bio

Matthew Hawkins enjoys video games. A lot.

Matt was once lead game designer at Ubisoft’s short-lived (and semi-experimental) NYC studio, has been a game journalist for over ten years now (highlights include a stint as editor for GameSetWatch, his current role as the east coast associate editor for Siliconera, and the curious little corner that Kotaku has bestowed upon him), self-publishes a zine on gaming culture (the FORT90ZINE), contributes regularly to the Fangamer Podcast (best described as “the This American Life of video games”), and he curates game related exhibitions across North America as a member of the Attract Mode collective (plus he also oversees the creation and acquisition of goods for its shop). Among other things.

Matt has also been described as “the Harvey Pekar of video game journalism” by Simon Carless, publisher of Game Developer Magazine/chairman emeritus of the Independent Games Festival, and his FORT90ZINE has been described as  ”the publication that helped spark the video game zine renaissance currently in effect” by Adam Robezzoli, founding member of Attract Mode/co-director of LA Game Space.

GAME DESIGN (as lead designer):
Ubisoft New York, Pixel Jump, Black Hammer, Wax Eye

GAME DESIGN (as consultant):
NBC/Universal, Paramount, Sony Classics, Warner Bros, Miramax, MTV, Weekly World News, Deep Focus, Gotham Wave Games

JOURNALISM:
NBC News, Nickelodeon Magazine, Giant Robot, Kotaku, Joystiq, Gamasutra, GameSetWatch, Tiny Cartridge, Siliconera, Insert Credit, Electronic Gaming Monthly, GMR, Retro Gamer, Anime Insider, Comic Book Resources, Super Hero Hype, Coming Soon, Inside Kung-Fu, Giant Realm, Guyism, Heavy, Zedge, TechRadar

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT:
Penny Arcade Expo, New York Comic Con, New York Anime Festival, RE/Mixed Media Festival, the Toronto Comics Art Festival, the Connecticut Film Festival, the Doomsday Film Festival, ICON

EDUCATION:
School of Visual Arts

CURATION:
“MESSHOF X FORT90ZINE X GLOW ARTISAN” May 1 2010, Silent Barn (Queens, NY)
“FORT90 X BABYCASTLES: HARDCORE FEELINGS” Aug 5 2010, Silent Barn (Queens, NY)
“ATTRACT MODE X BABYCASTLES: HEAVENLY SYMPHONY” November 4-13 2010, Showpaper 42nd St Gallery, (NY, NY)
“FLATLANDS” December 2-11 2010, Showpaper 42nd St Gallery, (NY, NY)
“COMICS VS GAMES” April 29-May 6 2012, Magic Pony & the Toronto Comics Art Festival (Ontario, CA)
“FANGAMER VERSUS ATTRACT MODE” September 1 2012, Penny Arcade Expo (Seattle, WA)

Contact: matt [at] fort90.com

Illustration by Lamar Abrams