Hi.

I’m Xichan Zheng, a designer and illustrator studying at the University of California, Irvine. I focus on narrative game design, concept art, and interactive media, moving across different styles while exploring how games can tell meaningful stories.

At the heart of my work is a motivation to give form to the quiet struggles and moments of resilience that might otherwise be overlooked.

The magic of games isn’t found in financial charts or DAU curves, but in the connections they create: when a player feels the thrill of outwitting a system across time and space, when a single line of dialogue makes them exclaim “this is exactly me,” or when they stumble upon a hidden detail that brings a quiet smile.

Designing games that bring forward quiet struggles and hard-won resilience.

2025