About RainbowPlay

RainbowPlay studio with colorful gaming displays and indie game artwork

Our Story

RainbowPlay began in 2020 as a passion project between three friends—Olivia Chen, a game designer; Marcus Thompson, a digital artist; and Liam Patel, a curator with a background in interactive media. United by their love for visually distinctive indie games, they started a small blog showcasing hidden gems from the Australian indie scene.

What started as weekend meetups in a Sydney apartment quickly grew into a recognized platform for celebrating game aesthetics. By 2022, RainbowPlay had evolved from a simple blog into Australia's first dedicated curator of indie game visual experiences, with a physical gallery space in Surry Hills showcasing rotating collections of visually innovative titles.

Today, RainbowPlay has expanded beyond curation to become a connector between visual artists, game developers, and players who appreciate games as an artistic medium. Our quarterly exhibitions, online platform, and industry events have helped spotlight dozens of independent developers whose work pushes the boundaries of visual design in gaming.

Based in Sydney but with a global perspective, we continue to champion games that prioritize artistic expression, unique visual languages, and innovative approaches to interactive aesthetics. Our mission remains the same as when we started: to celebrate games as visual art and help players discover experiences that delight the eyes as much as they engage the mind.

The founding team of RainbowPlay at their first exhibition in Sydney

Our Mission & Values

Mission

To celebrate the visual artistry of indie games by curating and showcasing experiences that push the boundaries of game aesthetics, connecting visionary developers with appreciative audiences, and fostering a community that values games as an artistic medium.

Visual Innovation

We champion games that take creative risks with their visual presentation and create new aesthetic languages within interactive media. We believe in recognizing technical excellence, artistic vision, and innovative approaches to visual storytelling.

Accessibility

Beautiful games should be discoverable by all. We work to make artistic indie titles more visible to broader audiences, breaking down barriers between niche games and potential players who would love them.

Developer Support

We recognize that creating visually distinctive games often requires substantial risk and investment from indie developers. We advocate for the artists behind the games, helping them connect with audiences and opportunities that value their artistic contributions.

Community Building

We believe that appreciation for game aesthetics grows through shared experiences. We foster communities of players, artists, and developers who inspire each other to explore new visual frontiers in gaming.

Meet Our Team

The passionate people behind RainbowPlay who bring together expertise in game design, art curation, community building, and visual storytelling.

Olivia Chen

Founder & Lead Curator

With a background in game design and art history, Olivia bridges the gap between technical game development and artistic expression. She has a particular interest in color theory and environmental storytelling in games, having previously worked on several award-winning indie titles in Melbourne's game scene.

Olivia leads RainbowPlay's curation process, developing the frameworks we use to evaluate and showcase games with exceptional visual design.

Marcus Thompson

Creative Director

Marcus brings over a decade of experience in digital art and interactive design to RainbowPlay. His previous work includes art direction for several indie studios and a stint at a major publisher where he specialized in UI/UX for narrative-driven games.

At RainbowPlay, Marcus oversees our exhibition designs, digital presence, and creates the visual frameworks that help us present indie games in their best light.

Liam Patel

Community Director

With a background in interactive media and event management, Liam brings both technical knowledge and people skills to RainbowPlay. Previously, he managed developer relations for an indie game publisher and organized several successful game jams across Australia.

Liam leads our community initiatives, developer outreach, and event planning, ensuring that RainbowPlay creates meaningful connections between games, creators, and audiences.

Sophia Nakamura

Visual Research Director

Sophia joined RainbowPlay in 2023, bringing her expertise in digital art history and new media studies. With a PhD in interactive aesthetics and previous research positions at universities in Japan and Australia, she provides academic rigor to our understanding of game visuals.

At RainbowPlay, Sophia leads our research initiatives, developing frameworks for analyzing game aesthetics and connecting our curation to broader conversations about digital art.

Our Achievements

Since our founding, RainbowPlay has grown from a small blog to Australia's premier curator of indie game aesthetics, reaching significant milestones along the way.

Digital exhibit showing multiple indie games in an exhibition space

20+ Exhibitions

We've curated and hosted over twenty physical and digital exhibitions showcasing more than 200 visually innovative indie games to audiences across Australia.

Developer workshop with indie game creators

10,000+ Community Members

Our online platform has grown to include over 10,000 active members who participate in discussions, events, and appreciation of game aesthetics.

Award ceremony for indie game developers

Industry Recognition

RainbowPlay has been recognized with the Australian Games Industry "Cultural Contribution" award in 2023 and was featured in multiple international publications for our work in game curation.

Developer Success

Games featured in our curations have collectively seen a 40% increase in visibility, with several titles securing publishing deals after being showcased in our exhibitions.

What People Say

"RainbowPlay's curation of our game completely transformed our launch. Their focus on our visual design elements helped players understand what made our game special, and the exhibition gave us visibility we couldn't have achieved on our own. They truly understand how to celebrate games as an art form."

Eliza Wright

Lead Artist, Prism Tales

"Working with RainbowPlay has changed how we evaluate indie games for publishing. Their perspective on visual design and aesthetics helped us identify titles with unique artistic visions that we might have otherwise overlooked. Their events have become essential for discovering visually innovative games with commercial potential."

Jamal Harper

Acquisition Manager, Quantum Games Publishing

"As someone who values games for their artistic merit, RainbowPlay has been an incredible resource. Their exhibitions and online platform have introduced me to so many beautiful games I would have never discovered otherwise. They've created a community where people can appreciate and discuss games purely on the basis of their visual innovation and artistic impact."

Mei Lin

Game Art Enthusiast & Community Member

Gallery

Glimpses of our exhibitions, events, and the vibrant community we've built around celebrating game aesthetics.

RainbowPlay exhibition space with visitors exploring indie game displays

Developer workshop hosted by RainbowPlay team

Panel discussion on game aesthetics at RainbowPlay event

Interactive installation featuring indie game art

Community gaming night with focus on visually stunning indies

Join Our Journey

Whether you're a developer with a visually distinctive game, an art enthusiast looking to explore new interactive experiences, or simply someone who appreciates beautiful design—there's a place for you in our community.

Get in Touch Upcoming Events