With a background in both design and the humanities, I emphasize a holistic, transdisciplinary design and research practice that seeks fresh and comprehensive perspectives and pushes the aesthetic boundaries of games. Through the Digital Play program, I explore the vast and largely uncharted field of playful interactions — extending far beyond games into digital experiences, interactive installations, playful experiments, emergent systems, and immersive exhibitions.

My work includes internationally award-winning projects across independent, applied, and commercial games, interdisciplinary media, and playful installations. I’m the co-founder and Creative Director of Bits & Beasts and part of the artistic leadership of Svizra27. Additionally, I curate exhibitions and conferences and write about games and play from an integrated design and theory background.

Before turning to game development, I studied literature at the University of Basel and design at Zurich University of the Arts, composed electronic music in Berlin, and worked with various digital media.

Awards

· 2021 – Svizra27, The Swiss National Exhibition, Aarau (CH) – Winner, Competition (with F. Hoelzel, C. Meier, M. Becker & C. Weber)
· 2016 – SGDA, Swiss Game Award, Zurich (CH) – Winner
· 2015 – GDC Play, San Francisco (USA) – Winner, Best in Play
· 2013 – Alexander Clavel Foundation, Riehen (CH) – Winner, Culture Award
· 2011 – Swiss Game Design Award, Zurich (CH) – Winner, Call for Projects
· 2011 – Rehab Week, Zurich (CH) – Winner, Best Poster Award
· 2010 – European Innovative Games Award, Frankfurt am Main (DE) – Winner, Innovative Methods & Environment
· 2010 – Unity Awards, Copenhagen (DK) – Nominee
· 2010 – Fantastic Fest Arcade, Austin (USA) – Audience Award
· 2010 – Fantastic Fest Arcade, Austin (USA) – Winner, World of Metrics Award
· 2009 – IGF Independent Games Festival, San Francisco (USA) – Nominated, Best Visual Design
· 2009 – IGF Independent Games Festival, San Francisco (USA) – Winner, Showcase
· 2008 – Unity Awards, Copenhagen (DK) – Winner, Best Overall Game
· 2008 – Unity Awards, Copenhagen (DK) – Winner, Best Visual Design

Lectures
 & Exhibited Works

· 2023 – Voluptas, Department of Architecture, ETH, Zurich (CH)
· 2023 – Zentrum für Demokratie, Aarau (CH)
· 2023 – Territories of Play, Department of Architecture, ETH, Zurich (CH)
· 2023 – Partizipation im Raum, Swiss Life, Basel (CH)
· 2022 – Voluptas, Department of Architecture, ETH, Zurich (CH)
· 2020 – Refresh, Experimental Futures & Immersive Experiences, Zurich (CH)
· 2020 – Ludicious Festival, Zurich (CH)
· 2019 – A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)
· 2019 – The Missing Link, Theater am Neumarkt, Zurich (CH)
· 2019 – Design Biennale Zürich, Zurich (CH)
· 2019 – Ludicious Festival, Zurich (CH)
· 2018 – A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)
· 2018 – Ludicious Festival, Zurich (CH)
· 2017 – A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)
· 2016 – London Design Fair, London (GB)
· 2016 – Pax South, San Antonio (USA)
· 2016 – Ludicious Festival, Zurich (CH)
· 2016 – Animierte Wunderwelten, Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich (CH)
· 2016 – A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)
· 2015 – GDC, Game Developer Conference, San Francisco (USA)
· 2015 – RTX, Austin (USA)
· 2015 – Kill Screen, New York (USA)
· 2015 – Grafik15, Zurich (CH)
· 2015 – Help CAT, Kuala Lumpur (MY)
· 2015 – A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)
· 2014 – AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, New Delhi (IN)
· 2014 – Game Lounge, swissnex, Bangalore (IN)
· 2014 – A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)
· 2013 – New York University, Deutsches Haus, New York (USA)
· 2013 – Fei Gallery, Guangzhou (CN)
· 2013 – Animafest, World Festival of Animated Film, Zagreb (HR)
· 2013 – Villa Wenkenhof, Alexander Clavel Foundation, Basel (CH)
· 2013 – Ars Electronica, Linz (AT)
· 2013 – CMoDA, China Millennium Museum of Digital Arts, Beijing (CN)
· 2012 – Swiss Game Lounge, House of Switzerland, London (UK)
· 2012 – German Game Days, Computerspielemuseum, Berlin (DE)
· 2011 – FILE, Electronic Language International Festival, Rio de Janeiro (BR)
· 2011 – MARGS, Museu de Arte do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (BR)
· 2011 – Fantoche, International Animation Film Festival, Baden (CH)
· 2011 – Realidades Virtuais, Goethe Institut, Lisboa (PT)
· 2011 – Next Level Health, San Francisco (USA)
· 2011 – Jung von Matt, Zurich (CH)
· 2011 – Playtime: Swiss Game Arcade, San Francisco (USA)
· 2011 – NIFFF, International Fantastic Film Festival, Neuchâtel (CH)
· 2011 – House of Electronic Arts, Basel (CH)
· 2010 – Fantastic Fest, Austin (USA)
· 2010 – FILE, Electronic Language International Festival, São Paulo (BR)
· 2010 – Plug.In, Art and New Media, Basel (CH)
· 2009 – GDC, Game Developer Conference, San Francisco (USA)
· 2009 – IGF, Independent Games Festival, San Francisco (USA)
· 2009 – Tokyo Designers Week, 100% Design, Tokyo (JP)
· 2009 – Fantoche, International Animation Film Festival, Baden (CH)

Publications

· 2023, Leuthard, Doris; Schmid, Kurt; Huwyler, Jost; Heuberger, Beat; Meier, Claudia; Froböse, Frerk; Faller, Florian; Gentinetta, Katja et al.: Svizra 27 – Landesausstellung der Nordwestschweiz. Machbarkeitsstudie. Aarau: Verein Landesausstellung Svizra27.

· 2021, Faller, Florian: "Procedural Dreams. Videospiele als Traummaschinen." In: The Missing Link: Traumstationen – Geheimagent Traum. Zürich: Scheidegger & Spiess, S. 102–107.

· 2021, Faller, Florian: "Mechanics of Inspiration. A Recursive Play of Reflections in Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP." In: Suter, Beat; Bauer, René; Kocher, Mela (Hg.): Narrative Mechanics. Strategies and Meanings in Games and Real Life. Bielefeld: transcript, S. 197–209.

· 2013, Christen, Markus; Faller, Florian; Götz, Ulrich; Müller, Cornelius: Serious Moral Games. Analyzing and Engaging Moral Values Through Video Games. Zürich: Zurich University of the Arts, Institute for Design Research.

· 2013, Christen, Markus; Faller, Florian; Götz, Ulrich; Müller, Cornelius: "Serious Moral Games in Bioethics." Proceedings of the Workshop on 'Ubiquitous Games and Gamification for Promoting Behavior Change and Wellbeing', Trento: Chi Italy, S. 18–24.

· 2012, Christen, Markus; Faller, Florian; Götz, Ulrich; Müller, Cornelius: Serious Moral Games. Erfassung und Vermittlung moralischer Werte durch Videospiele. Zürich: Institut für Designforschung.

· 2011, Götz, Ulrich; Bauer, René; Faller, Florian; Spoerri, Reto et al.: "A Virtual Reality System for Robot-Assisted Gait Training Based on Game Design Principles." Posterpublikation im Rahmen der International Conference on Virtual Rehabilitation (ICVR). Rehab Week, ETH Zürich.

· 2010, Müller, Cornelius; Bauer, René; Spoerri, Reto; Götz, Ulrich; Faller, Florian: "Applied Games in der Medizin. Gabarello: Ein Roboter als Game Controller." In: Making Games, Bd. 01/2011. München: IDG Entertainment Media GmbH, S. 64–67.

Curated Conferences, Workshops & Exhibitions

· 2023 – Partizipation im Raum. Collaborations between Game Design & Scenography. Transdisciplinary Workshop. Swiss Life, Basel (CH)

· 2023 – Spiel und Demokratie. Transdisciplinary Workshop. Zentrum für Demokratie, Aarau (CH)

· 2019 – Playgrounds of Life. Animacy, Embodiment and Empathy in the Context of Game Design. International Symposium. Ludicious Game Festival, Zurich (CH)

· 2019 – Metatag: Reclaiming Urban Space. Workshop and Panel. A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)

· 2018 – A Playful Reflection on Society. International Symposium. Ludicious Game Festival, Zurich (CH)

· 2018 – Ready for Dystopia. Transdisciplinary International Workshop. A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)

· 2017 – Interactive Experiences: Visual Aesthetics and the Way We Play. International Symposium. Ludicious Game Festival, Zurich (CH)

· 2017 – Playful Collisions between Game Design, Interaction Design and Scenography. Transdisciplinary International Workshop. A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)

· 2016 – Splash, Splash, Splash. Transdisciplinary International Workshop. A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)

· 2015 – Beloved Objects. Transdisciplinary International Workshop. A MAZE Festival, Berlin (DE)

· 2015 – Comprehensive Game Design. Game Design Workshop at Help CAT, Kuala Lumpur (MY)

· 2014 – Game Lounge. Game Design Workshop at swissnex, Bangalore (IN)

· 2013 – Game Lab: Create Your World. Game Design Workshop in cooperation with Medienkulturzentrum Dresden. Ars Electronica, Linz (AT)

· 2010 – Visual Playgrounds: The Aesthetics of Independent Games. International Exhibition, Symposium & Screenings. Fantoche, International Animation Film Festival, Baden (CH)