Early-stage developer • shipping & learning

POISON GAMES / SIHLEM / SOUTH AFRICA

Building games.
Learning in public.

I’m SihleM, an early-stage game developer building independent projects under Poison Games. I now have public releases and Early Access builds while continuing to learn through simulation, interactive fiction, multiplayer systems, QA and platform work.

View my projects See the journey
FOCUSSimulation, narrative & systems
APPROACHBuild → Test → Release → Improve
STATUSActive releases + new projects
POISON_GAMES / PORTFOLIO 2026
PG

INDEPENDENT GAME DEVELOPMENT

Learning by shipping real work.
01
Mobile MMA SimReleased / testing
↗
02
Unwritten MeridianBook One • Released
↗
03
Online MMA SimDevelopment paused
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04
Untitled Music ProjectIn development
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05
2D Game ProjectIn development
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BUILDTESTLEARNRELEASE
GAME SYSTEMSSIMULATIONMOBILE DEVELOPMENTINTERACTIVE FICTIONQA & TESTINGANDROID PUBLISHINGWEB BUILDS2D DEVELOPMENT GAME SYSTEMSSIMULATIONMOBILE DEVELOPMENTINTERACTIVE FICTIONQA & TESTINGANDROID PUBLISHINGWEB BUILDS2D DEVELOPMENT

SELECTED PROJECTS

Work that shows where I am—and where I’m heading.

I’m still early in my game-development journey, so this portfolio focuses on real work and real progress rather than presenting unfinished learning as expert-level experience.

01 Released / testing Mobile MMA Sim official app artwork
CAREER • COMBAT • MANAGEMENTMMA
MAIN PROJECTMobile • Web • Windows

Mobile MMA Sim

My most developed game project so far. It started as a fighting-career idea and grew into the project where I learned the most about connected systems, balancing, saves, UI, release testing and publishing.

Career systems

Promotions, rankings, champions, contracts, training, injuries, weight and fatigue.

Fight systems

Second-by-second simulation, tactics, judging, fighter states and progression.

Release work

Save migrations, versioned builds, itch.io releases and Google Play testing.

QA practice

Regression checks, edge cases, UI fixes and gameplay-loop validation.

SimulationAndroidWebQAPublishing
Play free demo on itch.io View full edition
02 Book One released Unwritten Meridian Book One official cover artwork
CHOICE • SURVIVAL • CONSEQUENCEUM
STORY PROJECTWeb • Android

Unwritten Meridian — Book One

An original branching interactive-fiction project where I’m learning how to make player choices, consequences and story state feel connected across scenes.

  • Custom interactive-fiction engine
  • Persistent choices and consequences
  • Multiple endings and save continuity
NarrativeBranching stateUI
Play Book One on itch.io
05 In development
2D GAME PROJECT2D
2D PROJECTIn development

2D Game Project

A 2D game project currently in development. More details will be shared when the project is ready.

2D gameIn development
OUTSIDE POISON GAMESPersonal work

Side projects

I also work on selected personal web and technical projects outside game development. When they are ready to be shared, I present them separately from Poison Games under my real name, Sihle Mpungose.

Web projectsTechnical projects

THE JOURNEY

Progress built one project at a time.

My goal is not to skip the beginner stage—it is to use it well. Each project gives me a new problem to solve and a stronger foundation for the next one.

01
FOUNDATION

IT, Java and software testing

My IT background, Java learning and QA practice gave me a foundation for logic, testing behaviour and breaking large problems into smaller ones.

02
BUILD

Turning ideas into playable systems

Mobile MMA Sim became the project where I began connecting progression, fights, training, contracts, saves and user interface into one playable experience.

03
RELEASE

Learning what happens after development

I began preparing web, Windows and Android builds, testing releases, handling store requirements, managing versions and getting projects onto real devices.

04
EXPAND

Trying different forms of game development

Interactive fiction introduced me to narrative state and consequences, while other projects are helping me explore different areas of game development.

05
NOW

Building stronger fundamentals

I’m continuing to improve programming, structure, UI, mobile development, 2D skills and the discipline needed to finish increasingly polished games.

SKILLS IN PROGRESS

Growing through practical work.

These are areas I actively use and improve through projects. They are not presented as mastery levels—just the skills I’m building through experience.

01
SYS

Game systems

Career loops, progression, rankings, contracts, injuries, attributes, economies and connected consequences.

02
QA

QA & testing

Scenario testing, regression thinking, edge cases, bug isolation, UI checks and gameplay-loop validation.

03
DEV

Programming

Growing my experience with Java, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL and database-driven project work.

04
2D

2D & mobile

Expanding my 2D game-development experience while continuing to improve Android packaging and mobile-first design.

FROM BUILD TO PLAYER

Learning the release side too.

Making a game work locally is only one part of the process. My projects have also introduced me to packaging, testing access, store preparation, privacy information, versioning and release QA.

GP02

Google Play

Android App Bundles, testing tracks, tester access and store preparation under SihleM.

PC03

Windows & Web

Preparing downloadable desktop packages and browser-ready versions of projects.

QA04

Release checks

Privacy notices, rights checks, save compatibility, versioning and regression testing.

IDENTITY & OWNERSHIP

One creator. Clear identities.

My public game work uses Poison Games as the brand and SihleM as my developer name. I use Sihle Mpungose for formal and professional contexts outside the game brand.

PG

Poison GamesPublic game brand

SM

SihleMDeveloper identity

SP

Sihle MpungoseFormal / professional identity

Independent personal work

All game development and side projects shown on this site are my own work, created independently on my own time. They are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or connected to my employment or any organization I work for.

WHAT’S NEXT

Keep learning.
Keep building.
Ship better games.

This portfolio will grow with me as I complete new builds, learn new tools and turn more ideas into finished projects.

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