Messhof company

Based in Los Angeles.

Mark Essen is an independent game designer and artist with ties to both the games industry world at large, and the newly emerging world of art-games. Characterized by pixelated animations and graphics, Messhof games look like “retro” games from the 1980s, but play like the most advanced games out there. Mark teaches classes at USC’s Interactive Media and Games Department and holds a MFA from UCLA's Design and Media Arts program. He created many independent games under the label Messhof such as "Flywrench" and the IGF and IndieCade award winning "Nidhogg". His work has been exhibited at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, FILE in Sao Paulo, the New Museum in New York, MoCCA in Toronto, FACT, [DAM] Berlin, and Vice/Intel's international Creators Project.

Kristy Norindr joined the Messhof team in 2011 and co-founded the llc with Mark. Kristy has a game development background as a producer and project manager with experience working for a social game startup, as well as managing a video game research lab. She specializes in making awesome things awesomer, and helping projects move smoothly to the finish line. Kristy received a Masters degree from UCLA’s Cinema and Media Studies department, a BA from UCLA’s Women’s Studies department, and grew up in New York.