Hi! I'm Mario von Rickenbach, a game designer and developer based in Zurich, Switzerland. I use technology to create playful experiences that tickle your senses, and I enjoy collaborating with creatives of all kinds. I co-founded Playables, and I'm teaching at ECAL MID.
In addition to the self-initiated projects shown on this website, I also do client work as a freelance developer and designer. I have extensive experience with web technologies, game engines, and many other tools that help get nice things done.
Email:
Bluesky: @mariov.ch
Mastodon: @mariov
Instagram: mariovonrickenbach
Awards & Recognition
2019
| Best Professional Film, ReAnima Festival | Bergen, NO |
| Best Animation, Interfilm Short Film Festival | Berlin, DE |
| 14th Tacoma Film Festival, Best Animated Film | Tacoma, US |
| Best of Show, SIGGRAPH Asia 2019 | Brisbane, AU |
| Best First Professional Film, KROK | Volga River, RU |
| Best Animated Short, Corti in Cortile | Catania, IT |
| High Swiss Risk, Fantoche | Baden, CH |
| Special Distinction, ANIMANIMA | Čačak, RS |
| Honorable Mention, 27th Curtas Vila do Conde IFF | Vila do Conde, ES |
| Special Jury Prize, SESIFF | Seoul, KR |
| Honorable Mention, Florida Animation Festival | Florida, US |
| Honorary Mention, Computer Animation, Prix Ars Electronica 2019, Ars Electronica | Linz, AT |
| Best Animated Short, 21st Ismailia International Film Festival | Ismailia, EG |
| Egyptian Animation Society’s Award, 21st Ismailia International Film Festival | Ismailia, EG |
| Golden Zagreb Award, Animafest | Zagreb, HR |
| Special Mention, World Festival of Animated Film | Varna, BG |
2018
| Nuovo Award Nominee, Independent Games Festival | San Francisco, US |
2016
| Jury Selection, Japan Media Arts Festival | Toyko, JP |
2015
| Nuovo Award Nominee, Independent Games Festival | San Francisco, US |
| Best Upcoming Game Nominee, Int. Mobile Gaming Awards | San Francisco, US |
| Best Art Award Finalist, BIG Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| Innovation Award Finalist, BIG Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| Official Nominee, IndieCade Festival | Los Angeles, US |
| Best Art Award, Sense of Wonder Night, Tokyo Game Show | Tokyo, JP |
| Audience Award, Sense of Wonder Night, Tokyo Game Show | Tokyo, JP |
| The Black Horse of Video Games, Ars Independent | Katowice, PL |
| International Competition Nominee, Ludicious Games Festival | Zurich, CH |
2014
| European Design Award, Silver, Mobile apps | Athens, GR |
| Excellence in Visual Art Nominee, Independent Games Festival | San Francisco, US |
| Gamer‘s Voice Nominee, SXSW | Austin, US |
| IndieCade Nominee, IndieCade | Los Angeles, US |
| International Competition Nominee, Ludicious Games Festival | Zurich, CH |
2013
| Best Experimental Game, Sense of Wonder Night, Tokyo Game Show | Tokyo, JP |
| Swiss Game Selection, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia | Neuchâtel, CH |
| Best in Play, Game Developers Conference | San Francisco, US |
| Swiss Game Award, Swiss Game Developers Association | Zurich, CH |
| FWA Mobile Award, Favourite Website Awards, theFWA.com | Hertfordshire, UK |
| MiniClip Award, MiniClip | Neuchâtel, CH |
| Swiss Game Selection, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia / NIFFF | Neuchâtel, CH |
| Kulturförderpreis, Alexander Clavel Foundation | Riehen, CH |
2012
| Excellence in Visual Art Nominee, Independent Games Festival | San Francisco, US |
| Grand Prize, European Indie Game Days | Marseille, FR |
| Originality Award, European Indie Game Days | Marseille, FR |
| Best Audio Nominee, BIG Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| Best Audio finalist, Independent Propeller Awards | Cincinnati, US |
| Jury & Audience Award, Experimentalgameplay.com Contest | Berlin, DE |
Residencies & Fellowships
2021
| ETH Library Lab Innovator Fellowship, ETH Zurich | Zurich, CH |
2020
| PolArts: Arts Meet Polar Science tandem participant, Pro Helvetia & Swiss Polar Institute |
2014
| Resident @ Zentralschweizer Atelier in New York | New York, US |
| Accelerate@CERN artist in residence, European Organization for Nuclear Research | Geneva, CH |
Exhibitions & Showcases
2025
| MACHINE LOVE, Mori Art Museum | Tokyo, JP |
| Chaos Butterfly: Xi'an Ing Sci-Tech Art Season, Xi'an City Art Center | Xi'an, CN |
| REFRESH #6 | Zurich, CH |
2024
| A MAZE. Digital Playground | Cologne, DE |
2023
| Game Design Today, Museum für Gestaltung | Zurich, CH |
2022
| Writing the History of the Future, Gwangju Museum of Art | Gwangju, KR |
2021
| Homo ludens. Videojuegos para entender el presente, Caixa Forum | Madrid, ES |
| Macao Art Biennale | Macao, MO |
| Shenzhen New Media Art Festival | Shenzhen, CN |
2020
| Festival Maintenant, Association Electroni[k] | Rennes, FR |
2019
| zkm_gameplay. the next level, Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie | Karlsruhe, DE |
| Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona (CCCB) | Barcelona, ES |
| REFRESH – Swiss Design – Zurich Made, 3 days of design | Copenhagen, DK |
| Kein Museum | Zürich, CH |
| Flatpack festival | Birmingham, UK |
| Shed im Eisenwerk | Frauenfeld, CH |
| Intercommunication Center | Tokyo, JP |
| National Video Game Museum | Sheffield, UK |
| Design Biennale | Zurich, CH |
| REFRESH #2 | Zurich, CH |
| Prix Ars Electronica CyberArts Exhibition 2019 | Linz, AT |
| In a Gamescape REPLAY, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art | Kanazawa, JP |
2018
| KIDS, Museum of Digital Art | Zürich, CH |
| Day of the Devs, Game Developer’s Conference | San Francisco, US |
| KIDS, Fantoche | Baden, CH |
| XOXO | Portland, US |
| PLAY, Stadtmuseum Aarau | Aarau, CH |
| GameBox | Shanghai, CN |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova | Ljubljana, SL |
| Now Play This | UK |
2017
| The Ludwig Forum for International Art | Aachen, DE |
2016
| Japan Media Arts Festival | Tokyo, JP |
| Nam June Paik Art Center | Yongin, KR |
2015
| Independent Games Festival IGF | San Francisco, US |
| Grafik 15 | Zurich, CH |
| Leftfield Collection, EGX Rezzed | London, UK |
| IndieCade @ E3 | Los Angeles, US |
| Wonder Consortium | Melbourne, AU |
| Out of Index Festival | Seoul, KR |
| FILE Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| Brasil Independent Game Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| Sense of Wonder Night, Tokyo Game Show | Tokyo, JP |
| Indie Game Revolution, EMP Museum | Seattle, US |
| Neuland, DOK Leipzig | Leipzig, DE |
| Transmedia International Competition, Tous Ecrans | Genève, CH |
2014
| Ludicious Games Festival | Zurich, CH |
| Swindle of Reality, Akademie der Künste | Berlin, DE |
| Digital Art Weeks, Museum of Art | Seoul, KR |
| Gamer's voice, SXSW | Austin, US |
| ALT.CTRL.GDC, Game Developer’s Conference | San Francisco, US |
| Mirage Festival | Lyon, FR |
| Sónar | Barcelona, ES |
| FILE Festival | São Paulo, BR |
2013
| FILE Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| AMAZE Playcase | Berlin, DE |
| Game on! El arte en juego | Azul, AR |
| game Z festival | Zurich, CH |
| Eurogamer Expo | London, UK |
| What's your Spiel, NYU Dt. Haus | New York, US |
| ZKM Gameplay, Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie | Karlsruhe, DE |
| Press Start to Play, Spielzeugmuseum | Riehen, CH |
| Indie Game Fest, Tokyo Game Show | Tokyo, JP |
| Amaze Interact | Johannesburg, ZA |
| VMGS Virgin Media Game Space | London, UK |
| FILE Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| Republika Festival | Rijeka, HR |
| Swiss Game Selection, Neuchatel Int. Fantastic Film Festival | Neuchâtel, CH |
| Bits & Beasts, Villa Wenkenhof | Basel, CH |
| Di-Egy Digital Arts Festival | Cario, EG |
| Indiecade East | New York, US |
| UAMO Festival | Munich, DE |
2012
| Brasil International Game Festival | São Paulo, BR |
| Playtime/gamespace.ch, dock18, Rote Fabrik | Zürich, CH |
| IndieCade Night Games | Los Angeles, US |
| AMAZE Interact | Johannesburg, ZA |
| Game On, Darklight Festival | Dublin, IE |
| Swiss Game Lounge, House of Switzerland | London, UK |
| Joue le jeu, Gaité Lyrique | Paris, FR |
| FMX conference | Stuttgart, DE |
| AMAZE Indie Connect | Berlin, DE |
| Independent Games Festival IGF | San Francisco, US |
| Swiss Games Arcade, Swissnex | San Francisco, US |
| Experimentalgameplay.com five button contest, Stattbad | Berlin, DE |
Talks
2025
| Interactive Animation, Subotron | Vienna, AT |
2022
| Interactive Animation, Art & Computer Science, Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich | Zurich, CH |
| Working with Game Engines, Coding for the Arts, Zurich University of the Arts | Zurich, CH |
2021
| Interactive Animation, Game Design Master of Arts, IULM University | Milano, IT |
2019
| REFRESH – Swiss Design – Zurich Made, 3 days of design | Copenhagen, DK |
2018
| Ludicious Games Festival | Zurich, CH |
| Making of KIDS, Museum of Digital Art | Zürich, CH |
| Making of KIDS, Zurich University of the Arts | Zürich, CH |
| Master class, Turku Animated Film Festival | Turku, FI |
| Animateka | Ljubljana, SL |
2017
| Quo Vadis | Berlin, DE |
2016
| Fest Anča International Animation Festival | Anca, SK |
2015
| Swiss Digital Showcase, Cannes Film Festival | Cannes, FR |
| Game Development Workshop, Animafest | Zagreb, HR |
| Neuland, DOK Leipzig | Leipzig, DE |
| Transmedia International Competition, Tous Ecrans | Genève, CH |
| Plug & Play, From Film to Game, Game Developers Session | Prague, CZ |
2014
| Expanded Animation Symposium, Ars Electronica | Linz, AT |
| Fantoche Animation Festival | Baden, CH |
| ARTPLAY center | Moscow, RU |
| HSE Design Faculty | Moscow, RU |
| NYU game center | New York, US |
| Animatou | Genève, CH |
2013
| Play Again! conference, Kino Úsmev | Košice, SK |
| European Indie Game Days | Paris, FR |
| Cinedarbaar Anime Convention | New Delhi, IN |
| Sense of Wonder Night, Tokyo Game Show | Tokyo, JP |
2012
| Imaging the Future, NIFFF | Neuchâtel, CH |
| AMAZE Indie Connect | Berlin, DE |
| Computerspielemuseum | Berlin, DE |
| HEAD Haute École d'art et de design | Genève, CH |
Workshops
2021
| Game Design Master of Arts, IULM University | Milano, IT |
2018
| Interactive Animation Workshop, Turku Animated Film Festival | Turku, FI |
2015
| Play Vasarely, École Supérieure d’Art | Aix-en-Provence, FR |
| Game Development Workshop, Animafest | Zagreb, HR |
2013
| Social Sound, Cologne Game Lab | Cologne, DE |
| Republika Festival | Rijeka, HR |
| Di-Egy Digital Arts Festival | Cario, EG |
2012
| AMAZE Interact | Johannesburg, ZA |
| Center for New Media | UC Berkeley, US |
| HEAD Haute École d'art et de design | Genève, CH |
Jury & Committees
2025
| Migros Culture Percentage, Storylab Jury | Zurich, CH |
2021
| Kulturlabor Zürich, Project Team Member & Jury | Zurich, CH |
2020
| HEAD Genève – Media Design Master, Diploma Jury | Geneva, CH |
2013
| European Indie Game Days, Award Jury | Paris, FR |
Film Festival Selections
2019
| 43rd Cinanima, Espinho | PT |
| Banjaluka 2019 | BA |
| KABOOM Animation Festival | NL |
| 38rd Uppsala International Short Film Festival | SE |
| Balkanima, Belgrade | RS |
| Les Rencontres Cinessonne | FR |
| Aesthetica Short Film Festival, York | UK |
| 23rd Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur | CH |
| New Chitose Airport International Animation Festival | JP |
| REX Animation Film Festival, Stockholm | SE |
| Cartoons Underground, Singapore | SG |
| Big Cartoon Festival, Moscow | RU |
| FILEM'ON, Brussels | BE |
| 21st Wiesbaden International Festival of Animation | DE |
| TOFUZI International Animated Film Festival | GE |
| dokumentART, Neubrandenburg | DE |
| The International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, Limassol | CY |
| Taichung International Animation Festival | TW |
| International Short Film Festival Brno 16 | CZ |
| 12th Heart of Gold International Film Festival, Gympie | AU |
| 16th Sedicicorto International Film Festival | IT |
| Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Festival, Baltimore | US |
| Animest, Bucharest | RO |
| Animatou, Geneva | CH |
| Tacoma Film Festival | US |
| 52nd SITGES IFFFC, Anima't Section | ES |
| 63rd BFI London Film Festival | UK |
| Festival Animario, Madrid | ES |
| Edmonton International Film Festival | CA |
| Ottawa International Animation Festival | CA |
| 13th Bali International Film Festival | ID |
| 25th Encounters Film Festival, Bristol | UK |
| Tirana International Film Festival | AL |
| Buster | DK |
| The International Animated Film Festival KROK | RU |
| DC Shorts International Film Festival | US |
| Paris International Animation Film Festival | FR |
| IFF Message to Man, Saint-Petersburg | RU |
| CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival | HU |
| 15th World Festival of Animated Film, Varna | BG |
| Ars Eletronica, Linz | AT |
| ANIMANIMA, Čačak | RS |
| SESIFF, Seoul international Extreme-Short Image & Film Festival | KR |
| Fantoche International Animation Film Festival, Baden | CH |
| Odense International Film Festival | DK |
| Turku Animated Film Festival | FI |
| Lviv International Short Film Festival Wiz-Art | UA |
| DokuFest International Documentary and Short Film Festival, Kosovo | XK |
| Anima Mundi | BR |
| 15th Lago Film Fest | IT |
| INSOMNIA Festival, Moscow | RU |
| 31st Galway Film Fleadh | IE |
| 27th Curtas Vila do Conde IFF | PT |
| Animator Poznan | PL |
| 34th Valencia International Film Festival Cinema Jove - Short Film Competition | ES |
| Florida Animation Festival | US |
| Oltre Lo Specchio Festival | IT |
| Kloosterkino | NL |
| Annecy International Animation Film Festival | FR |
| Animafest Zagreb | HR |
| 59th Krakow Film Festival | PL |
| VIS | AT |
| 21st Ismailia Film Festival 2019 | EG |
| 47th Huesca International Film Festival | ES |
| Flatpack Festival Birmingham | UK |
| Anifilm Třeboň | CZ |
| Go Short Nijmegen | NL |
| 31 Filmfest Dresden | DE |
| GLAS Animation Festival | US |
| 69th Berlinale | DE |