Contact Information
Name: Peter Wocken
E-mail: peter.wocken@gmail.com
Twitter: @PeterWocken / @GameElements1
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/peterwocken
About Me
I am a full time freelance Game Graphic Designer. I have a decade of experience working in the art and design field with such notable companies as Plaid Hat Games, Fantasy Flight Games, Floodgate Games, a bunch of other companies with the word Game(s) in the title, Best Buy, and Polaris. I was professionally trained at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) with a BFA in Illustration.
I have spent the last few years honing my craft of game marketing and graphic design, working on licenses such as BioShock Infinite, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, Battlestar Gallactica, Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40K, StarCraft and many others.
I keep a strong pulse on the gaming and technology industry via the latest blogs and podcasts from some of the best in the field. I love learning new things whether it be about a new game release, the fifth way to do something in photoshop, or new trends that are shaping the digital and board gaming industries.
I love game graphic design and enjoy creating graphics, which not only look good, but are intuitive to the player. I stopped counting the number of games I’ve played, it’s a lot. What can I say, I’m a geek, with no apologies. I love what I do and am always excited to hear about new projects.
I’ve been exploring the blockchain and NFTs (non-fungible tokens) a lot since the beginning of 2021 and have a number of exciting projects that I’m working on in that space as well!
Around The Web
Here are some links to interviews, articles, podcasts, and other various times that I’ve shown up around the net.
Interviews
More Games Please – Interview [19 Jun 2017]
Today we have Peter Wocken a Board Game Graphic Designer who has worked with on a variety of games such as Sagrada, Dead of Winter, Xia: Legends of a Drift System, and…
Ding and Dent – Dinosaur Island Interview [22 Mar 2017]
FINALLY a dinosaur theme park management game! Dinosaur Island challenges its players to cook up dinosaurs from DNA, build a park, entertain guests, sell T-shirts, and make sure no one gets eaten…
Greenhook Games – Interview [05 Oct 2016]
Many of the artists that I have interviewed are more illustrators than graphic designers (even if that distinction is a fluid line) I would say that the man from Minneapolis, MN…
Epic Game Night – Podcast 32 Graphic Design with Peter Wocken [09 Dec 2015]
Talk with Peter Wocken about graphic design…
iSlaytheDragon – Artist’s Valley: Peter Wocken [01 Apr 2015]
Graphic Designer Peter Wocken agreed to “sit down” with iSlaytheDragon to discuss his work and career and the board gaming hobby. While he has a traditional art background, he is now purely a graphic artist/designer – as he explains the difference in our interview – and provides another interesting take on tabletop gaming, illustrations and graphics…
The Minister of Board Games – #BoardGamersAsk Peter Wocken [23 Aug 2014]
We were lucky enough to have a world class board game graphic designer @PeterWocken answer questions for @BoardGamersAsk and here are his answers…
The Esoteric Order of Gamers – An Interview With Plaid Hat Games [14 Sep 2013]
Armed only with a Barnstormer RPG, a Paddywacker hand cannon and some inspiring rhetoric, The Esoteric Order of Gamers managed to round up the creative trio behind Bioshock Infinite: The Siege of Columbia: Colby Dauch, head of Plaid Hat Games, Isaac Vega, designer of BI:SoC and City of Remnants, and Peter Wocken, Plaid Hat’s graphic designer…
BoardGameGeek.com – Professional Profile
Generally the most up to date version of what projects I’m currently working on.
Plaid Hat Podcast
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 32 – Graphic Design
We talk about graphic design for board games with Peter Wocken, Dave Richards, Gary Simpson, Alex Eding and Colby Dauch.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 64 – Peter Wocken
Colby interviews graphic designer Peter Wocken on this Plaid Hat Origin Cast.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 72 – Inspiration vs Theft
Inspiration vs Theft. How to tell if you’re inspired or if you’re ripping someone off. A life guide.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 73 – Innovation
What influence does innovation have on the board game world? Plaid Hat Podcast Style!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 82 – Inspiration
The Plaid Hat crew talks about how inspiration happens and how to encourage creativity and design.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 85 – Networking
The guys talk about how to exercise your networking skills, and announce some Plaid Hat news.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 89 – Ultimate Re-Release
Colby and Co talk about their ultimate Re-Release wishes and we honor the most important member of our PAX East crew.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 92 – Topic Popcorn Part 1
Part one of the Topic Popcorn episode. Everyone brought something they wanted to talk about and we just. Kept. Going.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 93 – Topic Popcorn Part Deux
A continuation of the ramblings and goings on of the topic popcorn episode.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 95 – Games as Art
Board games as Art with a Capital “A”. We talk about Games in the Art world, and take a break in the middle for a good old fashioned geek debate. It was too funny to remove from the episode.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 97 – City of Remnants
Talking about the phenomenon (Doot DOO ba doo doot!) that is City of Remnants and its effects on the designers.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 100 – Plaid Hat’s Finest Hour
Yeah. We got there. Woe to the Nay-sayers. PLAID HAT OUT!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 101 – Promises for Gencon
This week Alex, Bistro, Isaac, and Peter make some totally accurate and not embellished at all promises about what Plaid Hat will do at GenCon.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 105 – Another Email Show!?
The Plaid Hatters share some email love.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 108 – Marketing
The guys touch on marketing in the industry. Fun is had by all.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 109 – Barriers to Entry
The Plaid Hat crew talk about barriers to entry in the hobby game industry.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 111 – Creating a Game Night
Some tips from the guys on what options you have on making gaming a more regular part of this balanced diet.
Plaid Hat Games – Episode 112 – Dead of Winter
The Plaid Hat Games crew announces a brand new board game!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 113 – Delegating Tasks
How to succeed in delegating without really trying. Topic suggested by the Dice Tower’s Eric Summerer!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 117 – Who Buys the Games?
The guys chat about how to manipulate your closest gaming friends. In a… nice way?
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 123 – Ritual
The crew answers some hard-hitting questions and talks about ritual in gaming.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 124 – Fan Creativity
The guys talk about their own brands of fan creativity and the board game community.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 128 – Topic Popcorn
Bistro, Jerry, Peter, and Alex talk about some mini topics including Language Neutrality in games, Pre-Painted Minis, The Great Game Desinger Paradox, and Bistro’s Gripes and Grousing.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 134 – The Legacy Game – Elsewhere?
James, Brian, and Peter join us to talk about what Legacy format might do for some big box store games.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 141 – What is a Game?
Brian, Colby, and Peter join us to talk about what makes a game… a game! Also we go through 3 rounds of the Plaid Hat Games Cavalcade of Stars Game Tournament and Variety Spectacular!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 145 – Topic Popcorn
Bistro, Isaac, and Peter all bring a mini-topic to share on this delicious episode!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 149 – Our Return from GenCon 2014
All star cast including Colby, Jerry, Peter, Alex, and Emerson Matsuuchi of Nazca Games as well as special appearances by Dave and Rios! We catch up on our GenCon 2014 Experiences.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 153 – Themes that Sell
Isaac, Peter, and Stronghold Games’ own Stephen Buonocore joins us to talk about what themes sell and what themes have a bit more trouble.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 158 – Maintaining Hype
Colby, Bistro, and Peter join us to answer an email from the most important voice in hobby gaming! What voice? You’ll have to listen!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 162 – Game Design Challenges
Isaac, Peter, Jerry, and Alex talk about current design challenge. A lot of good time spent on visual styles and graphic design in this one!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 165 – Topic Popcorn
Isaac, Colby, and Peter talk about some mini topics including Relationships in Gaming, Symbol use in design, and Storage of component heavy games.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 169 – Game Design Challenges
Peter, Jerry, and Isaac talk about some of the tough stuff they’re working on!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 173 – Game Design Challenges
Colby, Isaac, Jerry, and Peter talk about the challenges in their current designs.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 182 – Poppin some Popcorn Topics
Bistro, Peter, Isaac and Alex all bring mini-topics to this week’s podcast!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 184 – Gencon 2015 Recap
We have SO MANY people on this recap episode! That’s 10 tracks worth of guests to share in the fun!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 186 – Doug Provided Topic Popcorn
Colby, Bistro, Peter and Alex take some topic ideas from Dougs and see where they go!
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 188 – Topic Popcorn
Nate steps in to host and talks with Isaac, Jerry, and Peter about some home-grown topics.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 189 – Ethics in Gaming
Nate hosts while Bistro, Peter, and Alex join in to talk about ethics in games. A doug submitted topic.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 194 – BGG Con Recap
Alex chats with Peter and Keith about their experience at BGG con 2015. Alex is pretty messed up on cold medicine for the duration. It’s a thing.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 195 – Games for Gifting
Isaac, Peter, Cory, and Alex talk about games that they would give if money were no object, and some to give that are more realistic.
Plaid Hat Podcast – Episode 201 – Fun Doug Questions
Alex, Colby, Isaac, and Peter join up to answer some suggestions from listeners