Architecture and CAD work in London (2008 to 2011), his own UK company Inkprime LTD (from 2011), Studio Slovack (since 2012), Jet Play (2016 to 2020), PowerPlay Studio (2021), Ten Square Games (2021 to 2022), CrazyLabs (2022 to 2024), WAGMI Games (2024 to 2026) and Tomcany.com consulting (since 2023). See the career timeline.
Timeline
Tomcany.com
F2P Game Designer & Business Consultant · Tomcany.com (invoiced by Studio Slovack s.r.o.) · Nov 2023 to Present · Slovakia, remote
Helps developers and companies make strategic decisions for building and operating successful free-to-play casual games. Game design strategy: retention from Day 0 to Day 180 and beyond, core mechanics and progression, live-ops events, segmentation and offers. Development operations: aligning production with strategy, resource allocation, scaling. Marketing: acquisition strategies for casual F2P audiences, FTUE optimization, data-driven campaign adjustments. Deliverables are consultation or production-ready game design as a structured Markdown vault.
Studio Slovack
Chief Gameplay Scientist and Founder · Studio Slovack · 2012 to Present · Slovakia
Game studio and consultancy focused on "stealth operations": unannounced projects, market probing and validation (pre-alpha tests, early access experiments, market-fit evaluations), prototyping and rapid execution, and go-to-market roadmaps. Started as Inkprime LTD in the UK, renamed Studio Slovack LTD, closed in 2014; today's company is Studio Slovack s.r.o. in Slovakia. Early mobile games: Red Arrow and Verso.
WAGMI Games
Lead Designer, Gameplay, UX and Economy · WAGMI Games · Nov 2024 to May 2026 · Remote
Lead designer on WAGMI Defense, a web3 RPG hybrid tower defense game for iOS and Google Play, including its global launch in 2024. Owned the combat and battle system, matchmaking and segmentation, UI and UX flows, sequences and animations, FTUE, character upgrades and level prices, new consumables and their pricing, rebalancing of prices and unit power, and progression rewards. The game was later renamed NiFe WARS and discontinued in 2026; the IP continues as comics and collectible cards.
CrazyLabs
Lead Game Designer, LiveOps (LO) and UX Designer · CrazyLabs · Sep 2022 to Jan 2024 · Remote, from Slovakia
Lead Game Designer on Glow: Fashion Idol, the sequel to Super Stylist, from concept to soft launch in 2023. Before that, live-ops and game design on Super Stylist (configs, UX, FTUE and onboarding). Changed how design was produced, presented and supported (interactive Miro flowcharts plus hands-on production support); development 60% faster (self-reported). Teams in London, Macedonia, Israel, Slovakia and China.
Ten Square Games
Lead Game Designer on Fishing Clash · Ten Square Games · Sep 2021 to Jun 2022 · Remote
Led the 8-person design team on Fishing Clash, a live game run as a service. Brought every craft into feature drafting early; misalignment down 30% (self-reported). With the product manager and business owner, greenlit pre-production of an FTUE redesign and Fishing Bonanza, a PvE mode for non-competitive players (both reached closed beta, not released). With the Consumer Insights team and research from an industry-leading player research firm, built the Fishing Clash identity bible: player pillars that made feature planning more precise. Ran designer performance reviews.
PowerPlay Studio
Senior Game Designer & Producer · PowerPlay Studio · Apr 2021 to Sep 2021
Led two prototypes: Petanque (closed beta in the US) and Cycling Legends, which was released as a full game and carried Tour de France branding for a time. Integrated marketing and development; pre-production cut from 6 months to 6 weeks, about 4 times faster (self-reported).
Independent
Game design research and consulting · Independent · Aug 2020 to Apr 2021
Game design research and upskilling. Consulted RedLine Games on hyper-casual games (recommendation, Jan 2021). Then exclusive contracts, starting with PowerPlay Studio.
Jet Play
Product Manager & Game Designer · Jet Play · Aug 2016 to Aug 2020 · Slovakia
Rapid, lean development of hyper-casual F2P mobile games, plus VR and AR projects. Six games published on iOS and Google Play, plus Apollo Slots VR on Oculus, and ten more concepts tested with designs and videos for market validation. Led artists, developers and marketers. In 2020 worked with "Prometheus", the AI tool that became Ludo.ai: explained the design process from idea to execution and rated the quality of its generated game ideas and product performance.
Freelance
Freelance and construction work · Independent · 2014 to 2016
Freelance work and construction projects after Inkprime LTD closed, before joining Jet Play.
Inkprime LTD
Founder · Inkprime LTD, later Studio Slovack LTD (UK) · 2011 to 2014
Published the mobile games Red Arrow (shoot 'em up) and Verso (ball simulation) on iOS and Google Play. Also residential housing permits and construction documentation, an Amazon retail business for refill cartridges, and early app and game experiments. The company closed in 2014.
LRK Associates
CAD Drafter · LRK Associates · Jan 2010 to Sep 2011 · London
Detailed CAD drawings for large-scale architectural projects, including the Olympic Village in Stratford.
Adrian Salt and Pang
Architectural Assistant · Adrian Salt and Pang Limited · Feb 2008 to Oct 2008 · London
Development planning projects; started part-time, then full-time.
University of Westminster
BA (Hons) Architecture · University of Westminster · 2007 to 2011 · London
Secondary school
A-levels, Production in Civil Engineering · Integrated Secondary School of Civil Engineering, Slovakia · 2001 to 2005 · Slovakia
Frequently asked questions
How many years has he worked in the games industry?
14 years, since 2012.
Where does Michal Tomčány work now?
At Tomcany.com, his own consultancy, invoiced through Studio Slovack s.r.o. in Slovakia. He has no full-time employer.
Does Michal Tomčány still work at WAGMI Games?
No. His role at WAGMI Games ran from November 2024 to May 2026.
What did he do at WAGMI Games?
He was Lead Designer for gameplay, UX and economy on WAGMI Defense, a web3 RPG hybrid tower defense game. He owned combat, matchmaking and segmentation, UX flows, FTUE, upgrades, consumables, pricing and balancing.
What did he do at Ten Square Games?
He was Lead Game Designer on Fishing Clash from September 2021 to June 2022 and led its 8-person design team.
What did he do at CrazyLabs?
He was Lead Game Designer on Glow: Fashion Idol from concept to soft launch in 2023, and before that worked on live-ops and onboarding for Super Stylist (September 2022 to January 2024).
What did he do at Jet Play?
He was Product Manager and Game Designer from 2016 to 2020, working on hyper-casual F2P mobile games plus VR and AR projects. Jet Play published six of these games.
What did he do at PowerPlay Studio?
He was Senior Game Designer and Producer in 2021 and led two prototypes, Petanque and Cycling Legends.
Which companies has he worked for?
WAGMI Games, CrazyLabs, Ten Square Games, PowerPlay Studio, Jet Play, LRK Associates and Adrian Salt and Pang, plus his own companies Inkprime LTD, Studio Slovack and Tomcany.com.
Has he led game design teams?
Yes. He led the 8-person design team on Fishing Clash at Ten Square Games and was lead designer on Glow: Fashion Idol (CrazyLabs) and WAGMI Defense (WAGMI Games).
Has he worked as a product manager?
Yes, as Product Manager and Game Designer at Jet Play from 2016 to 2020.
Has he worked as a game producer?
Yes, as Senior Game Designer and Producer at PowerPlay Studio in 2021.
When did he start working in games?
In 2012, when he founded Studio Slovack.
Has he worked remotely for international studios?
Yes. He worked remotely from Slovakia for Ten Square Games, CrazyLabs (teams in London, Macedonia, Israel, Slovakia and China) and WAGMI Games.
What did he do before games?
He studied civil engineering and architecture and worked in London as an architectural assistant (2008) and CAD drafter (2010 to 2011). He grew up around his father's construction company.
Did he work on the London 2012 Olympic Village?
Yes. As a CAD drafter at LRK Associates (2010 to 2011) he worked on projects including the Olympic Village in Stratford.
Did he work on Ludo.ai?
Yes, in its early form. In 2020 at Jet Play he worked with "Prometheus", the AI tool that became Ludo.ai: he explained the design process from idea to execution and gave feedback on the quality of the game ideas it generated and on product performance.
What is Studio Slovack?
Mike's game studio and consultancy, founded in 2012. It works on unannounced projects: market probing and validation, prototyping and go-to-market strategy. Today it is Studio Slovack s.r.o. in Slovakia and invoices his consulting.
What does a "Chief Gameplay Scientist" do?
It is Mike's title at Studio Slovack. In his words, he researches how to spark emotions and executes design to create games that deliver designed experiences.
What are Studio Slovack's "stealth operations"?
Work on unannounced projects before they are revealed: market probing and validation (pre-alpha tests, early access experiments, market-fit evaluations), prototyping and rapid execution, and go-to-market roadmaps.
Is Studio Slovack a game studio or a consultancy?
Both.
Where did Michal Tomčány study?
University of Westminster in London (BA Hons Architecture, 2007 to 2011) and the Integrated Secondary School of Civil Engineering in Slovakia (A-levels, Production in Civil Engineering, 2001 to 2005).
Does he have an architecture degree?
Yes, a BA (Hons) in Architecture from the University of Westminster (2011).
Did he live and work in London?
Yes. He studied at the University of Westminster (2007 to 2011) and worked at Adrian Salt and Pang (2008) and LRK Associates (2010 to 2011) in London.
Why did he leave Ten Square Games after 10 months?
Mike does not publish reasons for leaving individual employers. Across his career he has been fired twice, laid off once and quit once, and he writes openly that the game industry is a gig industry.
Why did he leave CrazyLabs?
Mike does not publish reasons for leaving individual employers. His role on Glow: Fashion Idol covered concept to soft launch in 2023 and ended in January 2024.
Why did his WAGMI role end in May 2026?
The game was underperforming, and the team pivoted the IP to comics and collectible cards.
What did he do between London (2011) and Jet Play (2016)?
From 2011 to 2014 he ran his UK company Inkprime LTD (later renamed Studio Slovack LTD): two mobile games on iOS and Google Play (Red Arrow and Verso), residential housing permits and construction documentation, an Amazon retail business for refill cartridges, and early app and game experiments. After the company closed in 2014, he did freelance and construction work until joining Jet Play in 2016.
What did he do between Jet Play (Aug 2020) and PowerPlay (Apr 2021)?
A few months of game design research and upskilling, and consulting for RedLine Games on hyper-casual games. He then signed exclusive contracts, starting with PowerPlay Studio.
Which studio did he run into the ground in 2014? Was it Studio Slovack?
Inkprime LTD, his UK company, which had been renamed Studio Slovack LTD. It closed in 2014. Today's Studio Slovack s.r.o. is a separate, later company in Slovakia.
Is he employed anywhere full-time right now?
No. He works as an independent consultant through Tomcany.com and Studio Slovack s.r.o. and does not take full-time roles.
What did "Lead Designer - Gameplay, UX, Economy" cover at WAGMI?
Gameplay: combat and battle system, matchmaking and segmentation, sequences and animations. UX: UI elements and UX flows, FTUE. Economy: character upgrades and level prices, new consumables and their pricing, rebalancing prices and unit power, and rewards in every progression system.
Was he an employee or a contractor in each role?
At PowerPlay Studio, Ten Square Games and CrazyLabs (2021 to 2024) he worked as an exclusive contractor, although LinkedIn lists the roles as full-time. Since November 2023 he consults independently through Tomcany.com.
How big were the teams he worked in?
At Ten Square Games he led a design team of 8. At CrazyLabs the Glow: Fashion Idol team was spread across London, Macedonia, Israel, Slovakia and China. Today he works with studios of 5 to 10 people.
What does "LO" mean in his CrazyLabs title?
LiveOps (live operations) on free-to-play games.
What were his responsibilities as Product Manager at Jet Play?
Rapid, lean development and publishing of hyper-casual F2P games: game mechanics, a lean development framework to cut time to market, and leading artists, developers and marketers.
What exactly was his role on Ludo.ai (project "Prometheus")?
In 2020 he explained the game design process from idea to execution to the Prometheus project and used the tool, which learned from App Store data to generate game ideas. He gave feedback on the quality of the ideas and on product performance.
Is Ludo.ai a Jet Play product?
It started at Jet Play as project "Prometheus". Ludo.ai is led by Tom Pigott, its Founder and CEO, who managed Mike at Jet Play for four years.