Rosie Gao

I’m a game narrative designer,
an interactive media storyteller

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Education

University of Southern California
Game and Interactive Media MFA
2022 - 2025

New York University (NYU)
B.A. in Interactive Media Arts,
Minor in Creative Writing

Shanghai / New York
Sep 2017 – May 2021 (COVID-19 adjusted)

Project Experience

Vestibulum Ultricies
Suspendisse Aenean Vestibulum
2023 - 2024

Pellentesque Habitant
‘Morbi Tristique Senectus’
Nunc Euismod Faucibus,
Porta Libero
2024

Volutpat Ultricies
Curabitur Fringilla Ornare,
Duis Quis
(since 2020)

Employment

Academic Roles

Exhibitions

(upcoming) Tincidunt TBA
Ultricies Ultricies,
Congue Nisl
2024

(upcoming) Vestibulum-Vitae
Auctor Ipsum,
Dictumst Ligula,
Porta Libero
2024

Egestas
Condimentum Senectus,
Purus Aliquet,
Porta Libero
2021

Last Updated 25.06.05

How to Pet Your Cat
Assistant Director, Experience Designer, Exhibition Coordinator

A festival-recognized alt-controller game, where two players pet a giant plush cat butt to battle for the virtual cat’s affection.

How to Pet Your Cat reimagines the simple joy of petting a cat as a playful, exaggerated, and socially shareable ritual. When players touch, pat, or slap the oversized backside, the virtual cat respond with purring, growling, or wriggling, inviting them to read its moods, adjust their behavior, and uncover its quirks. Whether bonding alone or competing with friends for the cats’ affection, the game transforms physical touch into laughter, awkwardness, playfully simulating the harmless impulses of “cute aggression”.

The center of the experience is an about 3Ft wide plush, pressure-sensitive cat-butt controller built from foam, water balloons, synthetic fur, and a mesh of pressure sensors. It detects variations in touch—location, intensity, and speed, and translates them into immediate audiovisual reactions and score feedback. Its absurd scale and simple gameplay lowers barriers to entry, while its performative design makes play inviting for both players and audience, blending humor, experimentation, and social interaction.

How to Pet Your Cat has received critical acclaim and international exposure. It was exhibited at major events including GDC 2025, Day of the Devs, IGN Live, and CatCon, and was a finalist for the IGF alt.ctrl.GDC Award recognizing innovation in alternative controllers. The game has gone viral across social media like TikTok, Instagram, X, and Red, with dozens of posts reaching 100K–500K+ views each and thousands of engagements. It has been featured by media including The Game Awards, IGN, and CNET, and consistently draws crowds of over 1,000 players per showcase, surpassing 5,000 total players to date. More than a game, it has become a guaranteed crowd-puller and a natural stage for community connection and brand visibility.

Info

Duration: Oct 2024 - Dec 2024 (Development), Mar 2025 - Present (Exhibition)
Genre: Alt.ctrl Game, Party Game, Casual Arcade, Social Play Installation, Humor Game
Form：Plush Controller (32” × 27” × 24”) paired with a screen
Length：30 - 60 secs
Team Size: 10
Link: Website
Role: Assistant Director, Experience Designer, Exhibition Coordinator

Contributions

Led experience design for player flow at exhibitions, optimizing guidance and training teammates to deliver a consistent, welcoming experience. Served as the primary host across four major showcases engaging 5,000+ participants.

Coordinated cross-discipline work between hardware and software engineering, art, and marketing teams to ensure smooth collaboration.

Managed end-to-end event logistics, from award submissions and organizer communication to spatial design for booth layout and flow, on-site setup, lighting, and troubleshooting.

Directed design and production of digital and physical promotional assets, including posters, banners, manuals, signage, and giveaway items.

Co-designed interaction and controller prototypes; led initial animation direction and contributed to UI/UX design.

See more:
[Assisting Direction in How To Pet Your Cat →] [Exhibition Coordination in HTPYC →]