Dr Paris Buttfield-Addison is a author, game designer, computer scientist, and historian based in Hobart, Tasmania. He thrives at the intersection of technology and creativity, consistently applying an interdisciplinary lens to his work.
He is the co-founder of Secret Lab Pty. Ltd., an award-winning game and app development studio. Secret Lab is best-known for the BAFTA- and IGF-winning game Night in the Woods, as well as developing iPad games for ABC Play School and the ‘Joey Playbox’ for Qantas. He also co-founded Yarn Spinner Pty. Ltd., which creates the Yarn Spinner narrative game tools. Originally created for Night in the Woods, Yarn Spinner is widely adopted and powers the interactive dialogue and gameplay systems in acclaimed titles such as DREDGE, Venba, A Short Hike, Little Kitty Big City, Rift of the Necrodancer, NORCO, Demonschool, Luma Island, and Lost in Random.
Paris holds a PhD in Computing from the University of Tasmania. His doctoral research explored computational approaches to personal information management and user interaction across diverse digital environments. He also holds an earlier degree in medieval and early-modern history, which informs his approach.
He is the author of over 20 technical books, published by both O’Reilly Media and Wiley’s For Dummies imprint (including “iPhone and iPad Game Development For Dummies”). These publications explore subjects ranging from mobile application development, artificial intelligence, machine learning, algorithms, game design principles, Swift programming, Unity development, and Cocoa frameworks. Paris is a regular speaker at international conferences and industry events, delivering talks that explore the nuances of creative technology and the future of human-driven innovation. He holds a critical view on AI-augmented human creativity.
Paris has received significant recognition for his contributions to the tech and creative industries. He was a joint recipient of the Tasmanian Pearcey Award in 2010 for his contributions to the Australian ICT sector. And in 2016, he was named a Gold Disruptor at the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Reimagination Thought Leaders’ Summit. The University of Tasmania presented him with a Young Alumni Award in 2024. Furthermore, Secret Lab’s projects have earned numerous industry accolades, including AIMIA, IGF, and BAFTA awards, underscoring their technical excellence. He is also a graduate of the Tasmanian Leaders Program (2018), an intensive, year-long initiative that develops high-potential leaders for Tasmania’s future.
Paris is actively involved in the tech and gaming communities. He serves as the President of Tasmanian Game Makers, Inc., promoting local game development and technical skills. And he is the Secretary of the Australasian Apple University Consortium (AUC), which supports technology education. Together with his amazing wife, he is also a co-founder of the West Coast Space Centre, a not-for-profit initiative focused on STEM engagement; he hosts a monthly radio segment on space news with Lucie Cutting, on ABC Radio Hobart and Northern Tasmania.
Paris lives in Hobart, Tasmania, with his wife, and serves as butler to two chihuahuas and a whippet.
Invite me to speak
You can email me at paris AT paris.id.au to invite me to speak at your event. I’m happy to talk about a wide range of topics, from game development to creative technology, education, and more. You can find bios and photos for me here.