WitchLake Studio was my employer from July 2014 to January 2017.
© 2014-2017 WitchLake Studio
WitchLake was founded in 2012 by Stéphane and Romane Donnet while they were working on an all-in-one management software for fitness centers and leisure facilities. But the two brothers also had another ambition: creating video games. To bring that vision to life, they decided to build a team of talented individuals, and that's where my journey with WitchLake began.
I was brought on board in July 2014 as a Senior Game Designer. My role was all about shaping the structure of a game; its rules, objectives, gameplay systems, and core mechanics. As part of that, I led a team of passionate creatives, from artists and animators to developers working on the game's code. I also had a great working relationship with an external musician, Mitch Gasser.
I was responsible for a tight-knit team of five incredibly talented, multi-skilled individuals. We all joined WitchLake at the same time - except for Swan Keller, who had come on board a little earlier. The team consisted of:
Fun fact: The name WitchLake was inspired by La Balade de la Sorcière (The Witch's Walk), a scenic trail in La Neuveville, Switzerland. This mysterious and folklore-rich path, named after a legendary witch, sparked the idea for the studio's name, combining storytelling, enchantment, and a touch of magic, much like the games we aimed to create.
Fun fact: The Witch was designed and animated by Clément Espinosa.
Our biggest release at WitchLake Studio was FoxTrotte, but that was just one stop on a much wilder ride. Over the years, we worked on all kinds of projects; some that made it to the finish line, others that never got past the "wouldn't it be cool if..." stage. We tackled game jam experiments like Flap Flap Flap! and Hokuto no Neko, pitched ideas to brands like Victorinox, Nickelodeon, P&G, and Breguet, and designed everything from serious games to apps that probably deserved to exist. Some projects went live, others stayed as fancy mockups, but each one was a fun challenge.
Let's follow the Witch and take a trip through my time at WitchLake Studio, one project at a time.
*Unknown Voice* was a game I created for the Epic Game Jam, which took place from July 4-6, 2024 - the very first weekend after I started working at WitchLake Studio. I actually developed it from home, so it wasn't directly tied to the company, but it's still worth mentioning from a timeline perspective.
I've written a dedicated page with plenty of details about this project; check it out if you want to learn more!
FoxTrotte was a platformer/runner game available on iPhone, iPad, Android, and Facebook. Developed with Unity 3D, it launched in March 2015 after countless hours of brainstorming, development, and testing. It was also one of the Swiss games selected to represent the country at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, making it a major milestone for our team. As WitchLake Studio's flagship title, it stood out as our most ambitious finished game.
I've put together a detailed page about this game - check it out here!
WitchLake operated as two distinct divisions: WitchLake Studio, dedicated to entertainment, video games, and serious games (where I worked with my team), and WitchLake Business, which focused on developing management software for invoices, campaigns, memberships, and more. The ultimate goal was to merge these two sides into a unified entity. To support this vision and communicate our mission, we created a promotional video highlighting the strengths of both divisions and the potential of their integration.
I've written a dedicated page about it - check it out here!
Flap Flap Flap! was a Microsoft Kinect-compatible game created during the LvlUpGameJam in Fribourg, Switzerland. Unlike *Unknown Voice*, which was a solo game jam project, this one was a true team effort. It was developed by Maurizio Rigamonti, with Oana Lacroix, Swan Keller, and myself from WitchLake Studio contributing to the project.
I've put together a page with more details - check it out here!
Throughout 2015, we put our creative minds to work, pitching game concepts, serious games, animations, and apps to a variety of companies, including Victorinox, Breguet, P&G, Water-to-Go, and even Swiss museums.
From Swiss Army Knife-powered adventures to watchmaking quizzes and corporate high-rises turned into management sims, we explored all kinds of ideas. Below are some mockups we crafted at WitchLake Studio. Sadly, none of these projects made it to a full release... but hey, at least our brainstorming sessions were legendary!
The Legend of Korra is an animated series from Nickelodeon, serving as a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender. Set 70 years later, it follows Korra, the new Avatar, as she masters the four elements and faces political unrest, dangerous foes, and her own inner struggles in a rapidly modernizing world.
Between March and April 2015, Stéphane Donnet and I were in contact with Garrett Moehring, Senior Director of Games Content Development & Developer Relations at Nickelodeon, to explore ideas for a game based on The Legend of Korra running on iOS and Android. I had never watched the animated series myself, but Stéphane and his brother Romane were big fans, so I took the time to research it. We came up with several concepts and ultimately pitched five very different game ideas, complete with descriptions and mockups.
Unfortunately, despite being impressed by our game ideas and dedication, Garrett informed us several weeks later that Nickelodeon preferred to pursue an MMORPG-oriented project. I still wonder what became of that plan; two major The Legend of Korra games were released in October 2014, months before our pitch, but nothing afterward. None of the Flash games on their site seem to match that description either. Perhaps the idea of developing another The Legend of Korra game was simply abandoned.
Water-to-Go is a company focused on providing sustainable, portable water filtration solutions. Their innovative bottles are designed to filter water from any non-saline source, providing safe drinking water on-the-go, whether you're hiking, traveling, or commuting. With a commitment to reducing plastic waste and offering eco-friendly alternatives, Water-to-Go is dedicated to making hydration both convenient and environmentally responsible.
WitchLake Studio reached out to Water-to-Go with a refreshingly innovative idea: why not create an app that tracks water filtration in real time? The app, designed for iOS and Android, would let users see exactly how much their water had been filtered, how long until it was ready to drink, and even provide handy tutorial videos on how the filtration process worked (because who doesn't love knowing the science behind their sip?).
But we didn't stop there! The app would also let users save their location and track stats on how many liters they had filtered and where; kind of like a hydration travel log. Perfect for adventurers, data lovers, and anyone who just likes knowing their water is as pure as their intentions.
While the WitchLake Studio team was busy with other projects, I took the lead on designing mockups to showcase how the app could have looked. I aimed for a... crystal-clear design (wink) and even vectorized the iconic Water-to-Go bottle to make sure it blended seamlessly with the sleek user interface. Hydration has never looked this good!
At WitchLake Studio, we worked on a museum management game concept; an educational yet entertaining experience where players could build and curate their own museum. Think Tiny Tower meets Night at the Museum (minus the exhibits coming to life… probably).
The game allowed players to manage exhibits, attract visitors, and grow their museum's popularity, all while learning about real-world artifacts. Clicking on exhibits revealed historical facts and even real museum locations, blending gameplay with education.
Visitors had their own satisfaction levels (represented by adorable floating hearts), and the player's challenge was to keep them engaged by expanding collections, improving attractions, and making smart business decisions. A well-run museum meant higher ratings, more revenue, and a growing reputation!
Sadly, this concept never made it to release, but we had a blast designing it. And yes, that Mona Lisa? Definitely rocking a fresh new look.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a global leader in consumer goods, known for its wide range of trusted brands across categories such as health, hygiene, beauty, and home care. Founded in 1837, the company has built a reputation for delivering innovative products that improve the everyday lives of millions worldwide, with brands like Tide, Pampers, Gillette, and Olay, all synonymous with quality and care.
Tiny Tower was a popular iOS game where players built and managed a skyscraper, adding floors, attracting residents, and running businesses while earning in-game currency to expand their tower. Inspired by this formula, WitchLake Studio explored the idea of adapting it for Procter & Gamble, envisioning a game where players would construct and manage a virtual P&G headquarters. Each floor would represent different brands and departments, allowing players to oversee production, marketing, and research while learning about the company's vast product lineup in a fun and engaging way.
Victorinox is a Swiss company renowned for its high-quality craftsmanship and innovative design, best known for creating the iconic Swiss Army Knife. Founded in 1884, the brand has expanded its expertise beyond multifunctional knives to include premium watches, travel gear, and fragrances, all reflecting Swiss precision, reliability, and versatility.
WitchLake Studio approached Victorinox with a game concept designed to showcase the Swiss Army Knife as more than just a knife: it was an essential everyday tool with countless practical uses. The game followed the adventures of Vinci, a young monster who crash-landed on Earth, leaving his spaceship in desperate need of repair. To fix it, he discovered a Swiss Champ Pocket Knife lying in the grass near the wreckage and had to learn how to use its many tools. Players guided Vinci through a series of puzzles and quizzes, each designed to highlight the different functions of the Swiss Army Knife.
Each level introduced a new tool, demonstrating how it could be used in real-life scenarios. From cutting, screwing, and sawing to opening cans and tightening loose screws, the game recreated everyday situations where the Swiss Champ pocket knife proved invaluable.
Developed for mobile devices (iOS, Android, and Windows Phone), the game was planned to include 33 levels; one for each function of the Swiss Champ Pocket Knife model. Despite the strong concept, the project never moved forward to full development.
Fun fact: You can easily recognize my style in these mockups: Vinci bears a strong resemblance to Astero from one of my most popular project: Bubble Islands.
Breguet is a prestigious Swiss watchmaking company founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, a pioneer in horology. Known for its timeless elegance, innovative craftsmanship, and groundbreaking inventions like the tourbillon, Breguet has long been associated with luxury, precision, and a rich heritage that has influenced the watch industry for centuries.
At WitchLake Studio, we put together some sleek mockups for a potential Breguet app, aiming to blend education, engagement, and luxury into one refined experience. The idea? A stylish and interactive quiz to test and expand users' knowledge about Breguet's legendary timepieces. Correct answers would unlock insights into the brand's iconic models, complete with smooth animations showcasing their groundbreaking mechanisms and historical innovations.
Beyond the quiz, the app would also include a full catalog of Breguet collections, a store locator, and a system to track user engagement, gathering stats like quiz scores, common mistakes, and achievements. The plan was for this app to evolve over time, keeping Breguet's community engaged with fresh content and new brand highlights.
Unfortunately, this project never moved forward with us, but I still had a great time designing mockups that, much like Breguet's watches, were crafted to stand the test of time!
One year after Flap Flap Flap!, I was involved in the development of Hokuto no Neko, once again for the LvlUpGameJam in Fribourg, Switzerland. Our team was more or less the same, including Oana Lacroix, Dan Bourquin, Florian Brönnimann, Maurizio Rigamonti, and, of course, myself. This time, we didn't just participate, we won two awards!
You can read more about this project in detail here.
Perl'Art was a jewelry design software I created using Adobe Flash (now Adobe Animate) back in 2006. The goal was simple: make it accessible on any computer, PC or Mac. It was sold through an online shop specializing in beads and jewelry-making accessories, and over time, I updated it with new features and an expanding collection of beads to keep it fresh.
Fast forward to 2016, literally a decade later, I suggested to Stéphane Donnet that WitchLake Studio could build an entirely new version of the software. This time, we took it a step further and brought it to the iPad.
The complete story is available here.
As WitchLake Studio was slowly fading away, its business-focused sibling, WitchLake Business, was thriving, eventually leading to a full rebrand as Echino. While the creative side of the company wound down, the business software division (handling invoices, campaigns, memberships, and more) continued to grow.
By that time, my team was gone, and I was the last one standing. My final task? Creating four promotional videos for Echino, each featuring a different key figure: a global manager, a marketing manager, a business manager, and a financier. I handled everything from character design to animation, making sure each role had a distinct look and personality.
It was a fitting sendoff; one last project before closing that chapter. I wrote a dedicated page about Echino here.
My time at WitchLake Studio was a ride, full of creativity, challenges, and the occasional plot twist. As a Senior Game Designer, I had the opportunity to shape projects, lead design efforts, and bring ideas to life. My final project, creating the promotional videos for Echino, felt like a fitting epilogue, blending storytelling, design, and animation.
WitchLake Studio may be in the past, but the experience, skills, and lessons I picked up along the way still fuel the creative works I do today.
Check out some of my other similar projects: