Clayton Burke

Writing Team Manager. Creative Staff.

“Gamers can feel when developers are passionate about their games. They can smell it like a dog smells fear. Don’t be afraid to hold onto your unique vision: just be aware that it may not turn out exactly how you envisioned.” – Scott Rogers

Amongst a cadre of multi-class dilettantes, specialists and eclectics, it may be tough to distinguish oneself. A graphic design major with a passion for storytelling, Clayton Burke exemplifies this. Nevertheless, he does indeed distinguish himself on a regular basis, drawing upon numerous aspects of his fan experience, from obscure Warhammer Fantasy or Magic: the Gathering lore, to deep cut references to the history of console gaming. Whether it’s a fantastically timed meme in the company group chat, or handling grueling production concerns, Mr. Burke is always readied, like a prepared throwing star, as SFS’ own American Ninja Warrior, for ad hoc assignments. 

Having been an avid gamer since the 1980s and the days of the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System, Clayton quickly sprouted into a fully-fledged nerd. It wasn’t long before he branched out into a deep appreciation of multiple media formats, including tabletop RPGs, fantasy books, films and animation, making it abundantly clear that Clayton is a man who finds joy in many fandoms. Within said fandoms, Clayton has a well-earned reputation for being a highly learned scholar with a deep appreciation of even the most minute of details.  

Few can go into the absolute, granular detail of the minutia regarding the things we nerds love in quite the same way he does. Not only does Clayton explore the continuity aspects we all love to scream at each other about, he’s also an astute academician when it comes to the technical details of making technicolor dreams come true on both the big screen and the home console. All of this serves to inform his work both here on the Unconventional and otherwise. His background in interactive communication technologies, honed over long years of evaluating technical issues and using innovative and effective methods for resolving them, shows how easy it is for him to blend his creative, conceptual, and artistic strengths into one single powerhouse. 

Outside of his nerdly pursuits, Clayton is also a student of the martial arts, which allows him to draw upon a well of discipline when it comes time to work. As a college graduate with a degree in Graphic Design, Clayton joined Steam-Funk Studios  and began working on The Unconventional in 2018. His plan, to leverage his attention to detail, fascination with the advancement of video game technology, and finely honed knowledge of visual media and storytelling, seems to be working… In one short year, he made himself an invaluable member of the team and has continued to serve with honor and distinction, setting a bar so high that it’s sometimes impossible to see from the ground. Having been promoted to Assistant Manager of the core writing staff, Clayton also moonlights with Senior Creative and handles a number of ad hoc concerns. As if that wasn’t enough, it bears stating that he’s not just a writer for The Living Multiverse (the firm’s in-house fictional ensemble), he’s also a model!