About

Hello!

My name is Riley Elwell, and I am a game designer passionate about level design, interacting systems, and original mechanics. While I love RPGs, action-adventure, and story-driven games, I enjoy prototyping new ideas for all genres. I aspire to be a game designer working in the industry and have goals of bringing fresh ideas surrounding community, diversity, and reflection to my creations. I am currently attending Futuregames in Stockholm to study game design, with an expectation to graduate in 2026.

My Background

I grew up in California all the way up to the end of high school, where I first discovered coding. I immediately realized that this was a path I wanted to pursue, so I joined my school's robotics program and cybersecurity team. My final year of high school afforded me the opportunity to create my first game with a friend. It was a humble text-based adventure game created in Python, but the experience we crafted for others to enjoy filled me with excitement and motivation for the future.

After high school, I attended Oregon State University, where I graduated with a B.S. in Applied Computer Science (Simulation & Game Programming). Here, I was able to use my technical skills to craft content reminiscent of games I deeply cherished, such as Minecraft, Firewatch, and Outer Wilds. By majoring in Computer Science with a specialization in Simulation and Game Programming, I established a strong foundation for my programming skills while exploring my true passion of game development. I completed courses that covered diverse topics like 3D graphics, shaders, animation, game programming, and more, all of which contributed to the growth of my skillset. Simultaneously, in my spare time, I explored the Unity game engine, creating smaller games and experimenting with various ideas.

After graduating college in the United States, I was accepted into a game design program in Stockholm, Sweden, called Futuregames. I decided that more dedicated experience with game design would be necessary before trying to enter the job market. I am thrilled to have the chance to move to Sweden to begin my next journey, where I hope to build a robust portfolio, make connections with other students, and continue my growth under knowledgeable mentors.

Fun Facts