Philp Tan

Philip Tan is a Research Scientist and former Creative Director at the MIT Game Lab, where he has shaped game design education since 2007. After earning both his S.B. and S.M. in Comparative Media Studies from MIT, he established himself as a leader in game design education and research. He teaches core courses including CMS.608 Game Design and CMS.611J/6.073J Creating Video Games at MIT. His expertise spans digital, live-action, and tabletop game design, with notable projects including "A Slower Speed of Light" (2012), "Shadowspect" (2019), and "Cellverse" (2020). Before his current role, he served as executive director for US operations of the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab and worked with Singapore's Media Development Authority to support game developers. His diverse experience includes producing educational games at The Education Arcade and earning the title of "Master Assassin" for his live-action roleplaying game designs at the MIT Assassins' Guild. He combines academic expertise with practical game development experience, making him a valuable bridge between theoretical design principles and practical implementation.