Pro baseball pitcher Curt Schilling does what many men would dream of doing by playing in the major leagues and claiming two World Series wins, one with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 and one with his current team the Boston Red Sox in the classic 2004 series. 2007 will be his last in the major leagues but a few months ago Schilling, a long time gamer who is well known for his love of Everquest, officially announced the formation of Green Monster Games which will develop a new MMO title. FiringSquad got a chance to chat with Schilling to find out more about this new company and his role in it.

FiringSquad: First, you are a long time gamer. Can you talk a little about your love of gaming and particularly your experiences with massively multiplayer games?

Curt Schilling: My love for computer gaming started, I believe, in 1981. My childhood best friends dad brought home the first Apple computer I had ever seen, or heard of. We played this thing into the ground and then one day we found a game called Wizardry. Werdna’s lair and Trebor Sux were life changing events to say the least. The ability to create a party and explore a dungeon was the end all be all for me. In addition to playing baseball I went out and got a paper route to save up the money to buy an Apple, no small expense in those days. From there it’s been a lifelong passion.

My MMO experience began very early on with UO. Todd Pratt, then a teammate of mine in Philadelphia, turned me onto it and I played for a bit. The PK’ing was rampant and not something I like very much, but I couldn’t deny how cool it was.

Not long after I discovered Everquest and I think that first 30 minutes of Everquest hooked me for life. I’ve tried pretty much every fantasy based MMO ever published to some degree.

FiringSquad: How did the idea for Green Monster Games come about?

Curt Schilling: About a decade ago, when I thought my career would be coming to a close, I began to look at, and think about, life after baseball. I had no interest in just opening a business, I saw no challenge in that. I had serious interest in trying to become ‘something’ in an industry I had no real education in. However the only criteria I had was that whatever it ended up being it had to be something I had a deep seated passion for. Computer gaming, and more specifically MMO’s, has always had my attention and passion.

FiringSquad: You have already recruited well-known creators like Todd McFarlane and R.A. Salvatore to Green Monster Games' team. How did you get these individuals on board and what will they bring to the company?

Curt Schilling: It’s important to understand that both Todd and RA, at the moment, have agreed to business deals that pertain to GMG’s first product only. Todd has signed on as the Director of Artistic Development, and R.A. as the Director of Creative Design. Their chemistry is pretty awesome to see, even more so to hear. I met Todd while playing in Arizona and we’ve slowly become very close friends. Not sure I can explain just how good of a person he truly is but It’s much more than a partnership to me.

R.A. and I are relatively ‘new’ friends, having just met this past season. A karmic string of events led us to meet by telephone and a very close friendship evolved very fast. I am a huge fan of his writing, especially anything having to do with Drizzt, Jarlaxle or Artemis.

What they will bring is world class talent, and a passion you cannot put a price on. Todd has built his company from scratch while R.A. has become famous around the globe on hard work and both possess a sickening amount of creative energy and talent.

I have yet to find an artist, or designer, in the computer industry that isn’t incredibly motivated to work with these guys and I can tell you they won’t disappoint.

FiringSquad: The massively multiplayer genre is already pretty crowded and getting more crowded all the time. Is there any fear that no matter how good a game Green Monster Games creates there will not be enough of an audience to support the game?

Curt Schilling: Crowded would be an understatement in my opinion.

There is zero fear of the latter happening. Players will play great games. That much we know. No matter how pretty it may look, or how awesome your story may be, at the end of the day if the game isn’t a riot to play, players will go elsewhere. The average gamer right now has so many choices for his limited available gaming time that I don’t think you have a very large window of opportunity to hook someone. You better be able to grab the gamer, and suck them in within that first 30 minutes, from opening the box, or downloading the content, to getting into the game. If you don’t do it fast, and the game doesn’t keep them there, they leave, and don’t come back.

FiringSquad: We know that you are not talking much about the first Green Monster Game title but can you tell us what kind of features you admire in other MMORPGs that you would like to see incorporated in your first game?

Curt Schilling: Um, no :)

FiringSquad: Even though you are an avid gamer, it's quite different to actually be the owner of a PC game development studio. How much committment are you planning to give to the company, especially with your current committment to the Boston Red Sox?

Curt Schilling: It sure is. My commitment is total. I am incredibly comfortable with the people in place, and the people that will be coming into place, over the next 12 months. I know I can begin working out for the 2007 season, commit the massive time and effort needed to be ready to win one last world series, shoot for a Cy Young, and GMG will do what it needs to do in the meantime.

This is my last season. God willing I will arrive in Florida healthy. I will also be in the best shape of my career as I am learning that doing things at 39-40 is light years different than it was at 35-38. Last year was a real eye opener for me physically, even though I was completely healthy, and I will use that going into this season.

FiringSquad: What do you think will be some of the challenges you and Green Monster Games will have to face as you begin development of your first game?

Curt Schilling: No more or less than anyone else does. A lot of challenges, or perceived challenges, come about not from the actual game production, but from the company producing the game. We have a lot of hurdles to overcome as a startup, but we also have some immense advantages that larger studios do not. The main one is singular point of focus. We are creating A GAME, not many games, and because it is one game, we will have an experienced, incredibly talented group of people focused solely on the creation of one game. That will be huge in my opinion. That can also be a detriment, but I trust that the leadership of this company has and will see those pitfalls and address them during our extensive pre-production period.

FiringSquad: When do you believe you will be able to reveal more info about Green Monster Games' first title?

Curt Schilling: When the time is right for the company, the game, and the gamers.

FiringSquad: Finally is there anything else you wish to say about your plans for Green Monster Games

Curt Schilling: Not right now, but thanks for asking!

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