We had the good fortune of connecting with Matthew Enad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matthew, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
It’s no understatement to say that video games changed my life. From a young age, I was always inspired by the digital worlds that encouraged exploration, proficiency, and expression. In middle school, playing games from the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises encouraged me to draft rudimentary design documents on scrap paper for my own stories. By 8th grade, I was creating simple games in MIT’s Scratch program and learning how to code on my own time. In high school, I enrolled in filmmaking and animation courses, and practiced my skills in 3D modeling, music composition, and video editing. When graduation rolled around, I was already participating in game jam competitions and publishing my Unity projects online.

It was around this time when I started to truly understand why I was so insistent on honing these skills. I wanted to tell stories that left an impact on people. As I played through game series such as Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, and Life is Strange, I learned how a good story and gameplay experience could not only entertain, but teach us about ourselves and our collective influence on the world.

I attended classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York and learned important lessons that I still keep with me to this day, but knowing that I wanted to pursue a career in the games industry, I felt that majoring in Computer Science would better suit this path. I transferred to Rutgers University and acquired my degree after 3 years of study, all while continuing to build games on the side. Having witnessed first hand how entertainment can keep people going during hard times, I’m now releasing story-driven games that offer interesting new perspectives, characters, and worlds to explore. I hope to push the boundaries of what’s possible for independent games and one day inspire new developers to tell their own stories through the medium of gaming.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Under the studio name RobProductions, I’ve produced 5 full games over the past 8 years and released them to the public on Steam or Epic Games Store. It was immensely challenging to create each title, because I was solely responsible for the art, sound, writing, music, programming, animation, and promotional work, especially as the more recent games increased massively in scope. A degree in Computer Science can get you pretty far, but as a solo developer, you have to wear many hats. It’s only thanks to intense practice, patience, and persistence that I’ve acquired the skills necessary to make these projects.

Although it is rewarding to see people finally play and discuss my stories when the games are completed, it’s often challenging to stay motivated through development. Working on the same project by yourself for over a year requires an insane amount of willpower and determination, and this is something I struggle with even now. It doesn’t help that currently, when you do the math, only one of my games is actually close to turning a profit even if I value my time at minimum wage. While I fear strongly for my financial security in this unforgiving economy, I am not deterred.

I will continue to make games as long as I can because there are so many more stories I want to tell, and if even one person is inspired by them, they are worth telling. The titles that I’ve released often share common themes of societal justice, corruption, and free will. I explore these topics because they are concepts we face in the real world, and everyone is able to relate to these human experiences. Unlike other indie developers, I don’t aim to showcase ideas that only independent studios can invest in, but rather to present my own perspective and vision through well-established conventions. I’ve got a lot of ideas in store for the future, so I hope you’ll keep an eye out!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The Bridgewater Commons Mall is always a fun place to explore with lots of food options and stores with fun souvenirs. My love of animals tends to bring me back to the Turtle Back Zoo in Essex County or the Bluebird Farm in Peapack for an excellent time with the alpacas! If you’re looking for great views, Holmdel Park and the nearby Bell Works commercial building have plenty to offer. New Jersey is full of scenic locations and activities!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to all of my friends and family in New Jersey who have encouraged me to learn about game development and pursue this career! I also want to highlight my classmates and teachers from the School of Visual Arts who taught me so much about artistic expression and the importance of growth. I especially want to mention Lejandro Bruce, Amy Tang, John Civitillo, Jordana Bernard, and Shelly Tolentino, who have all directly contributed to my game projects through art, writing, or general feedback.

Most importantly I want to highlight my incredible girlfriend Megan Rose Macapagal who has been endlessly supportive of the work that I do. It is only thanks to her that I’ve been able to persist through the pandemic and continue telling stories with confidence. I’m extremely lucky to have someone like her in my corner!

Website: https://www.robproductionsgames.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-enad-2583bb28b

Twitter: https://x.com/RobProductions

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVRHCqDn1UGPTDYEJKtaMRw

Other: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/robproductions

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