Welcome back to our Get to Know series, where this time we talk to our project manager for game design and production, Matt Kroll! Let's get to know Matt a little bit better.
What did you do before you got into the board gaming industry?
I worked in materials management for a pharmaceutical company. I was in charge of the product and pieces of product in various states of manufacture. Sometimes I’d get raw, literally raw, material deliveries that we’d process, but also selling products for sterilization. There was lots and lots of documentation. It was basically warehousing plus plus plus, which gave me the experience to end up working here.
What got you into board games in general?
Magic the Gathering in grade school. My “cool” (used very loosely here) cousin played, and I also wanted to play. Because he was “cool” to grade school me.
How did you get started in the industry?
I attended one PAX East where I met Paul and Christopher and the rest is history. They were friends of friends who had this small, indie game called Sentinels of the Multiverse. They plied me with food and drink to get me to play after the floor show was closed. I fell in love with the game. [Here Matt points to his Nightmist tattoo, which is pictured below]. And then annoyed Paul into hiring me for their warehouse when they found they needed staff for it.
What Greater Than Games game do you love and what did you contribute to it?
Since I found us, all of my favorites have been Greater Than Games. Like I said, I fell in love with Sentinels of the Multiverse, until Spirit Island came out. Then, that was my favorite game. Now, it’s Compile. I did some playtesting on some Sentinels and Spirit Island, but very little on Spirit Island. Compile is a completely different story. I championed for it here around the office and helped bring it to the final design we have now.
What are some of your hobbies outside of the job?
Video games! A lot of my other hobbies are industry adjacent. I like to play RPGs, tabletop or otherwise. My favorite thing to do is to sit around and talk to my friends. TTRPGs are a great excuse to make that happen, but I don’t necessarily need the dice rolls. The premise is that we’re going to play games, TTRPG or board, and then we end up talking to each other. I like to travel, too, when I get the chance.
What non-essential item would you bring with you to a deserted island?
A deck of playing cards, because you can do so much with it. There’re a ton of different games you could play. Or make a little house.
Thanks so much, Matt! We've got more employees to get to know next time around, so be sure to tune in. See you then!