Today we’d like to introduce you to Yitong Hu.
Hi Yitong, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I came into the gaming industry through storytelling rather than engineering.
While living in Pennsylvania, I became interested in interactive media because games allow players to discover a story instead of simply watching it. I was fascinated by how emotion could be created through interaction — hesitation, exploration, and realization through action.
That led me to technical game design. I wanted to design how a story is experienced, not just told.
I later joined the independent studio EYES OUT during development of the psychological horror game SLEEP AWAKE. As one of the primary designers responsible for the player-facing experience, I led the development of several core systems including the UI and game shell, cinematic interactive sequences, progression logic, tutorials, achievements, and the inventory system. These systems shaped how players navigated the world and emotionally paced the narrative.
Because the game relies on environmental storytelling, much of the narrative is delivered through interaction rather than dialogue. My role was to translate creative direction into actions performed by the players.
The game was showcased internationally at Summer Game Fest, Day of the Devs, Future Games Show, The Horror Game Awards Showcase, and the Tribeca Festival. What meant the most to me was that players remembered interactions rather than cutscenes — moments where mechanics carried the story — evidencing the importance of my role as a primary designer in the development of the game.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road.
One of the main challenges was working in a role that sits between multiple disciplines. I was responsible for making narrative intention function inside a playable system. That meant coordinating constantly with engineering, art, audio, and direction, and solving problems that didn’t have clear ownership.
Psychological horror created an additional difficulty. In many genres, success is measured by difficulty balance or feature completion. In horror, success is measured by emotional timing. A system could be technically correct but emotionally wrong. Small details — interface timing, interaction delay, feedback visibility, or player guidance — could completely change tension. Achieving the right pacing required many iterations and very close cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Those challenges shaped my approach. I stopped thinking of design as individual mechanics and started thinking of it as player perception management.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a technical game designer specializing in player-facing systems that support narrative experience.
On SLEEP AWAKE, I served as a primary designer responsible for the game’s experiential structure — including the UI and game shell, cinematic interactive sequences, quest progression, tutorial onboarding, inventory, and achievement systems. These systems collectively determined how players navigated the world and understood the story.
Because the game relies on environmental storytelling, much of the narrative is not delivered through dialogue or cutscenes, but through interaction. My work focused on translating creative direction into playable actions, allowing players to uncover meaning through exploration and participation.
Following release, the game received strong critical reception across multiple outlets, with reviews ranging from the 70s to mid-90s and several publications highlighting the atmosphere, pacing, and player experience.
Many players report remembering specific moments rather than specific mechanics. They recall hesitation, tension, and discovery — emotional reactions produced by systems operating quietly underneath the surface.
I approach design as emotional architecture. A mechanic is not only a rule; it guides attention, expectation, and psychological rhythm. My goal is not only to make a game playable, but to shape how it is experienced.
I am extremely proud of the breadth and impact of my work across game development, education, and design mentorship. I served as an EdTech Game Designer and Educator at Lavner Education, a global leader in STEM programming, where I combined creative design thinking with hands-on technical instruction to inspire the next generation of innovators. I also acted as a Game Developer Instructor at iD Tech at Stanford University, widely recognized as the world’s top STEM camp program that recruits elite industry professionals. Additionally, I was selected as a Graphic Design and UX/UI Design Mentor by AIGA, the oldest and largest professional design organization in the United States, reflecting peer recognition of my expertise in the design industry.
Moreover, my work has received substantial recognition in the design industry through numerous internationally respected awards programs. My work has been honored by the NYX Game Awards, Vega Digital Awards, MUSE Design Awards, London Design Awards, Indigo Design Award, Hermes Creative Awards, French Design Awards, dotCOMM Awards, and DNA Paris Design Awards, among others. These competitive accolades are granted by expert panels and recognize outstanding achievement in creativity, innovation, and execution across digital media, game design, branding, and user experience. I am extremely proud of these distinctions as they underscore my standing within the global design community and affirm peer recognition of the quality, originality, and impact of my work as a multidisciplinary designer.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck mattered, but mostly in opportunity rather than outcome.
Joining a small studio at the right stage of development gave me responsibilities earlier than I expected. Because the team was compact, I was trusted with entire systems instead of narrow tasks, which allowed my skills to grow quickly.
At the same time, the industry itself is unpredictable. Projects take years, and recognition often comes much later than the work. External circumstances, production uncertainty, and long timelines were all part of the process.
Looking back, luck created the situations, but preparation determined whether I could handle them. When responsibility appeared, I had already spent years learning across art, design, and technical implementation, so I was ready to take ownership of complex parts of a project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.huisthis.com
