Ski Challenge
Reviving Greentube's Legacy Brand
When I joined Ski Challenge as Art Director, I immediately felt the weight and excitement of working on a title that so many people had grown up with. The original PC version wasn’t just a game, it was a cultural moment that connected ski enthusiasts, competitive players, and casual gamers through the thrill of racing down virtual real life slopes. Bringing that legacy back to life in cooperation with Ski Austria, Deutscher Ski Verband and Swiss Ski, was both an honor and a challenge.
My goal was to capture the unmistakable spirit of the original, that raw sense of speed, tension, and achievement, while giving it a bold, modern face for today’s audience. This meant reimagining what Ski Challenge could be in the age of mobile gaming without losing the emotional connection fans had built over the years. Finding that fine line between nostalgia and reinvention guided every decision, from the tone of the brand to the smallest visual detail. It was about building something that felt familiar yet new, like meeting an old friend who’s evolved with time.
Crafting a Modern Mobile Experience
Creating a cohesive art direction for Ski Challenge on mobile was an incredibly rewarding journey. Mobile gaming demands a different kind of design language. One that works within tighter technical frameworks but still delivers emotional impact. Every pixel, color choice, and animation had to earn its place. I wanted players to instantly feel the adrenaline and precision of competitive skiing the moment they entered the game.
From the snow textures to the lighting mood on different tracks, we focused on visual storytelling that supported the intensity of the races. The slopes had to feel alive, the camera angles had to evoke motion and tension, and the user interface had to blend seamlessly into the action. The challenge was to make everything fluid, intuitive, and cinematic. Our mission became to create not just a game, but an experience that could live up to its former glory and stand proudly on today’s mobile stage.
Performance Meets Style
One of my favorite parts of the project was designing the Seasonal Gear, Tracks and completely redefining the UI/UX with Simon Stock & Christoph Quas together. These elements were essential to how players would connect emotionally with the game. The seasonal gear wasn't just about visual aesthetics, they were about character, performance, and identity. Each one was designed with distinct shapes, materials, and color patterns that reflected not only the player’s skill but also the competitive spirit of professional skiing. They became symbols of individuality and style in a world defined by milliseconds and precision. From a game design persective they had even more impact as they were woven into a blueprint system with performance attributes.
At the same time, I worked closely with the UI / UX design team to overhaul the entire UI and user experience. We built a clean, dynamic interface that celebrated clarity and momentum, allowing players to focus purely on the thrill of the race. Every menu, transition, and
in-game element was designed to feel intuitive, sleek, and emotionally connected to the high-speed nature of the sport. In the end, both the seasonal gear and the UI became defining pillars of the new Ski Challenge identity where style and performance go hand in hand.
A Journey I’ll Never Forget
Looking back, Ski Challenge was one of those rare projects that truly leave a mark on you. It wasn’t just about the visuals or the gameplay.
It was about the people. Working alongside such passionate, talented, and creative individuals made every milestone special. Together, we built something that carried not only our skills but also our shared love for gaming and innovation.
Personally, I grew immensely throughout this project. I deepened my understanding of game mechanics, learned more about development workflows and optimization than ever before, and gained a new appreciation for how much detail goes into building a fun, balanced, and visually cohesive experience. On the marketing side, I learned how crucial it is to connect emotionally with players — not just through visuals, but through the story a game tells before they even hit “Play.”
In many ways, this project felt like a full-circle moment: reviving a game I once knew as a player, now shaping it as a creator. It taught me about collaboration, trust, and how far a passionate team can go when everyone is chasing the same vision.
