Swapnesh Samaiya (he/him) is a designer and researcher of games. He works in the areas of games, play, interaction, and communication design, focusing on subjects related to experiential learning, mental health, material culture, and socio-cultural narratives. His interests lie in studying and designing ludological structures and forms that generate varied aesthetic and social experiences, and exploring the role of players' agency, imagination, and expression in games.

He received his master’s degree in Toy and Game Design and bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked for over five years in various capacities with academic institutes, design studios, NGOs, and early-stage startups as an independent practitioner. Currently, he is a faculty member in Digital Game Design at the Bengaluru Campus, where he teaches subjects such as Games, Design and Play (GDP), Game System Design, Level Design and Game Spaces, Experimental and Alternative Games, and Players' Psychology.

In addition to games, he is also interested in crafts, cultural rituals, and indigenous knowledge systems. To explore these interests, he has been working on research and documentary film projects that engage with craft communities in Uttarakhand, Ladakh, and Madhya Pradesh.