Teddy Dief is an independent game designer/writer/director based in Los Angeles & Tokyo.
Teddy co-designed bestselling RPG Hyper Light Drifter, Fitz Packerton and the narrative game + virtual band project We Are OFK. Former Creative Director at Square Enix Montréal, designer at Disney and game narrative researcher at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Co-founder of Los Angeles arts collective Glitch City - a hub for the gamemaking community. Teddy hosts and produces events such as the Chocobowl charity livestream, IndieCade Innovation Awards, and Idle Thumbs Playscape podcast.
Teddy’s independent games work has garnered honors from the Game Awards, BAFTAs, Independent Games Festival, Game Developers Choice Awards, IndieCade, & more. They speak about games and storytelling around the world at events including the Game Developers Conference, PAX, GDC China, GDC Next, IndieCade, Pixelatl, GCAP and universities. Their work has been featured in publications such as The Verge, Engadget, Polygon, SPIN, Vice, The Guardian, The Escapist, Forbes, Engadget, Wired, The A.V. Club, Game Informer, Waypoint, Polygon, Kotaku, Famitsu, Paste, and Edge Magazine.
They talk about game design, storytelling, love and creative life on the internet, and promote the development of games as an art for expression and shared experience, through healthy work practices and equitable worker rights.