About Alistair Aitcheson
Alistair has developed games since 2001, starting up as a one-man studio in 2010.
In 2010 he graduated with a first class Masters degree in Mathematics with Study Abroad from the University of Warwick. During his degree he spent one year studying at the elite Ecole Normale Supérieur in Lyon, France.
As well as his own projects he works as a freelance designer-developer. He has worked on web game projects for the BBC, and has been working long-term producing maths-learning games for the edTech company Sparx Limited.
Alistair frequently exhibits his work at games exhibitions in the UK and abroad, as well as doing live performances and interactive game shows.
His work often involves physical activity and social interaction. He enjoys exploring the motivations behind play, and using games to encourage players to express themselves and get creative.
Alistair's driving belief is that the game should not just be a product for a player to consume. It is what the player brings to the game themselves that makes it unique, meaningful and memorable. A good game is a springboard for the player's own creativity, and a space for emotional connection that relies on the designer creating a sense of trust.
His latest projects explore live performance, glitches and emotional enquiry. He is keen take technology down from its pedestal and emphasise the human side of games and play.
He is an avid amateur clown and fool, and seeks to bring their curiosity and emotional honesty into games.
Awards
2022
IndieCade: Performance Award Winner (Artholomew Video's Stream Challenge)
PLAY22 Hamburg: Most Creative Game Award Winner (Artholomew Video's Stream Challenge)
A MAZE Berlin: Nominee (Artholomew Video's Stream Challenge)
2019
A MAZE Berlin: Honourable Mention (The Book Ritual)
Alt.Ctrl.GDC: Finalist (The Book Ritual)
2018
EGX Leftfield Collection: Official Selection (The Book Ritual)
PLAY19 Hamburg: Most Creative Game Nominee (The Book Ritual)
2017
IndieCade: Jury Choice Award Winner (The Incredible Playable Show)
Out of Index: Official Selection (Codex Bash)
2016
A MAZE Awards: Nominee (Codex Bash)
GameCity: Spirit of the Festival Winner (The Incredible Playable Show)
2015
IndieCade: Media Choice Award Winner (Codex Bash)
2014
Pocket Gamer Very Big Indie Pitch: Winner (Tap Happy Sabotage)
EGX Leftfield Collection: Official Selection (Tap Happy Sabotage)
Pocket Gamer Awards: Best Sports/Driving Game Nominee (Slamjet Stadium)
Pocket Gamer Awards: Best Developer Nominee
2013
BAFTA Breakthrough Brits: Shortlisted
Pocket Gamer: Gold Award (Slamjet Stadium)
2011
Develop Magazine 30 Under 30
Eurogamer Indie Games Arcade: Finalist (Greedy Bankers vs The World)
Tap! Magazine: Game of the Week (Greedy Bankers vs The World)
Talks
A MAZE 2016, Berlin
Inspiring Inventive Play with Social Installations
20 - 23 Apr 2016
GDC Europe 2015, Cologne
Design Lessons from Multiplayer Installations
3 Aug 2015
JOIN Local Multiplayer Festival, Berlin
Party Games for Physical Spaces
1 Aug 2015
Indie Game Collective, London
Host: Microtalks
Learning from Positive Feedback
6 March 2015
Develop Conference 2014, Brighton
Thinking Bigger: Developing for Large-Scale Touchscreens
8 July 2014
Indie Games Collective Conference, London
Working with Large Touchscreens
21 March 2014
ExPlay 2013, Bath
Human vs CPU:
Unconventional Ways to Challenge Players
31 Oct 2013
GDC Europe 2013, Cologne
Getting Physical with Tablet Multiplayer
20 Aug 2013
Develop Conference 2013, Brighton
Getting Physical with Tablet Multiplayer
9 July 2013
GameHorizon 2013, Newcastle
Re-imagining Multiplayer on Tablet
9 May 2013
Develop Conference Brighton
Indie Dev Day Talk
Indie Exposure: Tackling the Challenges
12 July 2012
Articles
-
Pebbles in a Jar - the story of The Book Ritual (2019)
From the developer's blog -
On What Games Are (2017)
From the developer's blog -
Reinventing Digital Play for the Theatre (2016)
Featured Article on Gamasutra -
Personal Space Invaders (2013)
Guest Article for GamesIndustry.biz
-
Everybody hits the first pipe - on score systems and motivation (2014)
Guest Article for PocketGamer.biz
-
Using Big Screens to Reinvent Local Multiplayer (2014)
Featured Article on Gamasutra
-
Indies - Don't Risk Getting Lost in the Blend (2013)
Guest Article for PocketGamer.biz -
Time for Local Multiplayer to Get Physical (2013)
Featured article on Gamasutra
-
Indie Marketing Begins with Game Design (2013)
Guest Article for PocketGamer.biz
Press
-
This game destroys real books to help players cope with grief (2019)
PC Gamer
-
The Heartache Of A Video Game That Makes You Shred Real Books
(2019)
Kotaku
-
Tap Happy Sabotage: Four Screens, One Game (2014)
Guardian Gamesblog
-
Greedy Bankers and One-Man Game Development (2011)
Interview for Forbes.com
-
16 Trends that Will Define the Future of Gaming, #3 (2015)
The Guardian
Reviews for Slamjet Stadium
-
"This is anarchic, free-wheeling indie gaming at its finest, and shows just how far a bit of innovation can go"
9 out of 10, Gold Award
PocketGamer - "It’s impossible to describe how much chaos can be involved and how competitive games can get"
8 out of 10
CalmDownTom.com
- "Tons of action-packed twists every way you turn, and that frantic addictiveness of a great arcade game"
4 stars
GameZebo
- "Alistair Aitcheson’s air-hockey remix is scrappy, silly sporting madness"
7 out of 10
Edge Online
Reviews for Greedy Bankers vs The World
- "An excellent update to what was already a fine match game... [the multiplayer] propels Greedy Bankers to the top of the iPad match-game heap"
Tap! Magazine (App of the Week)
- "An absolutely fantastic puzzle game... The multiplayer is one of the best on iOS devices."
148Apps.com
- "An excellent follow-up to an already-great game. It's incredibly fun and goofy, the new gameplay modes add a lot of extra enjoyment, and things are even more stylish than before."
GameZebo.com