Yichao @michaelyichao Twitter profile | Pikagi

Pikagi

Yichao

@michaelyichao

7,324

Followers

1,091

Following

3,797

Media

28,235

Statuses

Cofounder of @jamandteatime . Prev @PhoenixLabs , @wizards , @riotgames , @ArenaNet , Imagineering. Find me elsewhere (see link).

Seattle, WA

https://t.co/6VC3dlHvDA

Joined June 2009

Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Came out to my grandma by mentioning my partner and she didn’t react so I said it again and she just followed up with “but do they speak Chinese” Anyway happy bi awareness week the two genders are “does speak Chinese” and “does not speak Chinese”

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Last Seen Profiles

@599ah

@_prodkv

@PrattFootball

@mattpinfield

@kaysahiasahi

@smritikak

@ClubMixAlbum

@fcmeireles

@Gabesmom

@sophiatheMILFx

@DanaDaneMedia

@_donte__

@_tior6

@LateNightSorbet

@PhysicsToday

@paragon_mktg

@zen_pepper

@L2Ordinals

@KaderTpl

@julie_renbe

@SamerGhani

@StudiosFamous

@chershi

@h4dtraining

@AlbertHOrgan

@LorrieBoca

@Twihpe

@SagePillar_xoxo

@Julylolive

@ArtsJeze

@RepMaxineWaters

@_vcent_

@yusyasy

@TeamKCIL

@thehomegirlebie

@BP_G_

@michaelyichao

Yichao

11 months

Update: he’s learning Chinese ✨

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@BiggestttHater

Jon

@BiggestttHater

11 months

what is y’all most liked tweet?

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

9 months

Y’all. He. Secretly. Learned. CHINESE. and just BUSTED IT OUT AS A SURPRISE when we picked up my parents who are visiting???

@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Came out to my grandma by mentioning my partner and she didn’t react so I said it again and she just followed up with “but do they speak Chinese” Anyway happy bi awareness week the two genders are “does speak Chinese” and “does not speak Chinese”

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

She’s a 10 but it’s 2am and she won’t stop saying “you can’t end on a loss” as she queues up for another game

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Today in "awesome signs"

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

For all the folks asking: he does not speak Chinese, and when I told my grandma she said "ah I guess you'll have to continue being the family translator then," bc she was more concerned about the burden on me to translate than if my partner spoke the language 🥹💙

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

5 years

Me, speaking at career day: Kids: how do video games get made? Me: how many of you hate group projects? *many hands go up* Me: well I have bad news for y’all

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

9 months

“I’ve been practicing while he’s at rehearsal,” he says in Chinese to my mom. Y’all that’s just two months what the hell

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Finally, I can touch grass and play League at the same time

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Friend: Tom Holland's character from Onward is the love child of Linguini and Remy from Ratatouille Me: ...what Friend:

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

2010: don’t use emojis in work communications it’s unprofessional 2022: so I saw your :blobsweat:reaction in the slack thread, I appreciate the honest feedback and would love to know what adjustments we can make to turn that :man-frowning::skin-tone-3: into a :partyparrot:

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

✨

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

1 year

We can all appreciate a little parody now and then but also Riot has a week-long onboarding during which you play League several times and I will always treasure the memory of the sweetest new HR person shouting "THAT'S RIGHT, BITCH" when she triple killed my team😂

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Oh hey it’s my birthday! For every like in the next 24 hours, I’ll donate $1 to organizations that help LGBTQ youth (Trevor Project, Lambert House). ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

1 year

We live in incredible times

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

A friend said to me “I can’t wait to buy the new game you’re making. Unless it’s free to play. I can’t afford another one of those” and I haven’t stopped thinking about it

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Why are all the life sized Lucario plush photos staged like he's your boyfriend

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 months

I won’t ever forget the CEO who nervously asked, absolutely seriously, “but won’t the internet be angry” when presented with a game that happened to feature an indigenous lead and a magic system inspired by non-Eurocentric mythology. Cowardice and status quo so often reigns.

@GavinDYoung

Gavin Young

2 months

What's especially frustrating is that pressure from marketing and execs to change the gender or race of characters is still fairly common in AAA games: it's just the exact opposite of what angry YouTubers tell their followers (because their business is keeping you angry) (1/?)

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

“How did you get into games?” 1% of folks: I went to a game design program then got an internship which led to an entry level role Everyone else: On accident while working as a line chef and moonlighting as a drag race promoter which led me into community management

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Real convos from when I’ve shared a game writer position - Woman: I dunno if I’m qualified, I’ve only published three novels in the same genre and have 2 yrs experience writing for other major game IPs but the posting said you need 3 Man: I play games sometimes! APPLIED! thx bro

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Oops

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

This spell is too powerful and is now banned in all formats.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

5 years

New personal rule with Twitter: Stop scrolling when I feel my faith in humanity slipping away Click on @dog_rates to like 2-3 good dogs Close the app for the day

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Me: I hope I didn’t make Yone’s Spirit Bond story too thirsty Cassiopeia: nice to meet you, let me crush your bones Thresh: nice to meet you, call me daddy Lillia: TAKE OFF YOUR CLOTHES Me: ...I did not make Yone’s Spirit Bond story thirsty enough

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

1 year

Partner: It sounds like burnout. Me: No no no, it's not burnout, it's just a deep sense of fatigue and exhaustion from sustained sources of varying levels of stress that I've been compartmentalizing well up til now but just has spilled over to okay you know yes I do hear it now

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

“Sir, there’s a chef making more than $16-18 an hour”

@JordanUhl

jordan

2 years

"sir there's a steak that isn't overly salted"

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

1 year

I love this a lot

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

PSA: Yone says wear your mask

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Hi hello I wrote those Morde quotes in the "2015" part of the meme in 2019, your nostalgia is built on lies UwU

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 months

I'm so fucking tired.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Riot pls

@redstringoffeh

Feh

@redstringoffeh

4 years

K/DA Fanboy Nunu & Willump fanskin #KDAMORE #skintober #ArtofLegends

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

I gotta say, being told “HAVE YOU EVEN READ THE LORE” and getting linked to something you wrote yourself is... a new feeling 😅

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Y’all, TF and Graves are definitely fucking

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

1 year

Career journey of a game dev Intern: I can't wait to learn how games are made! Assoc: I can't believe that's how games are made Mid: I still have no idea how games get made Senior: No one knows how games are made Leadership: I can't believe that game got made

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

For lore fans speculating on ALL THE THINGS, a clue: I know League lore has long been focused on backstories. We intro heroes and you learn the PAST. That’s not going away. But now when you think on a character’s story... dream of their FUTURES. Things are moving in Runeterra.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Friendly reminders: -You’re free to ship whoever you want! -Bi and pansexual folks exist -There is a difference between queer coding and queer baiting -Harassing creators is never the correct choice

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Cleric: It took me a year of leveling up but I finally learned lesser restoration! Now I can cast it on us all to prevent disease Fighter: whoa, whoa, slow down there Cleric: ...what's the problem Fighter: What's in that spell Cleric: what

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Apparently a few days ago someone DM'ed me saying "Imagine Dragons now has more lore than Shaco does in Runeterra what are you gonna do about it" and I'm dying because they're not wrong

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Our Halloween costumes have arrived ✨

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

If League made a 4 person boy band who would be the required members

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

One of the biggest challenges of telling queer stories in large IPs is the difficulty of doing so w/ a global audience, where in some regions it is (abhorrently) illegal to do so. A confirmed queer character or storyline could put coworkers in legal risk / actual physical danger.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Y’all. We made a d̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶s̶i̶m̶ visual novel. We’ve been experimenting w more narrative tie ins w events, starting w the Dark Star and Pulsefire stories I wrote, but this effort was a massive undertaking of a whole other scale: many writers led by Reav3 and @notquitefrodo !

@LeagueOfLegends

League of Legends

@LeagueOfLegends

4 years

🌸🌸 Spirit Bonds 101 🌸🌸⠀ Learn more about the new narrative experience, Spirit Bonds, debuting in Spirit Blossom!

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Met someone on a dating app who mentioned they played games and when I asked which they said League and when I said what champions they said Yone and when I said oh I wrote his lore they unmatched me 😂😂😂

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Just got a DM telling me I'm gonna ruin the Riot MMO by making it gay and I'm uh not sure where to start with this one honestly 😂🌈✨

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

5 years

A thread on creative dev: One of my favorite videos is Lin Manuel at a White House event, explaining his new concept album on how Alexander Hamilton embodies hip hop. It gets a BIG laugh from the room. Then Lin drops the opening number to what would become his hit musical. 1/x

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Leona: I’m gay. I can finally say that now. Some fans: no kiss pantheon right now I insist Leona: ...what no I’ve always loved Diana, did you not see every single cinematic or story or— Some fans: this is STRAIGHT ERASURE

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Game Dev Discourse Bingo: -Everyone who touches a game is a dev -Games CAN be art but don’t HAVE to be and That’s Okay -Reusing assets is Good actually -Crunch is Bad actually -Narrative design is more than Plot -QA is essential -Dear Players: That’s Really Not How That Works

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

There are no heterosexual characters in Runeterra*.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Twitter laid me off today. If you know of any open positions for senior software engineers, let me know. I was the guy who made the newsfeed refresh and scroll way up exactly 2 seconds after you saw a tweet you were interested in

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

I learned it from YOU, Lillia

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Today I discovered a play in three acts and wow thanks I hate it

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

🔪✨

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

“That queer relationship is so forced, I didn’t see any clues of it leading up to that moment” Ah, yes, please tell me more about how you, the angy straight dude, are an expert at the subtleties and expressions of queer attraction 👀

@bekkomi

bekkomi 🌷💖Preorders!

3 years

Some people need to shut up about a gay pairing in league being forced because ya’ll literally manifested ZedSyndra into existence in a skin line and they never even talked to each other before in canon.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Excited to share: I’ve accepted the role of Narrative Lead for Digital Publishing at Wizards of the Coast! So long and hugs to all the good folks at Riot Games. 💙 Proud of the stories we told and the friends I got to make. Looking forward to crafting new games and worlds!

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Yes, leaks suck. Overall, I’m not too worried. No one has the whole picture yet. Everything will be fine. :)

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

@TBSkyen

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Retweet if you’ve reported tweets that hope for death or harm or fatal disease against you or someone you personally know and nothing happened

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

When you were asked to write a chapter in a textbook and also asked for a headshot and did not realize they would place said headshot as the opener to your chapter in said textbook 😂

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

I am still sad about the cut of Akali’s line joking about rumors of Kai’Sa having a secret boyfriend and she replies “I don’t have a secret BOYfriend. ...I don’t.”

@mamgoslice

mamgo

3 years

How do you stop your gf from flirting with every single interviewer she sees #Kahri #KDAAhri #KDAKaisa #KDAfanart #ArtofLegends

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

I once worked at a company that bragged about its percentage of diverse hires that year and me and my teammate did the mental math then looked at each other as we realized the entire percentage was the two of us

@_nyanbun_

Iris Zhang

3 years

Nothing like going through manager training slides and seeing your own face pop up in one about diversity and inclusion

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

...sorry not sorry

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Also, I’ve had this tweet saved in my drafts for what feels like years and I can finally say it: It’s Yoh-nay. Not “Yohn.” Thank yoooooou✨

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

"GIVE US K/DA LORE" Oh look, K/DA lore✨ #KDA #KDAHARMONIES #COMIC #AKALI #BLADES

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Also canon

@LadySolaria

💝Soläria🎀

4 years

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Y’all. What if a skin for Garen... was just Tianna Crownguard :o

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

I wish folks understood that “I don’t like this” and “this is bad” are two unrelated things.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

A friend I play league with keeps telling me to make a podcast about league lore and I keep telling him I don’t know who would wanna listen to that If I made a lore podcast what would you wanna hear about (other than spoilers I can’t share)?

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Chatting w someone on a dating app “Oh cool you play league too? I’m a shaco support main” *unmatch*

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

“Don’t you hate it when editors come in and ruin your writing?” What? No. Editors are God’s gift to storytelling. They craft coherency out of chaos. Declutter nonsensical syntax into clarity and grace. Cut the madness so some semblance of sense remains. Protect them at all costs.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Now that he’s out I can finally type “gone” in my tweets without worrying autocorrect was gonna get me fired

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Friend: oh wow you worked at riot? that’s cool what champs did you work on you better not say yasuo lol Me: 👀💦

@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Oops

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

People really have no idea how queer stories get published, especially within huge companies that are enormously resistant to inclusive storytelling and fearful of any kind of perceived risk, do they? /1

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Fun fact: Yone plays an Ionian instrument, and his music matches up with Yasuo's flute playing. <3

@Raphel

Raphel ⚓

4 years

@animturnbull @muahahahahh1 @HunterGage33 @EndlessPillows @_RiotEarp @michaelyichao @RiotNyanbun OMG, thank you for this:

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Narrative writers: the thematic cohesion and depth of a concept is incredibly important and business impactful via player resonance and emotional investment Also narrative writers: I dunno, they’re all bees or something

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Mom: do... do all these characters have cat ears? Me: not all of them. and those are fox ears. Mom: so this one, she's... a fox lady? Me: yes Mom: but also a pop star Me: correct Mom: but she's just an actual fox here Me: who guides spirits, yes Mom: ...what's your job again?

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

A little late in the day, but happy bi visibility day 💙💜

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

5 years

So I don’t have a SoundCloud but I do have a dog Meet Nyx the Narrative Pup

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Now kiss

@LeagueOfLegends

League of Legends

@LeagueOfLegends

4 years

In the shadow of an eclipse, two lovers decide to turn their backs on Targon forever.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

And just for fun, a scrap of dialog that never would've made it into the story: "No way," Ekko said. "We barely made it out alive last time." Ezreal grinned. "I remember another time we barely made out--" "Don't you start," Ekko cut him off with a glare.

@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Folks seem to be finding this thread again, which is always charming to see. But the Universe page with the story has duplicate sections and other messiness, so here's a clean (and slightly updated and edited) version of the story below. <3

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

Reading the Blizzard lawsuit and reminded of witnessing firsthand how in this industry: 1) There is so often no accountability 2) HR protects the company 1st, management 2nd, you not at all 3) "Reporting systems" often are weaponized against those who speak up. Change is overdue.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

✨

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Writer: these two characters met once Fans: so they’ve f*cked Writer: what no they barely made eye contact— Fans: what you’re saying is they bang regularly Writer: …okay well THESE two characters live on different continents — Fans: they’re boyfriends, regularly f*cking

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

A new issue of the KDA comic! A “silent” episode following Kai’Sa (w brief appearance of Kassadad)

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Hoooooly wow. I have thoughts and feelings on reading this. Especially as a bi writer who wrote for Magic story, who along with other writers at the time worked so hard to advocate for an authentic, positive queer relationship among our primary protagonists.

@CubeApril

April King

4 years

Casually lighting on fire a decades' worth of work connecting to your diverse fanbase.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

I’ve had the privilege of working on several large fantasy IPs and sci fi settings in my career so far. One of my biggest annoyances: folks (or companies) who assume their fantastical world has to inherit the same problems of our patriarchal / sexist / racist societies. /1

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Everyone assumes Ahri has been bleaching her hair, but what if teen Ahri just had a goth phase? 🧐

@faesvshi

fae

4 years

Ahri has been bleaching her hair her whole career... watch her go bald next comeback

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Booted up Ruined King, and it’s surreal to finally see the payoff to the after credits scene from the Yone / Yasuo cinematic, “Kin of the Stained Blade.” Two screencaps, two different games, over a year apart. 💙 Congrats to all the folks who worked so hard to ship this game!

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Despite all this, all you can do as a writer is write what you can, as authentically as possible. Anyway, completely unrelated, please enjoy this story about Ezreal and Ekko

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

“You ever meet someone who was just enough like you that it made you kinda hate them, bc maaaybe it made you see clearly all the little things you hated about yourself? Well, that’s not at all what’s happening here with Ekko. It’s the Mohawk.” Part 4!

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Spirits don't normally wear clothes in the Spirit Realm YOU'RE the weirdo okay gosh don't worry about it

@themermaidxo

Katey

4 years

OKAY CALM DOWN

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

I told my friend Ben there’s a Ben who worked with Seraphine at a boba cafe and asked if it was him and this is either the fastest cosplay I’ve ever seen or he’s been secretly Seraphine’s coworker this whole time #kdaharmonies #BaristaBen

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

Has… has JKR read Harry Potter?

@Carter_AndrewJ

🤦‍♂️ Andrew James Carter

@Carter_AndrewJ

2 years

“Muggles are bad” is *literally* the defining philosophy of your own Nazi-analogue villains.

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

@TBSkyen SIX whole gays! It’s OUT OF CONTROL!

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those that say "I suffered and I sure hope no one else has to experience the same" And those who say "I suffered and it's not FAIR if others don't also suffer"

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

3 years

It's Yone's birthday which seems like a good time to bring this back

@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Oops

Tweet media one

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

1 year

@raspbearyart R…roommates?

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

2 years

This is what makes me so proud of the K/DA comics. My pitch was "instead of conflict coming from infighting between the women in the band, they instead supported each other and the conflict came from the challenge of making art" and to my delight everyone said "yeah that's rad"

@leslee_annsh

leslee, trailer treasure ✨

2 years

strong feeeemales in games (cw for flippant r*pe mention)

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Me: Teemo is fun but what if he had permanent stealth like evelynn— Everyone on call: we are so glad you’re on narrative and not balance team

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@michaelyichao

Yichao

4 years

Hey LoL players: give me your favorite ship and I’ll write you a flash fan fiction! (Best pairing / pitch gets 1350 RP!)

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