Gameplay Systems Engineer · Technical Designer

Hey there! I’m Marwan. I design and build interactive game systems, with a focus on mechanics players can read at a glance, loops worth replaying, and feedback that holds up once real players get their hands on it. I’m flexible across gameplay programming, technical design, and engine work, and comfortable picking up new tools or dropping into new teams. Like a lot of game devs, I also spend a good chunk of my free time on solo personal projects, which keep pushing me to learn something new with nearly every one.

Unreal Engine 5 (C++ & Blueprints) and Unity 6 (C#) are my main tools. I typically work as a technical designer, gameplay programmer, and overall implementer, from preproduction through post-mortem. I recently completed my A.A.S. in Digital Gaming & Simulation for Programmers, have shipped several small games on itch.io, and I’m currently deep into a larger solo project I’m aiming to bring to Steam.

27+ years of gaming has also trained me to notice friction, pacing issues, and edge cases early. That instinct carries directly into how I playtest my own systems and mechanics, catching the small stuff before it becomes a bigger problem. It also helps me read a wider range of player types: what a competitive or semi-pro player wants out of a system versus what a more casual player prefers. I aim for the middle ground between the two, building in enough depth and resources for one and enough guidance and clarity for the other, tactfully, so both can enjoy the loop.

Start Here

I’m looking for entry-level, associate, or intern roles in gameplay engineering and technical design. Also open to generalist, production, and QA-adjacent work.

Since graduating, I’ve been working on a game I’ve wanted to make for a long time. I plan to publish it on Steam under my solo studio, Gold Leaf Interactive, which I’ve been using on itch.io. More details soon. Between sessions on that, I shipped UNSUB for Brackeys Game Jam 2026.2; one case is live, and I may add more.

UNSUB: noir detective case on a rain-slicked desk

Solo Unity 6 jam game. Noir detective: inspect evidence, catch contradictions, accuse once.

Access Granted: brick-breaker with typing prompts

Solo Unity 6 browser game. Brick-breaker plus reactive typing challenges.

BREATHE Arcade: breath-controlled micro-games

Unity capstone. Five micro-games on one breath-input layer, with hardware and keyboard fallback for demos.

View all projects →

What I Do

  • Systems & design: Prototype in-engine, tune rules and pacing, build player-facing mechanics.
  • Engines: Unreal and Unity.
  • QA & playtesting: Reproducible notes, edge-case checks, and player-facing feel: controls, feedback, readability.
  • Ship rhythm: Iterate until playtests feel right; patch notes and devlogs on itch.

Currently building a UE5.5 (C++) first-person wave-survival game solo. Core loop and systems are playable; iterating toward a public playtest. See Projects for status.

Connect

Games that shaped me →

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