Hi, I'm Michael Jako, a level artist from the SF Bay Area finding my way in the games industry.

My history with games started in 1998 when I was just 3 years old watching my dad play Half-Life. I can't really remember a time when I wasn't obsessed with games. My first real foray into making mods came in 2009, when my friends and I started playing Left 4 Dead 2. I fell in love with map-making pretty much right away, and I've been spending 100% of my free time doing it ever since.

Though I would’ve originally called myself a level designer, my roles have shifted more and more into environment art, the part of the work that I find most rewarding. I love art/optimization challenges, and that "a-ha" moment when a solution becomes clear. I love to reinvent my workflows and see myself make something better in less time. And most of all I love to see a project come together in the 11th hour, when it all just finally clicks.

Thanks for visiting my site!