5am Games

5am Games is an independent video game studio based in Zürich, Switzerland. According to its own website, it was founded in 2018 with the goal of creating unique games featuring loving aesthetics and empathetic stories. The studio describes itself as an all-women team and states that its focus is on authentic female protagonists and on reaching women players who are often ignored by the games industry. Its stated values include inclusivity, responsibility, and a pride in being part of the Swiss games industry. The studio works on two main tracks. The first is its own original projects, most prominently the narrative adventure game Letters – A written adventure, released in 2022. Letters is described by the studio as a friendly, often funny, sometimes sad game about friendship, growing up, and finding one's way in life; players explore the colourful world of the protagonist Sarah and use the power of words to change her life. The second track is commissioned work and services. 5am Games offers complete video games, visualisations, gamification concepts, and animations, positioning itself as a partner that helps clients motivate, communicate, and entertain. A notable commissioned project is Konditorei Kritzel (2023), a prototype created for ZHdK, ZHAW, and PH Zürich that targets children with writing difficulties; first-graders practise their handwriting motor skills by decorating and delivering cakes. The studio is small and founder-led. Its three co-founders are Aleksandra Iakusheva (CTO), Martina Hotz (Level Designer), and Selina Capol (Artist). The team has also collaborated with academic partners such as the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), and the Zurich University of Teacher Education (PH Zürich), and has received support from DIZH, the Digitalisation Initiative of Zurich's Universities. The studio's website notes that it is open for commissions. As a Swiss independent developer, 5am Games operates in the international digital games market while also serving Swiss institutional and educational clients. Its public identity combines commercial game development with a values-driven, inclusive approach and a strong emphasis on narrative and interaction.

5am Games was founded in 2018 in Zürich, Switzerland, by Aleksandra Iakusheva, Martina Hotz, and Selina Capol. According to the studio's own about page, the founding goal was to create unique games with loving aesthetics and empathetic stories, with a focus on authentic female protagonists and on women players. The team describes itself as an all-women studio, a positioning it treats as central to its identity and its approach to representation in games. In its early years the studio developed its own original project, the narrative adventure game Letters – A written adventure, which was released in 2022. The game is presented as a friendly, often funny, sometimes sad story about friendship, growing up, and finding one's way in life; players explore the colourful world of the protagonist Sarah and use the power of words to change her life. The studio also mentions lighter interactions such as stacking cats. Letters has its own website at letters-game.com. Alongside its own games, 5am Games has pursued commissioned and applied work. In 2023 it realised Konditorei Kritzel, a prototype commissioned by ZHdK, ZHAW, and PH Zürich. The project targets children with writing difficulties: first-graders train their handwriting motor skills through swinging exercises by decorating and delivering cakes. The project team listed by the studio includes Prof. Ulrich Götz, Aleksandra Iakusheva, Martina Hotz, and Selina Capol, with cooperation partners at the ZHAW Institute of Health Sciences and the ZHAW Institute of Occupational Therapy, and funding from DIZH, the Digitalisation Initiative of Zurich's Universities (2022–). The studio's services page sets out a broader offering beyond its own titles: complete video games, visualisations ranging from concept drawings and illustrations to complex 3D spaces, gamification concepts that integrate playful elements into monotonous or laborious processes, and 2D or 3D animated sequences. This mix of original IP and client work is typical of small Swiss independent studios, which often combine self-published titles with contract work for institutions, education, and industry. 5am Games presents itself as part of the innovative Swiss games industry and expresses a wish to collaborate with its actors. Its website states that the studio is open for commissions. The studio remains privately held and founder-led, with no publicly reported parent company, outside investment, or stock listing.

• 2023

  Commissioned prototype Konditorei Kritzel is realised for ZHdK, ZHAW, and PH Zürich.

• 2022

  Release of the studio's own narrative adventure game Letters – A written adventure.

• 2018

  5am Games is founded in Zürich by Aleksandra Iakusheva, Martina Hotz, and Selina Capol.

Independent Swiss studio focused on creative, charming, humorous games with authentic characters and inclusive storytelling; also offers commissioned games, visualisations, gamification, and animation for clients.

• 2022

  Letters – A written adventure

  A friendly, often funny, sometimes sad game about friendship, growing up, and finding one's way in life; players explore Sarah's colourful world and use the power of words to change her life.

• 2023

  Konditorei Kritzel

  A prototype for children with writing difficulties, commissioned by ZHdK, ZHAW, and PH Zürich; first-graders train handwriting motor skills by decorating and delivering cakes.

1. 15am Games – Open for commissions!5am-games.com
2. 2About – 5am Games5am-games.com
3. 3Services – 5am Games5am-games.com
4. 45am Games on Wikidatawikidata.org