ART DIRECTION
VISUAL DEVELOPMENT
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY
I’m Patrick “PK” Thompson, an Art Director, game-development leader, and multidisciplinary artist based in Austin, Texas.
I’ve spent more than 12 years in casino gaming, but I’ve always been difficult to fit neatly into one box. I came up as an illustrator and animator, grew into art direction and team leadership, and along the way became increasingly interested in the systems around the creative work: how teams collaborate, how ideas become production-ready, how technology expands what artists can do, and how better processes can make both the work and the working environment stronger.
My career has taken me through startup growth, acquisitions, studio integrations, remote-work transitions, and major changes in game-development technology. I’ve helped build and grow teams, directed dozens of shipped games, guided artists and leads, helped introduce Unity-based workflows, developed creative standards and preproduction systems, and worked closely across Art, Game Design, Engineering, Production, and Technical Art.
I still care deeply about the craft itself. I take joy in ART. Illustration, animation, VFX, and playing games are what brought me into this field in the first place, and staying close to the people making the work has always made me a better Art Director. More recently, that same curiosity has pulled me toward AI-assisted creative workflows and other emerging tools that can be a force multiplier for how artists explore and create.
The thread connecting all of it is pretty simple: I like creating, helping people grow, and leaving things better than I found them.
Before games, I spent several years living and working in China, where I taught English, trained teachers, learned Mandarin, and began building my career as a professional artist. That experience shaped a lot of how I lead today: with curiosity, empathy, adaptability, and a genuine enjoyment of helping other people succeed.
I’m currently exploring the next chapter of my career across Art Direction, game-development, creative leadership, and creative technology.
PATRICK THOMPSON 