Matthew Hawkins

Website: http://www.fort90.com/

Matthew Hawkins hails from the Pacific Northwest and came to New York City to pursue a career in comic books. But not too long after graduating the School of Visual Arts with a degree in cartooning, Matt found himself in the world of video games, first when he was hired by Ubi Soft, one of the top names in the industry. As Ubi Soft New York's head game designer, Matt designed, developed, and consulted on several games for major gaming consoles and the internet, as well as conducted research into the future of gaming technology and trends.

Soon after Ubi Soft closed its New York studio, Matt began developing games independently, first for the web and later for cell phones. This led to the creation of PixelJump in 2002 to produce games, as well as other forms of mobile entertainment. Since then, Matt has been especially involved in titles based upon films and television properties, either as a designer or a consultant. Thus far, clients include with Sony Classics, Paramount, Warner Bros, and Miramax.

Also in 2002, Matt became involved with video game journalism, starting with Nickelodeon Magazine, as both a writer and an interviewer. Matt's writings has appeared everywhere, from GMR to insert credit, from the critically acclaimed1-UP MegaZine, to the Internet Archive, and is still a regular contributor to Nick Mag to this day. And in 2004, Matt began teaching game design as both instructor and thesis advisor at his alma mater, the School of Visual Arts, and is a part of his concerted efforts to help foster a stronger game development community in the New York City Area. Matt is also an active member of the New York chapter of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association).