Pocket Boss Presskit
Info
Estimated play time: 30-60 minutes
Overview
Who says that work and play don’t mix? Not us! Play Pocket Boss, the game where you handle lots of fun data and one not-so-fun boss.
Created by Mario von Rickenbach, based on an idea by Maja Gehrig, with sound by Luc Gut.
Platforms
Contact
press@pocketboss.ch
support@pocketboss.ch
mail@pocketboss.ch
Newsletter
About
A delightfully odd fusion of work and play
In Pocket Boss, you’re a remote employee working with business data to make your boss happy. And the boss needs so much done! Increase productivity, boost customer satisfaction, make losses disappear, erase competitors — all with just a swipe of your finger. As you solve ever-funkier data puzzles, your boss watches your progress closely, wondering if you’ve got what it takes to earn that promotion. Well, have you?
Features
- Fix puzzling charts and bend the trends. Make your company’s productivity, shareholder value, and customer trust shine — at least on paper.
- Pie charts, bar charts, scatter plots: drag, pinch, pull and push all kinds of charts to make them behave while your boss pushes for results.
- Chat with your boss. Yes, it can be awkward, and that’s funny – but what if it affects your promotion?
- Solve the mysteries of equal pay.
History
Pocket Boss is an interactive adaptation of Maja Gehrig’s animated short Average Happiness. Following a prototyping phase focused on exploring satisfying interactions with data visualizations, Mario von Rickenbach stepped in to lead the creation of what would become Pocket Boss. As development progressed, the project took on a life of its own — much like the charts in the film.
Trailer
Video File Download
Screenshots
Portrait (mobile)
Landscape (computer/tablet)
GIFs
Icon
Team
Mario von Rickenbach
Mario von Rickenbach is a swiss game designer and developer. Being more interested in dynamics than statics, he canceled his architecture studies to study game design instead. He collaborates with other designers, artists and filmmakers to create interactive works, like the award winning projects KIDS and Plug & Play.
Maja Gehrig
Maja Gehrig is an animation filmmaker based in Zurich. She uses a wide range of techniques in her work and her short films have received international recognition. Her animated short Average Happiness won several prizes at various festivals and was awarded Best Swiss Animated Film in 2020.
Luc Gut
Zurich-based Luc Gut moves in the digital cosmos of audiovisual media without fear and with a great deal of humour. His videos, whose electronic soundtracks Gut composes himself, always experiment with the relationship between image, sound and rhythm. His independent work and commercial commissions merge seamlessly.
Olivier Zobrist
Olivier Zobrist is co-owner and producer at Langfilm since 2011. He produced AVERAGE HAPPINESS (2019) by Maja Gehrig, as well as the director's next film SOLITAIRE (in production).
Langfilm
Langfilm was founded in 1980 and is one of the established production companies in Switzerland. The company has produced over 70 works, many of them in coproduction with European partners. Their latest productions premiered in Cannes, Berlin, Annecy, IDFA and Venice. They love producing a wide range of audiovisual works: fiction and documentaries – features and shorts – live action, animation, and now even a game!
Playables
Playables is a production company based in Zurich, Switzerland that focuses on exploring the weirder corners of games and playful media. Known for projects like KIDS and Time Flies, Playables creates interactive experiences in digital and physical formats. Playables was founded by Mario von Rickenbach and Michael Frei.
Full Credits
Created by
Mario von Rickenbach
Based on a idea by
Maja Gehrig
Sound Design
Luc Gut
Produced by
Olivier Zobrist
Additional Writing
Jasna Čakarun
Development Support
Michael Frei
Production
Langfilm
Published by
Playables
In Coproduction with
SRF Swiss Radio and Television
Head of Fiction SRF
Baptiste Planche
Commissioning Editor SRF
Gabriela Bloch Steinmann
Technical support SRF
Ke-Ren Wang
Supported by
Aargauer Kuratorium
Bundesamt für Kultur (BAK)
Zürcher Filmstiftung
© 2025 Bernard Lang AG & Playables
Production & Publishing
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