Meet Zhong Hu | Game Designer & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zhong Hu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zhong, how do you think about risk?
I’ve always focused on maximizing my learning in my career choices, and taking risks has been a crucial part of my journey to becoming who I am today.

Just over a year ago, I was on a clear path to personal fulfillment and success. However, I experienced profound self-doubt about what I could achieve. I was hyper-focused on career growth and didn’t believe anything extraordinary would happen for me. This illusion seized me, cramped by expectations and frozen by the pressure from others. Realizing I was stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and external pressures, I understood that breaking free might require letting go of my past achievements. Sometimes, stepping away from the familiar is the only way to uncover new horizons and truly grow.

In navigating through this fog, I decided to try new things and stopped viewing every decision as a gamble. Breaking into the gaming industry felt like a long shot, landing a respected job was even tougher, and succeeding in a corporate environment without support seemed nearly impossible. But I overcome these challenges by learning to be my own best advocate. Making the first move is always hard, but the path becomes clear once you take that step.

I began writing essays about my experiences and learned to mentor people aspiring to similar goals. I spoke at conferences about new visions and opportunities that others might overlook. I traveled to new continents alone, which worried my friends and family. Ultimately, I left everything behind—up to that point—and took a chance on a small studio founded by a group of young game developers during an industry-wide recession. Surprisingly, aside from having less time for workouts, it was the most satisfying and fascinating year of my professional life.

To this day, I’m still piecing together the puzzle of that transformative year. I’ve never had more fun, faced more challenges, or felt more self-assured. Now, as an unofficial ambassador of user-generated content (UGC) gaming, I find that my efforts are recognized not only within the industry but also by people I meet at conferences and online.

The real challenge isn’t about confronting the world; it’s about confronting the internal voice that tells you to play it safe. It’s about daring to silence doubt and embrace the potential of what lies beyond the familiar. Every day offers a new chance to negotiate with that part of ourselves, pushing past the boundaries of comfort to discover who we can truly become.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The art of designing and producing high-quality games is fundamentally about solving problems. The questions you ask yourself before creating your art can lead to a variety of answers.

I am unique in that my process always begins with deep inquiry. For example, when assigned to design a character for a game, I would spend hours pondering the most challenging aspects: How can this character deeply resonate with our players? What emotions do we want to evoke, and how can we make these feelings persist? This approach is crucial because, unlike paintings, movies, or music, games are designed to inspire exploration and experimentation, allowing players to navigate different choices and experience varied consequences. In my view, games are the ultimate art form.

I remember this process vividly when working on League of Legends: Wild Rift. We had to adapt a champion’s abilities from PC for mobile play using virtual joystick controls. For a while, everyone was dissatisfied because the options available didn’t fully allow players to express their intended strategies. I ended up doing a lot of back and forth to pursue a better result. It was a painstaking one, but as a designer, what excites me most is the possibility of exploring my true identity as I refine my design philosophy. I’ve learned that my ultimate stakeholders are not my bosses or even my players, but rather myself. It’s been a long journey to evolve my practice—from initially having no method, to following conventional teachings, to ultimately achieving true originality. This means having the conviction to believe in what I’m creating and the faith that my work sincerely expresses who I am. Trust the process and just do it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
When my friends visit and we’re planning a dining experience, there are several questions that guide our choices: Where are we going? What’s the price point? What type of cuisine? Who’s the chef? And most importantly, how’s the food? The last question is crucial to me, as it’s easy to be swayed by a restaurant’s appearance and lose sight of what truly matters: the quality of the meal.

When I’m not developing games, I consider myself quite the foodie, always on the lookout for hidden gems around the city. For a perfect night out, I highly recommend starting at Bar Sawa in Little Tokyo. Despite its name suggesting a small bar setup with stools, it offers a unique sushi experience that’s hard to find elsewhere in Los Angeles.

As you walk into their omakase setting, you’ll be amazed by the array of fresh ingredients like prawns, cod, eels, and squid, all expertly prepared to delight both your palate and your eyes. However, it’s their cocktail menu that keeps me coming back. Their well-crafted drinks are perfect for taking the edge off a busy day, complemented by thoughtful parking solutions that make the visit smooth and stress-free.

After indulging in sushi and cocktails, head over to The Varnish, a legendary speakeasy in the area. Challenge the bartenders with your most imaginative drink request. Enjoy the ambiance, complete with crystal-clear ice and a carefully curated selection of daily beverages. It’s the ideal spot to wrap up an enjoyable evening.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s a particular source of inspiration I’d like to recognize: Drive by Daniel H. Pink.

It explores the fascinating world of motivation and has profoundly influenced how I understand myself and my journey. It taught me the value of embracing both the highs and lows of life, reminding me that every challenge and adversity has contributed to who I am today. This book encouraged me to look deeper into my own motivations and inspired me to continually seek improvements and help me find a path of self-discovery.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhong-h-143b82b1/

Other: https://shorturl.at/dABFS

Image Credits
Zhong Hu