Ken Wong’s Florence claims coveted Apple Design Award
AN AUSTRALIAN game designer has claimed one of 10 coveted Apple Design Awards for an app that covers a highly unusual topic: romance.
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AN AUSTRALIAN game designer has claimed one of 10 coveted Apple Design Awards for an app on a highly unusual topic: romance.
Ken Wong, founder and creative director at Melbourne-based studio Mountains, collected the Award at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers’ Conference in San Jose on Wednesday, in a ceremony that recognised apps for everything from real-time language translations to estimating the amount of blood loss during surgery.
But Mr Wong’s app Florence, which one Apple presenter described as a “wonderful preview to the real, honest, heart-racing and heart-wrenching rollercoaster that is first love,” captured the tech giant’s attention for its unexpected subject matter and thoughtful exposition.
The former Adelaide man said his four-person development team was inspired by romance films like 500 Days of Summer and the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and wanted to create an “emotional” journey for players.
“I want to make games for everyone, including people who don’t play games, so when we came across the idea of making a game about a relationship that just kind of clicked,” he said.
“I haven’t seen anything that’s quite what I wanted to do — a really realistic portrait of what a relationship can be.”
Florence follows the story of a 25-year-old woman, who is stuck in a rut until she falls in love with a cello player named Krish. The app details their relationship from meeting to first dates and beyond.
Mr Wong said reaction to the game, released on Valentine’s Day this year, had been “amazing,” and the Asian community had been particularly affected by its release.
“We heard from a lot of Asians, actually, because Florence is Asian-Australian like myself and Chris is Indian-Australian, so a lot of people who were from Asian backgrounds but grew up in the West really connected and said ‘wow, I’ve never seen this represented like this’,” he said. “That really meant a lot to me as well.”
The game designer, based in the Arcade co-working space in South Melbourne, had previously claimed an Apple Design Award for his role creating Monument Alley in 2014, though this was the first time he attended Apple’s WWDC event.
His app joins a long line of Aussie creations recognised by Apple, however, after local health apps Zova and Streaks claimed awards in 2016, game Crossy Road was celebrated in 2015, and design app Procreate claimed a Design Award in 2013.
Other digital creations to receive Apple recognition included kids’ music app Bandimal, popular language app iTranslate Converse, and spooky platform game Playdead’s Inside.
Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson travelled to San Jose as a guest of Apple.
Originally published as Ken Wong’s Florence claims coveted Apple Design Award