David Guo, a “software development genius,” served as the Technical Director at the video game developer uCool, and later became the company’s CEO. During its hiring process, he adopted a unique strategy inspired by Facebook’s Puzzle. He embedded a series of puzzles within the recruitment information, requiring candidates to solve them step-by-step. Only those who successfully cracked the puzzles had the chance to join his team, with the hope of discovering more talented individuals through this innovative process.
Game Promotion and Operational Experience
uCool, a game developer based in the United States, released the mobile game Heroes Charge, an action RPG multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game. The game allows players to collect and train heroes, assemble teams, strengthen their characters, and defeat enemies. With over 150 unique and varied heroes—ranging from melee bruisers and agile archers to powerful mages—players can unlock rare characters and recruit them into their ranks.
According to App Annie, on November 25, 2014, Heroes Charge ranked in the top 100 on the best-seller charts in 49 countries. It even claimed the top spot in 12 countries’ best-seller rankings. Additionally, the game broke into the top 10 best-seller charts in Singapore, Germany, Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, and other nations. In South Korea, where the mobile gaming competition is particularly fierce, Heroes Charge also reached the top 10. Notably, the South Korean gaming media outlet Playfam even dedicated a special feature to the game. Thanks to its success, Heroes Charge generated millions of dollars in revenue for uCool.
In 2016, David Guo co-founded a new company, Top Games, Inc. The company went on to develop the popular mobile game Evony: The King’s Return. By the end of 2024, Evony had amassed over 230 million downloads and generated nearly $300 million in revenue.
Leadership and Team Management
David places great emphasis on unlocking the potential of his team members. He has created a data-driven management structure that encourages team members to rely on clear, rational guidelines at each stage of a project. This approach fosters the exploration of new possibilities, resulting in a more systematic, collaborative, and efficient work environment. His leadership style has greatly contributed to the growth of both uCool and Top Games, helping these companies cultivate an ecosystem that thrives on innovation and out-of-the-box thinking.
In fact, David’s management approach has been a driving force behind his companies’ continuous progress. The MVP (Minimum Viable Product) development model has allowed the team to focus resources and talent on core game features, ensuring the efficient collection of user feedback. This has led to improved functionality and the creation of more engaging, market-appropriate games. David is currently focused on developing cross-genre games that appeal to a wide range of players in order to achieve a stronger market fit.
