Pao Salcedo

Game Curator

Pao standing over a skillet full of bistek tagalog

Favorite Coolmath Games: Powercut, 8 Ball Pool
 

Pao is an advertising copywriter turned game producer. A graduate of the NYU Game Center's Game Design MFA program, he has over 9 years of experience playing, testing, and curating games in an academic or professional setting.

As a Senior Game Producer at Coolmath Games, Pao has created comprehensive game design documents for experienced external developers and translated them into launched games, such as Rock Paper Scissors, Pirate Battle: Ships Ahoy, and Tag.

He has licensed over 100 games and counting for CoolmathGames.com (including Tiny Fishing, Slice Master, and Duck Duck Clicker) and the Coolmath Games mobile app.

Before Coolmath Games, Pao worked at Computer Lunch, developers of the hit mobile games Cell to Singularity and Mama Hawk. He researched historical tidbits for Cell to Singularity and wrote write-ups for limited-time events. He also wrote in-game text and copy for Mama Hawk, and store descriptions for the App Store and Play Store.

Prior to that he was briefly a playtester for one of the most successful tabletop RPG Kickstarters ever.

In a previous life, he was a creative copywriter in multinational ad agencies in the Philippines.

Outside the hallowed, equation-filled halls of Coolmath Games, he is playing old JRPGs, trying to catch up to the latest One Piece volume, and experimenting with his lola's adobong manok recipe. 

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

  • COOLMATH GAMES | Senior Game Producer
    2019 – Present
  • COMPUTER LUNCH | Game Researcher
    Apr – Jun 2019, Sep 2022
  • KICKSTARTER RPG | Game Tester
    Apr 2019
  • COMPUTER LUNCH | Game Design and Copywriting
    Jun – Aug 2017
  • LEO BURNETT GROUP MANILA | Creative Team Head
    May 2014-May 2016
  • TBWA\SANTIAGO MANGADA PUNO | Copywriter
    June 2010 – April 2014

 

EDUCATION

  • NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, USA, MFA Game Design
  • ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY, PHILIPPINES, BS Business Management
  • ÉCOLE SUPÉRIEURE DE COMMERCE, PAU, FRANCE, Int’l Management Program

 

CONFERENCES ATTENDED

  • Game Developers Conference 2023
  • Indiecade 2017, 2018
  • PlayNYC 2018, 2021
  • Waffle Games 2018

Games Reviewed By Pao Salcedo

Crate Mage Gameplay

Crate Mage

March 20, 2023

Use your magical powers to move the boxes and escape the dungeon! Plan your path carefully so you don't get boxed into a corner.

Baw Gameplay

Baw

March 13, 2023

Control the light and darkness! Guide the characters to their matching color doors. Run and jump on the platforms without falling off.

Sneks Gameplay

Sneks

March 7, 2023

It's all one-way traffic down here in Snek-land! Twist, turn, and go around to avoid slithering into a gridlock. Don't get ssstuck!

Telephone Trouble Gameplay

Telephone Trouble

March 6, 2023

Are you there, operator? Don't drop any calls! Connect the cables to the right ports. Will you play fast or chill?

Cricket Cup Online Gameplay

Cricket Cup Online

February 21, 2023

Women's World Cup teams are now available! Compete against the computer in single-player mode or test your skills against other players in online multiplayer.

Number Collector Gameplay

Number Collector

February 3, 2023

Here comes the sum! When you find the right path, everything will add up in the end. Can you earn a crown and solve for 100?

Pushy Worm Gameplay

Pushy Worm

January 30, 2023

The baby worms need their apples! Push the fruits as you inch around the level to feed your worms. Leave no worm unfed!

Plug In Gameplay

Plug In

January 26, 2023

Explore this strange and dangerous lab while staying connected to a power source! Avoid spikes and sparks to keep your power cord intact.

Putty Putter Gameplay

Putty Putter

January 19, 2023

Breathe in...and stretch out! Pull and stretch your doughy self until you're the perfect size and shape to make the shot. Can you make the perfect putt?

Mini Flips Gameplay

Mini Flips

January 17, 2023

Jump and flip around the level to get all the coins! Avoid the spikes and dangerous blobs as you flip gravity to claim your prize.