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Biography

Christopher “Brandon” Stephens is a 14-year veteran in the video games industry and former graduate of Ë®¶à¶àµ¼º½ Guildhall.  He has shipped 11 titles on a multitude of platforms, from the Nintendo 3DS to the Oculus Rift, for vastly different target audiences.

Brandon has always enjoyed telling stories and has been creating level and game mods since the days of Excite Bike for the Nintendo Entertainment System. This was the first time he experienced the enjoyment of level editing and creation, but it was not until he downloaded the creation tools for Dues Ex that he realized that this was the industry he wanted to work in.

He went on to complete multiple degrees: Associate Degree in Computer Information Systems with a Specialization in Programming and Networking; Associate Degree in Multimedia; Bachelor Degree in Digital Entertainment and Game Design; and Certificate in Digital Game Development, Specialization in Level Design, at Ë®¶à¶àµ¼º½ Guildhall. This education allowed him to gain the skills necessary to be a valuable asset to any development team, using game engines to bring stories to life.

Brandon has since worked on many different platforms including mobile and VR, with several studios of different sizes and cultures. In August 2011, he joined Vicious Cycle Software as a designer. In the early part of his career, he worked on License Children’s Games including: Madagascar 3, Ben 10, Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures, and Kung Fu Panda. After the closure of Vicious Cycle Software, Brandon moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to work with Behaviour Interactive. He was a member of a Co-Dev team with Ubisoft Montreal for Rainbow Six Siege: Outbreak. Once his contract was complete, he moved to Austin to work with Twisted Pixel Games on Virtual Realty titles for Oculus. These unique experiences allowed him to specialize in understanding design as it relates to his different audiences.

In August of 2019, Brandon joined the Ë®¶à¶àµ¼º½ Guildhall design faculty, where he loves being able to pass on his knowledge from being both a Guildhall graduate and an industry professional. His advice for incoming students: “[Ë®¶à¶àµ¼º½ Guildhall is your] first professional network in the game industry for many of you. Be kind, work diligently, and help others, and you will be someone both faculty and peers want to work with. This reputation will carry on far past the walls of Ë®¶à¶àµ¼º½ Guildhall.”