Hi, I am
Carles Balsach
Game Developer & Product Strategist
About Me
Who I am
Entrepreneurial Game Manager with 12+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams from early concept to global launch. I specialize in the “0 to 1” phase — identifying market opportunities, defining game vision, and validating assumptions through rapid prototyping. I combine a deep design sensibility with a Data Science background to make evidence-based decisions in fast-paced, iterative environments.
Game Dev
Over a decade building mobile games in C++ and Unity — from core gameplay programming on Dragon City (10M+ DAU) to owning the full creative and technical vision of indie prototypes.
Product Leader
Launched titles across Zeptolab, Sandsoft, and Wooga. Specializes in the "0 to 1" phase: defining game vision, running rapid validation, and aligning cross-functional teams from concept to global release.
Data Champ
SQL and Python background applied to player behavior analysis — fixing level difficulty curves, identifying churn points, and making evidence-based decisions in fast-paced iterative environments.
Strategist
Combines a deep design sensibility with business pragmatism to balance creative risks with commercial objectives. Track record of identifying market opportunities and greenlighting concepts with real potential.
Resume
Work History
Download CV →Founder
Founded CodeCrops, a gamified edtech platform built in collaboration with professors from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Students learn to code by programming a robot that works a farm — a fully gamified experience designed to make computational thinking intuitive, engaging, and genuinely fun. Owns the full product vision, design, and technical execution.
Banjo Games
Founder & Game Manager
Founded a boutique game studio focused on rapid prototyping and finding "fun" fast. Owned the full vision, production, and technical execution for new concepts, iterating weekly based on user feedback and engagement metrics.
Sandsoft Games
Sr Product Manager — New Games & Publishing
Led sourcing and validation of new game opportunities, assessing early prototypes for market potential. Managed the external development and global launch of Pocket Necromancer. Ran CPI/Retention testing to greenlight or kill projects early.
Zeptolab
Sr Product Manager — Game Lead
Co-led product strategy for Om Nom Run, balancing core gameplay with monetization depth. Owned Cut the Rope Remastered (Apple Arcade), managing a 30+ person team. Transitioned titles to scalable LiveOps experiences sustaining 1M+ DAU.
Wooga – Playtika
Product Manager
Managed feature development for casual narrative games with a focus on retention mechanics and user journey mapping. Prototyped new economy systems using A/B testing to validate hypotheses before full implementation.
Social Point – Take-Two Interactive
Data Scientist
Used SQL and Python to analyze player behavior in Dragon Land, providing the design team with quantitative insights to fix level difficulty and reduce churn.
Social Point – Take-Two Interactive
Game Developer
Developed core gameplay features and tools in C++ and Unity for Dragon City (10M+ DAU) and Dragon Land. Collaborated with designers to rapidly prototype new mechanics and ensure technical feasibility aligned with creative vision.
Education
GoPractice
Product Development
Product Manager Simulator in a Software Startup.
Coursera
Data Science
Data Science specialization from Johns Hopkins University.
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Computer Science
BSc in Computer Science.
Skills
What I bring
Product Skills
Coding Skills
Gaming Skills
Blog
Latest Posts
See all posts →
Clash Mini: Cursed Product Design?
A product design analysis of Clash Mini through the lens of competitive game mechanics — why an overemphasis on Luck may be its undoing.
Mobile Game Success: The Hollywood Approach
In a declining market, how do you still launch a hit mobile game? Three verticals explain all top-charting games — and one offers the lowest barrier to success.
Contact
Let's Socialize
Whether you want to talk games, product, or just say hi — find me on any of these platforms.