Studio Owner, Game Writer and Designer
Lisa Brunette's more than 30 years of experience includes 16 years in games, with credits in hundreds of titles, and 15 years prior as a journalist, with bylines in national publications. She has designed and written narratives for multiple chart-topping titles played by worldwide audiences, including Choices: Veil of Secrets, Fiona's Farm, and Merge Mansion. Her games have been featured in the App Store and on Google Play and consistently rank in the top 100 in multiple categories. Brunette Games was a finalist for Best Service Provider in the 2023 PocketGamer Awards, and Wild Things - a title she designed and wrote for client Jam City - was a finalist for Game of the Year. She has written, designed, and consulted on hundreds of games across her career and is widely considered a game-industry influencer.
- MFA, Creative Writing: Fiction, University of Miami, 2002
- BA, English, Saint Louis University, 1994
- BA, American Studies, Saint Louis University, 1994
- Certificate in Creative and Professional Writing, Saint Louis University, 1994
Brunette Games credits (partial list):
- (2024) Guild of Guardians, for Immutable
- (2024 - story overhaul) Fiona's Farm, for Ace Games
- (2024) Farmhouse Story, for Explore Games
- (2023) Mood Bloom, for Hedonia
- (2023) Kingdoms: Merge & Build, for Cherrypick Games and Apple Arcade
- (2023) Wild Things: Animal Adventures, for Jam City and Netflix - Finalist for Game of the Year in the 2023 PocketGamer Awards
- (2023) Restaurant Rescue, for Me2Zen
- (2022) Cash Journey, for Jumbo
- (2022) Mergeland, for NewBornTown
- (2022) M&M'S Adventure, for Gear/Tilting Point
- (2022) Merge Mansion, for Metacore and Supercell
- (2022) City Escape, for Sparkling Society
- (2022) Jellipop Match, for Microfun
- (2021) Magnum Quest, for Tuyoo Games
- (2021) Cooking Confidential, for Archosaur
- (2021) Animal Island, for Gear/Tilting Point
- (2021) Family Guy: Another Freakin' Mobile Game, for Jam City and Fox
- (2020) Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, for Jam City and Fox
- (2020) Ava's Manor: A Solitaire Story, for Uken Games and Mighty Kingdom
- (2020) Disney Frozen Adventures, for Jam City and Disney
- (2020) Jane Austen Solitaire: Pride & Prejudice, for Super Gaming
- (2020) Solitaire Tripeaks: Farm & Family, for Tuyoo Game
- (2020) Tiles & Tales book app, for Kuuhubb
- (2019) Lily's Garden, for Tactile Entertainment
- (2020) RollerCoaster Tycoon Story, for Atari and Graphite Lab
- (2019) Sweet Escapes, for Redemption Games
- (2019) Vineyard Valley, for Jam City
- (2018) Bingo Bash, for GSN
- (2017) Choices: Veil of Secrets, for Pixelberry Studios
- (2018) My Spa Resort, for Cherrypick Games
- (2017) Matchington Mansion, for Firecraft
- (2017) Sender Unknown: The Woods, for Daily Magic Productions
Lisa has credits in hundreds of games designed and written for Big Fish Games, Cat Daddy Games, and Nintendo. Her IMDb listing. Moby's game credits list.
All three books in her bestselling Dreamslippers Series have won indieBRAG medallions, and the second book was a finalist for the Nancy Pearl Book Award and nominated for a RONE Award. Additionally, she has a long list of bylines as a journalist, her work appearing in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle Woman, Poets & Writers, and elsewhere.
Her creative leadership experience includes guiding the Brunette Games team (5.5 FTEs at its peak in 2021-22) as well as heading prior creative teams at Crosscut.com and Big Fish Games. She was visiting professor of game design at Webster University for the 2017-18 school year and is a volunteer speaker at industry conferences as well as schools, non-profits, and libraries.
A born entrepreneur, she is the founder and sole owner of Brunette Games, and she founded and owns a popular Substack newsletter, Brunette Gardens. Additionally, she owned and operated a solo freelance business, Modern*Scribe, for twenty years.
The secret to a great game is a powerful story that is well-integrated with the puzzle and play.
- Lisa Brunette