Phil Fish

Philippe Poisson, known to the gaming world as Phil Fish, was born on November 1, 1984, in Quebec. Growing up in a region rich with gaming culture, his early experiences with Nintendo games profoundly shaped his approach to game design. He pursued formal education in game design at the Montreal National Animation and Design Centre, which laid the groundwork for his future endeavors in the industry.

Before establishing his own company, Polytron, in two thousand eight, Fish honed his skills at notable companies such as Ubisoft and Artificial Mind and Movement. His passion for innovative gameplay led him to co-found Kokoromi, a collective dedicated to exploring experimental gaming concepts, and he played a pivotal role in organizing Montreal's annual GAMMA games events.

Fish's most significant achievement came with the release of Fez in April two thousand twelve, a platformer that garnered widespread acclaim after a challenging five-year development period. The game's final stages were documented in the film Indie Game: The Movie, which catapulted Fish into the spotlight, a rarity for game developers.

Despite his success, Fish faced significant challenges, including online harassment and doxxing, which led him to announce his departure from game development on two separate occasions over the following two years. He cited long-term mistreatment within the industry as a primary reason for his exit. Nevertheless, Polytron continued to thrive, releasing Panoramical in two thousand fifteen, and Fish returned to the scene with Kokoromi to launch SuperHyperCube in two thousand sixteen.