# Bernard Yee

> Bernard 'Bernie' Yee is the CEO and co-founder of Windup Minds, a Seattle-based independent VR/MR studio building 'Stay: Forever Home,' a mixed-reality virtual pet named Ember. A games-industry lifer who started as a journalist and trained as a lawyer, Yee has produced or shaped some of the most influential titles in gaming - Plants vs. Zombies 2 and Peggle 2 at PopCap, Destiny at Bungie, Rock Band at Harmonix, EverQuest at Sony Online - before spending nearly a decade at Oculus/Meta Reality Labs producing landmark VR experiences like Dreamdeck, Toybox, First Contact and First Steps. His thesis: XR is uniquely capable of making a digital creature feel real, and a game can make you feel loved.

- **Role:** CEO and Co-founder at Windup Minds
- **Organizations:** Windup Minds, Meta Reality Labs / Oculus VR, PopCap Games, Bungie, Harmonix, Atari, Disney Interactive, Sony Online Entertainment, ESPN, Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Adjunct Professor / Instructor, Game Design and Production (taught, not attended), Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- **Known for:** Co-founded and leads Windup Minds, raising a $1.6M seed round in 2023, Lead Producer on Plants vs. Zombies 2 and Peggle 2 at PopCap, Executive Producer on landmark Oculus VR experiences including First Contact, First Steps, Toybox, Dreamdeck and Farlands

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Worked as a games journalist and reviewer; wrote an influential, glowing review of Ultima Underworld
- **1990s-2000s** — Held development and publishing roles at Sony Online Entertainment (EverQuest), ESPN, Atari, and Disney Interactive
- **2000s** — Worked at Harmonix on the Rock Band franchise
- **2010s** — Lead Producer at PopCap on Plants vs. Zombies 2 and Peggle 2
- **2010s** — Worked at Bungie on Destiny
- **2014** — Joined Oculus VR as an Executive Producer (Oculus REX team)
- **2014-2023** — Spent nearly nine years at Oculus / Meta Reality Labs; produced Dreamdeck, Toybox, Farlands, Prologue, First Contact, First Steps; Senior TPM on AR games for Project Nazare
- **2023-06** — Co-founded Windup Minds with Ben Vance, Amy Conchie and Stefani Swiatkowski; became CEO
- **2023-08** — Windup Minds raised $1.6M seed round led by Venture Reality Fund, Acequia Capital and New Leaf Ventures
- **2025-04** — Windup Minds launched 'Stay: Forever Home' virtual pet experience on Meta Quest

## Achievements

- Co-founded and leads Windup Minds, raising a $1.6M seed round in 2023
- Lead Producer on Plants vs. Zombies 2 and Peggle 2 at PopCap
- Executive Producer on landmark Oculus VR experiences including First Contact, First Steps, Toybox, Dreamdeck and Farlands
- Contributed to Destiny (Bungie), Rock Band (Harmonix) and EverQuest (Sony Online Entertainment)
- Senior Technical Program Manager on AR games for Meta's Project Nazare
- Taught game design and production at Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- Shipped 'Stay: Forever Home' virtual pet on Meta Quest in 2025

## Latest updates

- **2025-04** — Windup Minds launched 'Stay: Forever Home,' its mixed-reality virtual pet experience featuring the creature Ember, on Meta Quest.
- **2024-10** — Yee appeared as a speaker at GamesBeat NEXT, discussing the future of virtual pets and XR.
- **2024-06** — Spoke at AWE USA 2024 on a panel decoding play across toys, puzzles and games in XR.

## Links

- Website: https://windupminds.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardyee
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/tripworks
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WindupMinds
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/windupminds
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/windupminds
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@windupminds

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/bernard-yee
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-25