated weekly syncs between frontend and backend teams to align on priorities and maintain momentum through sprint planning.
Outcomes
Delivered a complete design system and component library, establishing consistent patterns for the full marketplace experience.
Defined end-to-end user flows and interaction patterns for high-volume peer-to-peer trading, addressing the core clarity and trust issues limiting adoption.
Produced production-ready product specifications covering auction mechanics, notification logic, and edge case handling — ready for engineering implementation.
Specs & Briefs
Spec: Player Movement & Control Scheme
This spec was created to define and refine responsive player movement for a top-down action game, ensuring a modern, polished feel across all control inputs. It served as a foundational guide for aligning design, engineering, and animation teams.
Problem Space:
The current control scheme feels a bit clunky and lacks clear visual communication to players about game navigation and control functionality. We need to improve the overall feel and clarity of the control system while maintaining familiarity.
Solution Summary:
Update the control scheme with improved key bindings, enhanced UI elements, and clearer visual presentation while keeping core mechanics intact.
Design Goals:
Improved Navigation Feel: Create a more intuitive and smooth control experience for players
Enhanced Visual Clarity: Better communicate control options and feedback through UI improvements
High-Level User Stories
As a player, I want clear visual feedback for my actions so I can make quick decisions based on the controls available to me.
As a player, I want intuitive controls for tools and actions so I can focus on gameplay without distraction.
Detailed Requirements:
Basic Movement: Players can move in all directions using the
WASDkeys.Movespeed: Determines how quickly the player travels while moving.
Players will have a base movespeed of
[1.0]
Sprint: Players can press and hold
Shiftto temporarily increase their movement speed.Speed Boost: Players will receive a temporary speed boost while Sprint is active.
Sprint will increase the player’s base movespeed by
[50%]
Players can Sprint indefinitely, so long as they are not “In Combat.”
Stamina: If the player is “in Combat,” sprint is subject to a Stamina resource cost which depletes while the player is actively sprinting.
Players will have a maximum Stamina of
[100]While sprint is active, Stamina will deplete at a rate of
[25 Stamina per Second]While the player is not sprinting, Stamina will regenerate passively at a rate of
[30 Stamina per Second]Stamina Bar: Players can track their Stamina via an indicator that will appear near their Character model.
Dodge Roll: Players can dodge roll in the direction of their movement by pressing
SpacebarStamina Cost: The Dodge Roll ability will be subject to a Stamina cost.
By default, executing a Dodge Roll will cost
[50 Stamina]Unlike Sprint, Dodge Roll is always subject to a Stamina cost.
Dodge Roll Button: Players can view additional details about Dodge’s resource cost and functionality via a button displayed near the Action Bar.
Animation Cancel: Players can cancel the animation of their current Attack by executing a Dodge Roll before the animation completes.
If an attack animation is canceled, the target should not take damage.
Invincibility Frames: Players will receive
[3 frames]of invulnerability when they execute a Dodge Roll.Players cannot Dodge Roll while they are stunned.
Players can Dodge Roll while sprinting; provided they have enough Stamina.
Character Aim: Players can aim their character in any direction using the Mouse cursor.
Characters will always face the direction of the cursor.
Players will see an arrow indicator underneath the character model that clearly displays which direction the character is facing.
Players can move in any direction independent of where the cursor is aiming.
I.E. Players can move left while looking to the right.
Interact: Players can interact with their environment (NPCs, Objects, etc.) by pressing
FWhen a player is near an interactive element, an “interact” overlay will be displayed.
Note: The context menu should no longer be automatically surfaced when a player approaches. This will require input from the player.
After pressing the “interact” button, the context menu for that element will be displayed, and the player can make a selection
Players can make a selection with either their Mouse or by using the associated keybind (I.E. 1-3 if there are 3 menu options)
Combat Design
Control Scheme
Spec
Brief: Combat Exploration
This brief is an early exploration of combat design for a personal project. It draws inspiration from combat systems in titles like WoW and GW2, adapted to attempt a more modern, fluid, and dynamic gameplay experience in the MOBA genre.
Overview:
Deity Arena will feature third-person RPG-style combat using both aim-based and targeting-based combat mechanics. The goal is to create responsive, skill-based combat enhanced with strategic decision-making through creative timing, spatial awareness, and resource management. These core principles will be supported by diverse character load-outs and playstyles.
Design Goals:
Responsiveness and Clarity: Combat should be highly responsive and visually clear. Players should be able to recognize and react to their environment easily.
Engaging Gameplay: To create an engaging experience that promotes high skill expression, players will have a diverse set of abilities in addition to basic attacks and dodge mechanics.
Positioning & Timing: Players should be rewarded for proper positioning and timing in battle to create opportunities and advantages against opponents.
Playstyle Diversity: The base range of combat types will include ranged, melee, and magic-based combat. Each type will be supported by a diverse set of abilities that cater to different playstyles.
Fluid Targeting & Camera Controls: The camera and targeting systems will operate independently, challenging players to skillfully manage their focus during combat.
High-Level Requirements:
Player Movement: Fluid WASD movement that allows mid-air control. Moving the character does not move the camera.
Hybrid Tab Targeting & Action Combat: A hybrid targeting system that includes targeted attacks, aoe/ground targeting, and skill shots.
It should be designed to feel intuitive yet deep, allowing for a high level of skill expression.
Basic Attacks: All classes will have either a melee or ranged basic attack.
Basic attacks require input from the player and will automatically attack their selected target, so long as they are both facing the target and within range of their basic attack.
Abilities: Players will have access to six active class abilities and two deity-specific (racial) abilities. There will be a mix of aoe/ground targeting abilities and target-based abilities.
Ground Targeting
Tab Targeting
Directional Targeting
Hit Points: All characters will have hit points determining how much damage they can take before death.
Armor: All characters will have a baseline armor value that will mitigate physical damage received by the enemy.
Magic Resistance: All characters will have a baseline Magic Resistance value that will mitigate magic damage received by the enemy.
Ability Resources: Players will be subject to resource costs for using abilities. Each class’s casting resource may differ (i.e., mana, rage, energy).
Dodge: All players have a dodge ability that grants their character invincibility frames. This will be subject to a resource cost or have a fixed cooldown.
Keybinds: Players will use number keys (1-5) in addition to other keys; the goal should be around 10 keybinds total.
Tentative list:
12345QERFV
Camera Control: Players can operate the camera using their mouse.
Holding left-click will move the camera independently from their character while holding right-click will steer their character along with the camera.
Quick Cast & Range Indicators: Players should be able to bind keys that allow them to gauge their range with any ability or attack.
Combat Design
Brief
Professional Experience
Independent Product Manager & Designer
May 2024 - Present
Olympus Gaming Labs
I started Olympus Gaming Labs as a vehicle for the independent product and design work I take on outside of full-time roles. The focus is on building tools and experiences for gamers, leveraging modern AI-assisted workflows to ship faster as a solo operator, and partnering with smaller teams that need senior product and design thinking applied to real problems.
Highlights:
Designed, built, and launched Juice Tools, a session tracking and analytics web app for Path of Exile 2 players.
Led the full product and UX redesign of Diablo.Trade, a peer-to-peer trading marketplace for Diablo 4 players.
Partnered with CalCPAGroup on a full website redesign and UX research engagement.
Operate end-to-end across product strategy, UX, design, and AI-assisted development as a solo builder.
Product Strategy
UI/UX Design
AI-Assisted Development
Systems Architecture
Lead Game Designer
January 2025 - April 2025
Darkbright Studios
I joined Darkbright to help lay the foundation for a cozy, Web3, dungeon crawler still in its early stages. My focus was on building the game’s tactile core—from movement feel to long-term platform engagement.
Highlights:
Designed and implemented a responsive player movement system that emphasized fluid traversal and combat readability.
Led a team of 3 designers through prototyping, iteration, and documentation of gameplay systems.
Facilitated alpha playtests with 2,500+ players to test core loops and capture feedback.
Concepted a token-based UGC system to empower creator communities and unlock ecosystem growth.
Rebuilt the internal design pipeline, enabling faster iteration and clearer cross-team collaboration.
Game System Design
Controls & Combat Tuning
Team Leadership
UGC Economy Design
July 2023 - November 2023
Manticore Games
At Manticore, I focused on systems that would support long-term engagement in a creator-powered MMORPG. I worked cross-functionally to define foundational elements like player housing, UGC hooks, and notification infrastructure.
Highlights:
Designed systems for MMO-style player housing and asset ownership tied to UGC.
Planned an in-game notification system with scalable UX and rules-driven delivery.
Ran competitive analysis on genre-defining platforms to inform feature prioritization.
Partnered with engineers and designers to test builds, review systems, and identify usability gaps.
Ensured systems stayed aligned with player experience pillars and platform goals.
Product & Platform Design
Game System Design
Market Research
Product Lead, Player Engagement
April 2021 - July 2023
UplandMe
I led the charge on Upland’s live operations and onboarding systems during a pivotal period of growth. With a $50M player marketplace and over 2 million users, every change had weight—and real economic impact.
Highlights:
Designed and launched a new onboarding experience that increased signup-to-payer conversion by 90%.
Scaled the player base to 500K MAU through reward-driven live ops.
Expanded and balanced the Treasure Hunt system to boost feature usage by 80%.
Directed platform-wide communication, increasing site traffic by 3000% through better messaging strategy.
Managed a team of 4 product coordinators executing events, sales, and seasonal content.
Live Operations
Economy Tuning
Onboarding UX
Player Retention
Strategic Communications
June 2019 - June 2020
PoQ / ScrimToWin
As one of the earliest hires, I helped build a blockchain-based esports platform from scratch—growing the community, designing the UX, and building partnerships that fueled our first 100K users.
Highlights:
Acquired 100K users and 5K+ Discord members for <$0.50 per user.
Managed influencer marketing and strategic partnerships with 150+ creators.
Produced a Twitch charity streamathon with 20K+ live viewers.
Owned social, web, and community content strategy across all channels.
Community Building
UI/UX Design
Influencer Marketing
Growth Strategy
Some Stuff a Few Really Nice People Said About Me…
“Matt has that rare ability to balance strategic thinking with tactical execution. Whether it was designing new game modes, orchestrating LiveOps, or leading comms, he approached every challenge with clarity, creativity, and ownership.”
Uplandme | Head of Community
“Matt combines strategic vision with attention to detail, ensuring successful project launches that evolve with user feedback. His ability to bridge teams across engineering, design, and marketing made him a key driver of Upland’s growth.”
Uplandme | Former Head of Operations
“Matt possesses a unique blend of strategic insight, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to delivering top-notch results. He’s a leader who motivates teams and builds meaningful connections—with both players and teammates.”
Uplandme | Former Head of Marketing
Darkbright Studios | Former Game Designer
