Gaming Industry Exec Lists Alluring Melrose Village Retreat

After a little more than six years of ownership, a top video game executive is ready to offload his Los Angeles estate in the trendy Melrose Village neighborhood. The asking price is a speck under $4.3 million — or a $900,000 hike over what he paid for the place back in winter 2016, shortly after it was newly built. The home also is available for lease at $23,000 per month.

During his tenure, the deputy CFO of planning and analytics for Activation Blizzard — a Santa Monica-based behemoth responsible for interactive games like Candy Crush, World of Warcraft and Call of Duty — enlisted local design studio Sirak to professionally landscape the premises to the tune of $250,000, complete with a particularly appealing garden courtyard and roof deck.

Tucked away behind walls, gates and high hedges, on less than a quarter-acre parcel of land, the boxy white structure is fronted by an attached two-car garage with a Tesla charging station and the aforementioned garden courtyard, which is laced with king palms and Japanese boxwoods, and sports a minimalist fountain resting on water-quarried sea foam beach pebble. Inside, four bedrooms and five baths are spread across a little more than 3,800 square feet of two-level living space boasting white oak hardwood floors throughout, plus a Control4 home-automation system.

Main-level highlights include a massive wood front door that pivots into a striking foyer bolstered by a 20-year-old ficus bonsai topped by a skylight. From there, a spacious great room holds a dining area and glass-encased wine display, while a sleekly designed kitchen is decked out with marble countertops, Miele appliances, an eat-in island that seats five and a walk-in pantry. Elsewhere is a fireside family room with Fleetwood glass doors spilling out to the backyard and an en-suite bedroom that’s currently being used as an office.

Three more ensuite bedrooms can be found upstairs, including a posh master retreat flaunting a fireplace, private balcony, walk-in closet, and marble bath outfitted with dual vanities, a soaking tub and two-person rainfall shower. Outdoors, the backyard hosts an infinity-edge lap pool and spa featuring a Baja shelf, along with a built-in barbecue and children’s playhouse. Topping it all off: the teak-clad roof terrace, which is ideal for entertaining with a kitchen/bar setup, lounge area warmed by a fireplace and picturesque hillside views.

The listing is held by Farah Levi and Mauricio Umansky The Agency.