Benjamin Rivers
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Rivers is an independent game developer
, illustrator, and comic artist. He was raised in Barry's Bay, Canada
and is now based out of Toronto
, Canada
. He is a member of the Hand Eye Society
and a graduate of the Artsy Games Incubator program. Benjamin has been an active and early member of the Toronto
independent gaming scene and has been creating games for download and display since 2008.
His games span multiple genres but often focus on similar visual styles. The various titles have appeared in EDGE magazine
, Game Developers Magazine and on Gamasutra
, GameSetWatch, Destructoid
, Maisonneuve
and other notable websites and publications.
Destructoid
called one of Rivers' games, SNOW, "an American Splendor comic delivered by way of Monkey Island."
Benjamin is also the namesake of a style of long-sleeved, collared shirt known colloquially as the "Ben-Riv". A classic Ben-Riv is made of a heavy-duty poly-cotton blend i.e. a work shirt, and is characterized by its use of "snap-ets" or dome-fastener-style buttons. The shirt can be found in a variety of industrial colours such as grey, green, and navy, but is most-commonly worn in standard black.
Independent video game development
Independent video game development is the process of creating video games without the financial support of a video game publisher. While large firms can create independent games, they are usually designed by an individual or a small team of as many as ten people, depending on the complexity of the...
, illustrator, and comic artist. He was raised in Barry's Bay, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and is now based out of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is a member of the Hand Eye Society
Hand Eye Society
The Hand Eye Society is a not-for-profit coalition of projects and people in support of Toronto's video game communities.The Hand Eye Society Organizes socials, unconferences, presentations, showcases and established connections with the interactive design community at large - Events :* The Hand...
and a graduate of the Artsy Games Incubator program. Benjamin has been an active and early member of the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
independent gaming scene and has been creating games for download and display since 2008.
His games span multiple genres but often focus on similar visual styles. The various titles have appeared in EDGE magazine
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
, Game Developers Magazine and on Gamasutra
Gamasutra
Gamasutra is a website founded in 1997 for video game developers. It is owned and operated by UBM TechWeb , a division of United Business Media, and acts as the online sister publication to the print magazine Game Developer...
, GameSetWatch, Destructoid
Destructoid
Destructoid is an independent video game-focused blog based in San Francisco, California that was founded in March 2006. It has since grown into one of the most widely read video game sites on the Internet, reaching more than 3 million unique visitors per month...
, Maisonneuve
Maisonneuve (magazine)
Maisonneuve is a general interest magazine based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It publishes eclectic stories of national and international scope on the arts, culture and politics. Established in 2002 by Derek Webster, the magazine is named after Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, the founder of Montreal...
and other notable websites and publications.
Destructoid
Destructoid
Destructoid is an independent video game-focused blog based in San Francisco, California that was founded in March 2006. It has since grown into one of the most widely read video game sites on the Internet, reaching more than 3 million unique visitors per month...
called one of Rivers' games, SNOW, "an American Splendor comic delivered by way of Monkey Island."
Benjamin is also the namesake of a style of long-sleeved, collared shirt known colloquially as the "Ben-Riv". A classic Ben-Riv is made of a heavy-duty poly-cotton blend i.e. a work shirt, and is characterized by its use of "snap-ets" or dome-fastener-style buttons. The shirt can be found in a variety of industrial colours such as grey, green, and navy, but is most-commonly worn in standard black.
External links
- "Drunken Rampage Interactive Drinking Game" GameSetWatch, 2010.06.07
- "Region Specific: Ontario," EDGE, 2009.08
- "Artsy Games," Maisonneuve, 2010.01.13
- "Artsy Games Creation," Game Developer Magazine Career Guide 2009
- "The Ascent, TO Jam," GameSetWatch, 2009.05.05
- Empty Words (graphic novel)
- SNOW (graphic novel)