With a willingness to forge his own career, Michael Schroeder ’08, has blazed his own trail in the game design world. Throughout his professional life, he has mastered the art of combining storytelling and technical expertise, crafting immersive experiences that bring virtual worlds to life.
Forging a Path in Game Design
"When I went to Capital, I knew I wanted to get into video game design, but there wasn’t really a clear path forward," Schroeder said. “Not just at Capital, but in general.”
At the time, game design as a field was still emerging, with few clear entry points for aspiring designers. Schroeder took the initiative to create his own route, majoring in computer science to build his programming skills while pursuing a passion for storytelling through a second major in English literature.
"I figured computer science would help me with programming and it would offer me jobs outside of video game design if I couldn’t get in," Schroeder said. "English literature was something I always enjoyed, and I figured understanding how stories are made and to what end would be helpful in the game design field as well."
The multidisciplinary approach not only equipped Schroeder with technical proficiency but also honed his ability to craft compelling narratives, an invaluable asset in the world of gaming. During his time at Capital, Schroeder also took on leadership roles through ReCap Magazine, which provided essential skills in organization, teamwork, and communication – skills he would later draw on throughout his game design career.
From Capital to the Big Leagues: Full Sail University and ZeniMax Online Studios
After graduating from Capital, Schroeder went to Full Sail University, where he pursued a master’s degree in video game design. The fast-paced, one-year program focused on production and leadership, areas that would become central to his roles in the industry. During his studies, Schroeder connected with industry professionals, including Sam Lewis with ZeniMax Online Studios.
“It’s not just about doing the coursework. It’s about using the resources, using career development, using the connections that your professors and the school have to get your foot in the door," Schroeder said.
His early work with ZeniMax Online Studio, a leading developer known for the Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), showcases the kind of complex, multifaceted design work that defines Schroeder's career. ESO is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in the expansive, fantasy universe of The Elder Scrolls. It was developed by ZeniMax Online Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, launching in 2014 for PC and Mac, and in 2015 for PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
“Elder Scrolls Online has a housing system. You can buy a house and decorate it. It has companions where you can befriend NPCS [Non-Player Characters], and they’ll travel with you. The biggest feature I worked on was the antiquity system, which is their take on archeology. You’re able to find hints towards artifacts of long, long ago and then you hunt them down and dig them up. Some of them are valuable weapons or armor. Some of them you learn a cool, ancient dance from a previous era. We had a lot of fun with that,” said Schroeder.
“I was privileged to be able to basically come up with the idea for that start to finish with the couple dozen people team that created that feature. That was probably the most impactful experience I had there.”
The Future of Game Design
Now working at Bisonic, Inc. on a new MMORPG, Schroeder continues to shape virtual worlds while remaining rooted in his love for classic games.
"Usually, I’m not the one who comes up with the idea for a game. I’ve always joined after that point in a project, but if you handed me a hundred million dollars to get a team together and make my dream game, I would love to make something of homage to the old school JRPGS of the past with randomizer elements,” said Schroeder.
He believes that modern game design should honor its roots while innovating, much like how he balances his technical skills with his love for storytelling.
“We’re getting to a point now in games as an art form, where there are plenty of people who have not played some of those foundational documents. It’s like having an English literature degree without ever having read Shakespeare, not because you couldn’t, but because there’s cooler, flashier, more-exciting stuff right in your reach,” said Schroeder. “Why would you reach for that old stuff when you could play the shiny new stuff where they solved some of the problems that Shakespeare had to face in how to stage a play?”
Schroeder’s journey from Capital to the forefront of MMORPG game design underscores the value of interdisciplinary education, continuous learning, and community.
“Students probably need to expand their education outside of just what Capital can offer. Not just playing games for fun, but playing them with a designer’s eye and looking for other people who can do that same thing and expound on why game designers made the decision they did,” said Schroeder. “Don’t just have fun with the game but ask, why did the designer build it this way?”