Play Don't Tell

Factsheet

Developer:
Play Don't Tell
Based in Geneva, Switzerland

Founding date:
June 3, 2025

Website:
https://playdonttell.games

Press / Business contact:
dev@playdonttell.games

Social:
Instagram
X / Twitter
Itch
Youtube
LinkedIn
Linktree

Releases:
Aphotic
Mosaic

Phone:
+41 78 957 46 35

Description

Play Don't Tell is a video game studio based in Geneva that focuses on two areas of creation. The first area is mediation games, which aims to create cultural, social, or artistic mediation games in close partnership with foundations, associations, and other non-profit organizations. Play Don't Tell's second area of creation is entertainment games, aimed at an international audience.The studio was founded by two techno-educational designers: Kenneth Rioja, deeply involved in Learning Analytics, programming, UX Research and educational technologies; and Ivan Voirol, passionate about designing video games and board games.

History

Games for fun

With Aphotic, the studio's initial focus was on designing entertainment games that exploit the full potential of the game medium, excluding all forms of text (tutorials, descriptions, dialogue, etc.) and focusing on interactivity and subtle staging. Colour, sound, music, meaningful interaction - everything is designed to provide a fluid experience in complex worlds, without the need for text.

Games for people

Play Don't Tell quickly realised the accessibility and openness that textless design made possible. So we extended our thinking to ‘serious’ game projects geared towards cultural, social or artistic mediation. Supporting interaction between people and cultural or artistic objects became an important mission for the studio.

Projects

• Aphotic
• Mosaic

Team & Repeating Collaborator

Ivan Voirol
Game Design, Art, Programming

Kenneth Rioja
Programming, UXR, QA

Lyvia Streich
UX, Marketing, Social Media

Tina Voirol
Localization, Admin, HR

Marie Angelillo
Sound Design, Music

Contact

Inquiries
dev@playdonttell.games

X / Twitter
https://x.com/Play_Dont_Tell

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/play_dont_tell

Web
https://playdonttell.com