Akhmad Shakirov

About me

Growing up in different countries and cultures, and now living in the USA, exposed me to a wide range of perspectives that influence my approach to user experience, it taught me an empathy towards the user, not manipulation, but a means to foster connection, having player's expectations in mind, and clearly communicating game's message. I carry that lesson across my work.

I started in web UX/UI design, where I learned to think clearly about user needs, readability, and flow. But video games have always been my first love, since childhood they’ve been a medium that amazed me with their interactivity, storytelling, and design in a way no other art form can. That passion eventually inspired my shift into game development, where I tried many roles from animation to technical design, before finding my place in game design, a role that lets me directly shape the player’s experience.

Some of my favorite games: Deus Ex, Dishonored, Disco Elysium, Inscryption. I enjoy practicing art in my free time, painting with oil, drawing with charcoal and pixel-art, animation, cinema, outdoor activities and traveling.