Jonas Tarestad had a stint of writing a few universally acclaimed and genre-defying games but has lately mainly written for TV and Film.
Jonas likes to write according to the classic dramaturgical structure but regards writing as an intuitive craft rather than an intellectual one. A good story comes from the heart and targets the same.
Jonas is comfortable in any genre but loves drama, horror, and thrillers. He likes to write stories that combine elements that seemingly do not belong together, stories near the uncanny valley.
His own body of work is drawn to the darker side of things but he is a hopeless romantic at his core.
Lately, he has been developing a historical mini-series, adapting two horror books into screenplays. He is currently working on his fourth game - Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo/Annapurna).
Agent: Martina Österling
Selected Work:
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes - Video game (writer) - in production Unannounced – Video game (writer) - in production Merchants of Death – Series (head writer with Piotr Marciniak) – in development Untitled – Series (Episode Writer) – in development 1007 – Film (Screenwriter) – in development AMOK – Film (Screenwriter) – in development The Restless – Film (Screenwriter) – in development Penance – Film (Screenwriter) – in development De Förjagade – Film (Screenwriter) – in development The Sailor’s Dream - Video Game (writer) - 2014 Device 6 – Video Game (writer) – 2013 Year Walk – Video Game (writer) – 2013
Awards and Nominations
Device 6
“The fantastic, multilayered story unfolds expertly, and culminates with one of the best final acts in recent memory. Device 6 is simply one of the smartest and most rewarding games I've played in years.” – IGN
· Game Developers Choice Best Handheld/Mobile Game Award (Nominated)
· Game Developers Choice Innovation Award (Nominated)
· Global Mobile Awards 2014: Best Entertainment App (Won)
· IGF: Excellence in Audio (Won)
· IGF: Excellence in Visual Art (Finalist)
· IGF: Excellence in Narrative (Finalist)
· IGF: Seumas McNally Grand Prize (Finalist)
· International Mobile Game Awards: Excellence in Innovation (Nominated)
· International Mobile Game Awards: Excellence in Sound Design (Nominated)
· International Mobile Game Awards: Excellence in Storytelling (Nominated)
· Mobile Mavericks Game of the Year (Won)
· Nordic Games Best Nordic Handheld Game (Nominated)
· Nordic Games Best Nordic Innovation Award (Won)
· Pocket Gamer 2014 Best App Ever Award (Won)
· Pocket Gamer 2014 Most Innovative Game Award (Won)
· Pocket Tactics Word/Puzzle Game of the Year (Runner-Up)
· Swedish Game App of the Year Award (Nominated)
Year Walk
“A game this distinctive, this different, this thrillingly new is the best possible demonstration of the format’s versatility; indeed, of the narrative power of the interactive medium.” – The Telegraph
