Yichao
@michaelyichao.com
Narrative director and creative consultant for games, making secret new things. 👀 Previously Phoenix Labs, Riot Games, Wizards of the Coast, ArenaNet, Imagineering.
Founder of Take 5 Improv. Cofounded Jam & Tea Studios. Most often found in Seattle. ✨
Founder of Take 5 Improv. Cofounded Jam & Tea Studios. Most often found in Seattle. ✨
Pinned
Yichao
@michaelyichao.com
· Jul 5
Thinking of how my chapter in an academic textbook opens with this picture bc no one told me the “fun headshot” they requested would be published without further questions or context at the start of said chapter
Reposted by Yichao
The Kennedy Center crowd is singing America The Beautiful. This is what democracy looks like.
September 18, 2026 at 11:47 PM
The Kennedy Center crowd is singing America The Beautiful. This is what democracy looks like.
Tooth fairy is the true inflation indicator
My daughter lost a tooth yesterday. My wife was traveling, so I handled tooth fairy duties. I left a $10 under her pillow, which I thought was v generous, but she woke up, saw the bill & said: "But why did the Tooth Fairy leave me $20 last time?" 😆
(I wasn't aware my wife had gone so over the top!)
(I wasn't aware my wife had gone so over the top!)
September 18, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Tooth fairy is the true inflation indicator
Tardigrade doesn’t have to pay taxes
Tardigrade doesn’t have to endure daily deluge of news
Tardigrade doesn’t have to endure daily deluge of news
Oh to be a little Tardigrade walking around a microscopic volvox algae colony. 🫧🐻🧪
September 18, 2026 at 7:15 PM
Tardigrade doesn’t have to pay taxes
Tardigrade doesn’t have to endure daily deluge of news
Tardigrade doesn’t have to endure daily deluge of news
“What’s it like working in game dev?”
September 18, 2026 at 6:36 PM
“What’s it like working in game dev?”
Reposted by Yichao
HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA
September 16, 2026 at 7:13 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA
When work is great and busy but it’s all NDA’d and life is great and busy but you’re planning a surprise and personal projects are great and busy but you’re just waiting for ink to dry so when your friends ask how you’re doing your only answer is “yes”
September 15, 2026 at 4:44 PM
When work is great and busy but it’s all NDA’d and life is great and busy but you’re planning a surprise and personal projects are great and busy but you’re just waiting for ink to dry so when your friends ask how you’re doing your only answer is “yes”
1) NOT MOWU
2) …Jiang Wick is 10/10, wp wp
2) …Jiang Wick is 10/10, wp wp
September 8, 2026 at 11:49 PM
1) NOT MOWU
2) …Jiang Wick is 10/10, wp wp
2) …Jiang Wick is 10/10, wp wp
Working from a local cafe for a change of scenery and this table has coffee cup sleeves jammed as shims under 3 of its 4 legs to stabilize an otherwise lethal wobble and it's hard to explain why this is the most charming part of this spot for me
September 7, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Working from a local cafe for a change of scenery and this table has coffee cup sleeves jammed as shims under 3 of its 4 legs to stabilize an otherwise lethal wobble and it's hard to explain why this is the most charming part of this spot for me
Timeline cleanse 🙏✨
September 7, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Timeline cleanse 🙏✨
Me, wearing my wishbone tshirt
Girl: oh I love your shirt!
Me: thanks!
Girl: is it from a video game?
Me: no it’s a tv show from like the 90s
Girl: ohmigod I *love* retro tv shows
Me: 💀💀💀
Girl: oh I love your shirt!
Me: thanks!
Girl: is it from a video game?
Me: no it’s a tv show from like the 90s
Girl: ohmigod I *love* retro tv shows
Me: 💀💀💀
September 6, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Me, wearing my wishbone tshirt
Girl: oh I love your shirt!
Me: thanks!
Girl: is it from a video game?
Me: no it’s a tv show from like the 90s
Girl: ohmigod I *love* retro tv shows
Me: 💀💀💀
Girl: oh I love your shirt!
Me: thanks!
Girl: is it from a video game?
Me: no it’s a tv show from like the 90s
Girl: ohmigod I *love* retro tv shows
Me: 💀💀💀
Tagging @beyondmeatofficial.bsky.social for obvious reasons
They call him Batman Beyond because he's made entirely of plant proteins
September 2, 2026 at 6:11 PM
Tagging @beyondmeatofficial.bsky.social for obvious reasons
Throwback to 10 (!) years ago when I ran into Mike Elliott and asked if he ever played Magic before
September 2, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Throwback to 10 (!) years ago when I ran into Mike Elliott and asked if he ever played Magic before
Marvel has the opportunity to do the funniest thing right now
September 1, 2026 at 7:32 AM
Marvel has the opportunity to do the funniest thing right now
Reposted by Yichao
Child: It’s the mayor.
Mamdani: *laughs*
Child: What? You are the mayor. You could become the king.
Mamdani: I’m happy as the mayor. Jalen Brunson is the king.
Mamdani: *laughs*
Child: What? You are the mayor. You could become the king.
Mamdani: I’m happy as the mayor. Jalen Brunson is the king.
August 29, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Child: It’s the mayor.
Mamdani: *laughs*
Child: What? You are the mayor. You could become the king.
Mamdani: I’m happy as the mayor. Jalen Brunson is the king.
Mamdani: *laughs*
Child: What? You are the mayor. You could become the king.
Mamdani: I’m happy as the mayor. Jalen Brunson is the king.
Me: I should build a new commander deck
Boyfriend:
Boyfriend:
Listen, if you’re not happy single, you won’t be happy in a relationship either, happiness comes from picking a new hobby and then buying all the things to start that hobby then finding the perfect little storage container for those things and then putting that storage container in the spare room
August 30, 2026 at 3:08 PM
Me: I should build a new commander deck
Boyfriend:
Boyfriend:
Reposted by Yichao
Reposted by Yichao
More than 750 servicemembers wounded and another 18 dead. Trump and Hegseth have failed and refuse to take accountability. They have no idea what they’re doing, and it’s made our country weaker and you less safe.
August 21, 2026 at 8:36 PM
More than 750 servicemembers wounded and another 18 dead. Trump and Hegseth have failed and refuse to take accountability. They have no idea what they’re doing, and it’s made our country weaker and you less safe.
The algorithm is pretty terrible these days but once in a while it shows me a friend I haven't talked to in ages and not only are they doing great but they've transitioned since last we caught up and they look so happy and great and also super hot?!?! and it's like "let's go bro keep on thrivin'"
August 22, 2026 at 8:06 PM
The algorithm is pretty terrible these days but once in a while it shows me a friend I haven't talked to in ages and not only are they doing great but they've transitioned since last we caught up and they look so happy and great and also super hot?!?! and it's like "let's go bro keep on thrivin'"
Optimist: the glass is half full
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Game studio exec: this glass reminds me of a show I saw on Netflix in a completely different genre, make the game more like that before I change my mind again in 6 weeks
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Game studio exec: this glass reminds me of a show I saw on Netflix in a completely different genre, make the game more like that before I change my mind again in 6 weeks
Optimist: the glass is half full
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Game writer:
Glass_OnInteract
I can’t do anything with that right now.
I don’t need that.
That isn’t useful right now.
That doesn’t help me right now.
That won’t be helpful.
I can’t use that.
That isn’t helpful to me right now.
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Game writer:
Glass_OnInteract
I can’t do anything with that right now.
I don’t need that.
That isn’t useful right now.
That doesn’t help me right now.
That won’t be helpful.
I can’t use that.
That isn’t helpful to me right now.
Optimist: the glass is half full
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Narrative designer: The glass is half {playerEmotionalState() >= OPTIMISM_THRESHOLD: full | empty}. // FIXME: Tune optimism threshold
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Narrative designer: The glass is half {playerEmotionalState() >= OPTIMISM_THRESHOLD: full | empty}. // FIXME: Tune optimism threshold
August 22, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Optimist: the glass is half full
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Game studio exec: this glass reminds me of a show I saw on Netflix in a completely different genre, make the game more like that before I change my mind again in 6 weeks
Pessimist: the glass is half empty
Game studio exec: this glass reminds me of a show I saw on Netflix in a completely different genre, make the game more like that before I change my mind again in 6 weeks
I might actually die from irony poisoning
August 18, 2026 at 7:52 AM
I might actually die from irony poisoning
Yes agree 100% and also boy do I have things I can’t wait to share in roughly 30-47 pulsar cycles
I love science fantasy. Give me magic in space. Give me glowing crystals that do math. Give me spaceships with psychic powers.
August 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Yes agree 100% and also boy do I have things I can’t wait to share in roughly 30-47 pulsar cycles
Reposted by Yichao
I think it's cute :')
Why...Why the fuck is the Bluey movie in 3d? The graphic 2d style is like half the shows charm, it looks like a shitty Illumination Dr. Suess adaptation now. Like this is some ugly shit.
August 15, 2026 at 7:49 AM
I think it's cute :')
Reposted by Yichao
