Meet Ryan Von Minus | Yoga Instructor & Dentist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ryan Von Minus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryan, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I find the concept of “risk” in the creative world intriguing, as it suggests a choice to create. I didn’t choose to be an artist any more than I chose to be brown eyed, or queer; it’s just part of who I am. This reality means my life is inherently “risky,” and I’ve learned to prepare for that.
In art, what exactly is the risk? It could be facing misunderstanding, losing support, or investing everything into a project without a backup. There’s also the danger of burnout from overextending myself. These challenges are specific to pursuing art as a career. The real risk is in stopping, as artistic expression feels like a leap—once I jump in, I can’t hold back, even if it means reworking my ideas significantly.
If I encounter obstacles, I need to be emotionally and mentally prepared to adapt. I’m not advocating for bullheaded, diluted hustle culture or sacrificing well-being; rather, I’m willing to change and accept feedback to make my vision feasible. Sometimes, letting go of parts I’m attached to is necessary for the greater good of the project.
Ultimately, I strive to create something that showcases my unique artistic voice, even if it means doing things I initially resist. Collaborating with those who excel in areas where I don’t has been crucial for my growth, and building meaningful relationships is essential to navigating the risks of being an artist.

What should our readers know about your business?
A young man rolls his electric scooter into a cramped bodega, a speaker strapped to the back. The neon lights that line the speaker flood the aisles, casting a garish glow over the tiny market. The deep bass of reggaeton rattles the wine bottles on the shelves as the air fills with the an over-the-top, erotic moan-laden version of FANTI ELRIMIXDELRIMIX. venturing ever deeper into the chaos of the crowded store. The young man maneuvers through the onlooking crowd, some smiling and nodding in admiration, others just bewildered, thrown off by the disruption of their usual routine and the strange energy of this invasion into their consumer-driven flow. The young man is Damage City.

Damage City could be a response to the corporate exploitation of an entire generation of artists. At the very least, it’s two disgruntled artists trying to make cool video games. We create games for us and the people who get it, not for everyone. We don’t aim to please the masses; we aim to connect with the ones who understand, and I think that’s what makes us happy to make. After working for so many years, making others visions come true, this was a big realization.

Who’s our audience? Honestly, it’s probably 17-year-old us. I grew up in the DIY punk/emo scene in Philadelphia during the late 90s and early 2000s—listening to bands like At The Drive-In, Refused, Sunny Day Real Estate, and knowing the Konami code better than my own phone number. I watched Robocop, Jason Goes to Hell, and the Aliens trilogy on repeat until the tapes wore out. I was a bit late to the game, but I eventually played in a band, recorded a ton of songs, and even made records for other people. Then, at some point, I just wasn’t having fun anymore. I thought I had fallen out of love with music and video games.

Meanwhile, halfway across the world, Sheldon Vella—my partner in Damage City—was having a similar experience. He grew up in the graffiti and extreme music scene, later building a career making art for big-name companies and rockstars. That’s where we crossed paths. We were both burnt out, both wondering: Why do I hate what I thought I loved? Turns out, we didn’t hate music, video games, or drawing—we just hated making stuff for people we didn’t respect, under conditions that sucked. It was the industry itself that had soured us.

And we weren’t the only ones. In the AAA game world, tons of people felt the same way—miserable, stuck, and fed up. So we said, Eff it. Let’s take everything we’ve learned, all that frustration, and turn it into something we could love again. And maybe, just maybe, we could create a space for others who’ve been through the same thing—a place where people can come, get lost, and enjoy the stuff we love too.

Starting Damage City was a decade-long process. It took a lot of help along the way, and I learned that success often hinges on one thing: honesty. Be real with people, offer solutions, and they’ll overlook your mistakes. That’s been our approach from the start.

Right now, we have two games in development. We have one called “Low Life” that I can share, the other, we’re deep in the prototype phase of, which, in its tragic yet humorous way, will take aim at the ideals and culture of Wall Street and the global corporate mindset. And we’re doing it all with hamsters and cheese. Because Damage City.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If it were Sheldon, I’d definitely take him to Cabbage Town, where I live. We’d check out the graff in and around Krog Street Tunnel and the rad murals all along Carrol Street. Walk the belt line to Atlanta WorldWide, check out there cameras and vintage music from Atlanta. Criminal Records in Little 5 Points for sure and then go get weird at Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Too many to mention all of them. Joel Hamilton, Josh Rabinowitz, Tor Myhren, Claudio Sanchez, Chondra Sanchez, Blaze James, Zach Mumbach, Jordan Passman, Adam Zengel, Will Yip, Jeremy Griffith, Matthias Bossi, Clint Bajakian, Adrian Ropp, Francis Garcia, Telltale Games, Pyramind, Hampshire College, Emory… most of all my family and friends.

Website: https://www.damagecity.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vonminus/

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/ryan-von-minus-🏳️‍🌈-8466251b

Twitter: @damagecitygames