Jousef Gabro

Available to hire

With 15+ years bridging indie game development, big tech, and enterprise systems, I transform complex technical challenges into elegant solutions.

About

With 15+ years bridging indie game development, big tech, and enterprise systems, I transform complex technical challenges into elegant solutions. My journey spans from optimizing Candy Crush Saga’s branched progression at King, to architecting cloud platforms, to founding my own game studio, AmberWing.

What I bring to the table:

  • Presentation: I love giving talks and educating people on various concepts and programming best practices
  • DevOps & Cloud: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines for seamless deployment
  • Game Development: Unity, Unreal Engine, PC, Mobile and console development (Nintendo Switch, Xbox), VR experiences
  • Full-Stack Expertise: React, Node.js, Spring Boot, MongoDB - building scalable web applications from ground up
  • Technical Leadership: Mentoring teams, coordinating cross-functional groups, managing up to 25 developers and 50+ people
  • Low-Level to High-Level: From GPU shader programming to system architecture and project management

I’m the bridge between technical depth and vision, equally comfortable debugging code as I am presenting technical concepts to stakeholders. Known for clear communication (and the occasional dad joke), I excel at bringing out the best in teams while delivering production-quality code.

I have a Master’s in Computer graphics and media technology from Linköping University

  • Joined January 2026

Industry experience

  • Computers & Electronics
  • Gaming
  • Government
  • Software & Internet
  • Retail
  • Telecommunications
  • Other

More experts in Norrkoping, Sweden

Projects · 7

Project Overview

A complete tactical board game combining resource management with dynamic environmental challenges. Players explore fog-shrouded territories, establish settlements and infrastructure, while adapting to periodic environmental events like droughts, floods, and corruption that reshape the strategic landscape.

![Kingdom of the Uncharted exploration card](https://www.twine.net/signin of the Uncharted Mission Card](https://www.twine.net/signin of the Uncharted Worker Card](https://www.twine.net/signin

The Challenge

Designing an engaging board game experience required balancing:

  • Strategic depth with accessible rules and smooth learning curve
  • Player interaction through both cooperation and competitive disruption
  • Dynamic environmental systems that force tactical adaptation
  • Economic balance ensuring multiple viable strategies
  • Visual clarity communicating complex game states
  • Component design for intuitive physical gameplay

Game Mechanics

Developed complete game systems featuring:

  • 🗺️ Territory Exploration: Fog-of-war mechanics revealing resources and challenges gradually
  • 🏘️ Settlement Building: Strategic placement balancing resource access and defensive positioning
  • 👷 Worker Placement: Limited actions forcing meaningful decisions each turn
  • 🌊 Environmental Events: Periodic droughts, floods, and corruption reshaping board state
  • 🃏 Strategic Card Play: Multi-use cards for resource enhancement or opponent disruption
  • 💰 Resource Management: Interconnected economy rewarding planning and adaptation

Design Scope

Complete game design ownership including:

  • Core Rules Design: Turn structure, win conditions, and mechanical interactions
  • Game Economy: Resource flows, building costs, and progression balancing
  • Card System: 100+ unique cards with strategic variety and thematic integration
  • Visual Design: Iconography, color coding, and information hierarchy
  • Art Direction: Thematic visual style across all game components

Playtesting & Balance

  • Iterative testing across 50+ sessions with diverse player groups
  • Economic balancing ensuring no dominant strategies
  • Environmental event calibration for meaningful but fair disruption
  • Rule refinement for clarity and accessibility
  • Component optimization for manufacturing feasibility

Impact

  • Complete, production-ready board game from concept to final design
  • Balanced gameplay supporting 2-4 players with 60-90 minute sessions
  • Strategic depth rewarding repeated plays and skill development

Design Skills

Game Design Game Economy Mechanical Balance UI/UX Art Direction Component Design Rules Writing Playtesting

🎲 Kingdom of the Uncharted - Tactical Board Game
  • Art Director
  • Game Designer
  • Game Developer

Project Overview

A competitive PvPvE arena brawler featuring cooperative sabotage mechanics and dynamic army-building through minion conversion. Team-vs-team gameplay where strategic cooperation and tactical sabotage determine victory in fast-paced combat arenas.

![Crystal Corruption Arena Combat](https://www.twine.net/signin
Team combat showcasing minion conversion and cooperative sabotage mechanics

The Challenge

Creating a balanced competitive multiplayer experience required:

  • Designing mechanics that reward both cooperation and strategic betrayal
  • Real-time networking for responsive combat across multiple platforms
  • AI systems for convertible minions that serve player strategies
  • Progression systems that maintain competitive balance
  • Cross-platform deployment for Nintendo Switch and PC
  • Intuitive UI communicating complex team dynamics and army states

Technical Solution

Developed complete game systems as lead developer:

  • 🎮 Core Gameplay Programming: Responsive combat mechanics with minion conversion systems
  • 🌐 Multiplayer Networking: Low-latency netcode for competitive arena combat
  • 🤖 Dynamic AI: Convertible minion behaviors adapting to player control
  • 📈 Player Progression: Unlockable abilities and strategic loadout customization
  • 🎨 UI/UX Design: Real-time team status, army composition, and tactical information display
  • 🔊 Audio Integration: Reactive sound design for combat feedback and player actions
  • ⚖️ Game Balancing: Iterative playtesting and tuning of competitive mechanics

Development Scope

Owned the complete development cycle:

  • Game design conceptualization and mechanics prototyping
  • Programming all core systems from combat to networking
  • UI/UX implementation for clarity in chaotic battles
  • Playtesting coordination and feedback integration
  • Cross-platform optimization for Switch and PC
  • Audio system integration and direction

Technical Highlights

  • Minion Conversion System: Dynamic ownership transfer with smooth AI state transitions
  • Netcode Optimization: Client-side prediction and lag compensation for responsive combat
  • Strategic Depth: Cooperative team mechanics balanced against sabotage opportunities
  • Cross-Platform: Unified codebase for Nintendo Switch and Steam deployment
  • Scalable AI: Efficient behavior trees handling dozens of simultaneous minions

Technologies Used

Unity C# Multiplayer Networking Nintendo Switch SDK PC (Steam) UI Systems AI Programming Game Design Audio Integration

Company: AmberWing
Role: Lead Developer, Game Designer
Platform: Nintendo Switch, PC

⚔️ Crystal Corruption - Co-op Arena Brawler
  • Character Designer
  • Character Rigger
  • Developer
  • +4

Project Overview

Unity-based visualization tool for tracking and displaying Toyota automated truck positions in real-time within indoor environments. Provides spatial awareness and operational oversight for autonomous vehicle fleet management.

![Fleet Monitoring Dashboard](https://www.twine.net/signin

The Challenge

Managing autonomous vehicle fleets in complex indoor environments requires:

  • Real-time position tracking across multiple communication protocols
  • Intuitive spatial visualization for operators monitoring dozens of vehicles
  • Low-latency data processing for immediate operational decisions
  • Reliable connectivity in industrial settings with signal interference
  • Scalable architecture supporting fleet expansion

Technical Solution

Developed a comprehensive fleet monitoring platform featuring:

  • 📍 Real-Time Position Tracking: Live vehicle location updates with sub-second latency
  • 🗺️ 3D Indoor Visualization: Interactive representation of warehouse layouts and vehicle positions
  • 📡 Multi-Protocol Communication: WiFi and Bluetooth integration for robust connectivity
  • 🎯 Operational Oversight: Fleet status monitoring, collision warnings, and route visualization
  • 📊 Performance Analytics: Historical tracking and operational metrics dashboard

Technical Highlights

  • Hybrid Connectivity: Seamless fallback between WiFi and Bluetooth for uninterrupted tracking
  • API Integration: RESTful endpoints for vehicle telemetry and command systems
  • Optimized Rendering: Efficient 3D visualization supporting 50+ simultaneous vehicles
  • Custom Data Pipeline: Real-time data aggregation and spatial coordinate transformation
  • Operator Interface: Touch-friendly controls for industrial tablet deployment

Impact

  • Enhanced operational safety through real-time spatial awareness
  • Reduced response time to fleet anomalies and routing conflicts
  • Improved warehouse efficiency with fleet-wide visibility
  • Scalable solution deployed across Toyota’s autonomous vehicle facilities

Technologies Used

Unity C# WiFi Bluetooth RESTful APIs Real-Time Visualization 3D Rendering Fleet Management Systems

Client: Toyota
Role: Unity Developer
Type: Industrial Fleet Management
Status: Production

🚛 Fleet Monitoring System - Toyota Autonomous Trucks
  • App Developer
  • Back-End Developer
  • Cloud Developer
  • +5

📊 Friction Data Visualization Platform - iOS Application

Project Overview

Unity-based iOS application augmenting friction data with weather and mapping information for comprehensive real-time visualization. Transforms raw friction measurements into actionable insights through intelligent data fusion and interactive systems.

![Friction Data Visualization](https://www.twine.net/signin

Technical Solution

Developed a full-stack application featuring:

  • 📈 Interactive Time Series Scrubbing: Smooth navigation through historical friction data
  • 🤖 Predictive Analytics Engine: ML models forecasting friction conditions from weather patterns
  • 📍 Customizable Data Markers: User-defined annotations and critical threshold alerts
  • 🗺️ Mapping Integration: Real-time geospatial visualization correlating friction with location
  • ☁️ Weather Data Fusion: Automatic augmentation with atmospheric conditions
  • 🎨 Real-Time Visualization: High-performance rendering of streaming data feeds

Development Scope

Full-stack developer owning all aspects:

  • Data integration with friction sensors, weather APIs, and mapping services
  • UI/UX design balancing information density with usability
  • Custom Unity rendering for time-series and geospatial data
  • Predictive models and statistical analysis implementation
  • Performance optimization for 60fps mobile rendering
  • iOS deployment and App Store release

Technical Highlights

  • Real-time streaming data processing with intelligent caching
  • GPU-accelerated visualization for large datasets
  • Time-series forecasting using historical correlations
  • Gesture-based scrubbing and multi-touch navigation
  • Offline capability with local data storage

Technologies Used

Unity C# iOS Data Visualization RESTful APIs Weather Integration Predictive Analytics Time Series Analysis Mobile Optimization

Role: Full-Stack Developer
Platform: iOS (App Store)
Status: Production

📊 Friction Data Visualization Platform - iOS Application
  • Back-End Developer
  • Database Developer
  • Front-End Developer
  • +2

Project Overview

A comprehensive Unreal Engine plugin enabling multi-dimensional gameplay where actors seamlessly transition between different worlds. This production-ready system provides game developers with powerful tools to create complex dimensional mechanics without rebuilding core systems from scratch.

![Dimensional Portal System](https://www.twine.net/signin

The Challenge

Creating multi-dimensional gameplay experiences in Unreal Engine requires:

  • Complex state management across different world instances
  • Seamless actor transitions without visual artifacts or data loss
  • Performance optimization for multiple active dimensions
  • Designer-friendly tools accessible to non-programmers
  • Robust portal systems with intelligent culling and rendering

Technical Solution

Developed a flexible, extensible Dimensional Travel System that provides:

  • 🏷️ GameplayTag-Based World Management: Intuitive world identification and query system
  • 💾 Intelligent State Preservation: Automatic serialization and restoration of actor states during transitions
  • 🚪 Portal System: Visual portal rendering with seamless transitions between dimensions
  • 🧩 Specialized Components: Modular components for complex dimensional mechanics
  • 🎨 Blueprint Integration: Full C++ and Blueprint API support for designers and programmers

Key Features

  • Seamless World Transitions: Actors maintain physics, AI state, and gameplay data across dimensions
  • Performance Optimized: Intelligent culling, lazy loading, and memory management for multiple active worlds
  • Developer Tools: Editor utilities for debugging dimension states and visualizing world boundaries
  • Production-Ready: Comprehensive error handling, logging, and validation systems
  • Extensible Architecture: Clean component-based design for custom dimensional behaviors

Technical Highlights

// Example: Simple dimensional transition
ADimensionalActor* Actor = GetPlayerCharacter();
Actor->TransitionToDimension(FGameplayTag::RequestGameplayTag("Dimension.Shadow"));

Use Cases

  • Multi-dimensional puzzle games (e.g., Portal-style mechanics)
  • Parallel universe gameplay (e.g., Titanfall 2’s “Effect and Cause”)
  • Phase-shifting combat systems
  • Temporal mechanics and time travel
  • Split-screen dimensional co-op experiences

Technologies Used

C++ Unreal Engine Blueprint GameplayTags Component Architecture State Management Performance Optimization

Type: Unreal Engine Plugin
Status: Production-Ready, found on [FAB](https://www.twine.net/signin
Engine Compatibility: Unreal Engine 5.x

Links

🌌 OtherWorld - A Multi-dimensional Travel System - Unreal Engine Plugin
  • Game Designer
  • Game Developer
  • Programmer

Project Overview

Rebuilt Candy Crush Saga’s core progression system from scratch to support branched pathways and early access to game mechanics. This feature fundamentally changed how millions of players experience the game’s progression.

![Adventure Path System](https://www.twine.net/signin

The Challenge

The existing linear progression system was rigid and couldn’t support:

  • Multiple parallel gameplay paths
  • Early unlock mechanics for advanced features
  • Dynamic reward distribution based on player choices
  • Flexible content rollout strategies

Technical Solution

Architected and implemented the Adventure Path system, a flexible branching progression framework that:

  • ✨ Enables players to unlock unique rewards through player-driven choices
  • 🔓 Provides early access to game mechanics previously gated behind linear progression
  • 🎯 Discovers new interaction methods, increasing player engagement
  • 🏗️ Built with scalability in mind for future content expansion

Leadership & Collaboration

  • Cross-Team Coordination: Led collaboration between gameplay, design, backend, and QA teams
  • Technical Implementation: Owned the end-to-end technical solution architecture
  • Mentorship: Guided junior developers through complex system design decisions

Impact

  • Shipped to millions of active Candy Crush Saga players worldwide
  • Enhanced player retention through personalized progression paths
  • Provided foundation for future feature development

Technologies Used

C++ Java SQL iOS Android Game Systems Architecture Systems development Cross-Platform Development

Role: Senior C++ Developer
Company: King
Duration: 2022-2023

🎮 Adventure Path Feature - Candy Crush Saga
  • Developer
  • DevOps Developer
  • Game Developer
  • +1

Project Overview

A fast-paced sidescroller Metroidvania featuring procedurally generated levels, combining the exploration and progression of classic metroidvanias with the replayability of roguelike level generation. Solo-developed as an independent studio project showcasing end-to-end game development capabilities.

Crystal Corruption Gameplay

The Challenge

Creating a complete commercial game as a solo developer requires mastering:

  • Core gameplay systems that feel responsive and polished
  • Procedural generation that maintains meaningful level design
  • AI behaviors that provide challenging but fair encounters
  • Character progression systems that reward exploration
  • Professional-quality polish across all game aspects
  • Coordination with external collaborators

Development Scope

As the sole developer, owned and implemented all core systems:

  • ⚔️ Combat Mechanics: Responsive action combat with enemy variety and player abilities
  • 🤖 Enemy AI: Behavior trees and state machines for diverse enemy patterns
  • 🎨 Character Animations: Integrated animation systems with smooth state transitions
  • 🗺️ Procedural Level Generation: Algorithms ensuring playable, explorable environments
  • 📈 Player Progression: Metroidvania-style ability unlocks and power-ups
  • 🎯 UI/UX Design: Intuitive interface and player feedback systems
  • ⚖️ Game Balancing: Iterative tuning of difficulty curves and combat parameters
  • 🐛 QA Testing: Comprehensive bug testing and performance optimization
  • 📋 Project Management: Scope definition, milestone planning, and delivery coordination

Technical Highlights

  • Procedural Level Generation: Custom algorithms balancing randomness with intentional design
  • Performance Optimization: Smooth 60fps gameplay across multiple platforms
  • Save System: Robust serialization handling procedurally generated content
  • Cross-Platform Development: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch

Technologies Used

Unreal Engine C++ Procedural Generation AI Systems Animation Systems Cross-Platform Development Nintendo Switch SDK Steam Integration

Company: AmberWing (Independent Studio)
Role: Solo Developer, Project Lead
Platform: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch

Links

🎮 Crystal Corruption - Reclamation
  • 3D Animator
  • 3D Designer
  • Back-End Developer
  • +7

Work experience· 12 roles

Senior Software Architect · AmraApr 2024 – Jan 2025 · 10 mos
Senior C++ Developer · KingMay 2022 – Jul 2023 · 1 yr 3 mos
DevOps Engineer · CTEKSep 2020 – Jan 2021 · 5 mos
UI and Rendering Engine Developer · MAXARSep 2019 – Aug 2020 · 1 yr
Scientific Data Support Engineer · SMHIJan 2019 – Aug 2019 · 8 mos
Senior Java Developer · Swedish Migration AgencyApr 2018 – Dec 2019 · 1 yr 9 mos
iOS & VR/AR Developer · IdeaHuntJan 2018 – Mar 2018 · 3 mos
Independent Developer | Founder · AmberWingJan 2018 – Present · 8 yrs 11 mos

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