Overview
As a Product Manager at Manticore Games, I spearheaded Core’s evolution from an experimental UGC platform into a dynamic ecosystem blending game creation and social interaction. Starting as an intern stress-testing early tools, I transitioned into shaping product strategy during pivotal launches and ultimately drove initiatives that positioned Core as a metaverse contender. My focus centered on reducing friction for creators, aligning product-market fit, and scaling platform capabilities through iterative, data-driven decisions. This journey taught me to bridge creator needs with technical execution, transforming vision into measurable outcomes.
Alpha Launch: Laying the Creator-First Foundation
Building on my hands-on experience as an intern—where I uncovered critical gaps in Core’s early tools—the Alpha phase became our proving ground. We shifted from reactive problem-solving to proactive strategy, aiming to validate Core’s core hypothesis: Could a UGC platform simplify multiplayer game creation for non-technical creators?
Context & Goals
Pre-launch, Core aimed to prove its value as an accessible multiplayer game creation platform. Target users included hobbyists, students, and indie developers frustrated by the complexity of engines like Unity/Unreal. Key challenges were simplifying multiplayer workflows and onboarding.
My Contributions
- User Research & Onboarding: Conducted 30+ interviews with early creators, identifying pain points in multiplayer mechanics. Translated insights into video tutorials and live workshops, reducing onboarding time by 40%.
- Template Development: Designed pre-built multiplayer templates (battle royale, capture-the-flag) that cut creation time by 50%, enabling creators to focus on creativity over code.
- Weapon System Optimization: Collaborated with engineers to iterate weapon mechanics using creator feedback and competitive benchmarks, achieving 90% satisfaction in responsiveness.
Impact
Flagship titles like Core Royale became proof points for Core’s viability, attracting early players and investor interest.
Creator adoption grew by 40% within 3 months.
Beta Phase: Scaling a Two-Sided Marketplace
With Alpha validating Core’s creator appeal, we faced a new challenge: How do we attract players without diluting creator autonomy? The Beta phase marked our pivot to a two-sided marketplace, requiring curated content and a seamless player journey.
Context & Product Goals
Transitioning to a player-facing platform required balancing creator autonomy with content quality. Target users expanded to casual players seeking diverse experiences, while market challenges included content curation and retention.
Contributions
- Diverse Content Strategy: Directed single-player titles (Farmer’s Market, Canons of Corsairs) to broaden player appeal, paired with open-source templates for creators.
- Creator-Player Feedback Loop: Ran 50+ interviews to prioritize features like modular asset reuse, slashing creator development time by 35%.
- Go-to-Market Execution: Partnered with marketing to launch a curated “Featured Games” hub, driving 20,000+ player sign-ups in the first month.
Impact
- 60% of active creators integrated flagship templates into their games.
- Player retention improved by 25% through curated content discovery.
Post-Launch: Optimizing for Genre Diversity
Beta’s success revealed an unexpected trend: players craved single-player and social experiences, not just multiplayer. Post-launch, we doubled down on genre diversification to retain creators and capture new audiences.
Context & Product Goals
Post-launch analytics revealed demand for genre-specific tools (RPGs, social hubs) and friction in asset management. Market challenges included retaining creators and expanding into non-multiplayer niches.
Contributions
- Workflow Optimization: Launched dynamic materials and folder management systems, reducing project setup time by 30%.
- Core World Social Hub: Designed a centralized hub with tutorials and social spaces, improving new player retention by 15%.
- Creator Tools: Introduced drag-and-drop UI and persistent storage, enabling story-driven games and RPGs.
Impact
- Creator retention rose by 20%, with 45% publishing non-multiplayer games.
- Core World became the entry point for 70% of new players.
Platform Recognition
As Core’s versatility grew, so did its industry reputation. Partnerships became a strategic lever to position Core beyond gaming—as a metaverse-ready platform.
Context & Product Goals
Core’s versatility attracted partnerships to position it as a metaverse contender. Strategic goals included validating scalability and expanding beyond gaming.
Contributions
- D&D Creator Contest: Developed RPG frameworks and hosted workshops, resulting in 200+ community submissions during the game jam.
- Deadmau5 Concert: Engineered an interactive concert supporting 100,000+ concurrent users, showcasing Core’s capacity for large-scale social experiences.
Impact
- Recognized by industry leaders as a metaverse-ready platform.
- Established a blueprint for future collaborations with brands and IP holders.
Platform Evolution
Context & Goals
As Core matured, we explored building an MMO to merge UGC flexibility with persistent worlds. The goal was to appeal to both MMO players and creators.
Contributions
- UGC Pipeline Integration: Architected systems for creators to contribute customizable quests, items, and housing, aligning with MMO progression.
- Player Customization: Directed scalable avatar/housing tools to enhance engagement through personalization.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Balanced technical debt with feature releases through workshops with engineering and design teams.
Impact
- Laid groundwork for a hybrid UGC/MMO model adopted by the team.
- Secured executive buy-in for long-term platform scalability.
Learnings
Core’s journey taught me that scaling a UGC platform isn’t just about tools—it’s about people. Here’s what stays with me:
- Bridging Worlds: My technical background became a superpower. By speaking both “engineer” and “designer,” I facilitated collaboration, ensuring features like Core World and weapon systems balanced innovation with feasibility.
- Iterate or Stagnate: Data and feedback were my compass. When retention metrics revealed players wanted single-player experiences, we pivoted—launching RPG tools and social hubs that boosted engagement by 25%.
- Community as Co-Pilots: Early creators weren’t just users—they were partners. Their feedback directly shaped 60% of post-launch features, from folder management to drag-and-drop UI.
- Launching is a Muscle: Alpha and beta taught me that go-to-market success hinges on alignment. Prototyping MVPs (Core Royale, battle royale templates) helped us test, fail fast, and refine onboarding before scaling.
Above all, I learned that empathy scales. By listening relentlessly—through interviews, playtests, and late-night Discord chats—I turned pain points into progress, ensuring Core grew with its community, not just for them.
