{{short description|Australian video game developer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}} __NOTOC__ {{Infobox person | name = Matt Trobbiani | image = | caption = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Video game developer | years_active = | notable_works = ''Hacknet'' | education = University of Adelaide}}
'''Matt Trobbiani''' is an Australian video game developer and voice actor who developed the indie video game ''Hacknet'' (2015).<ref>{{cite web |last=ABC Radio Adelaide |date=2017-04-06 |title=Matthew Trobbiani on developing games |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radio/adelaide/programs/mornings/hacknet/8421528|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614013617/https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/adelaide-mornings/hacknet/8421528|archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2017-07-15|url-status=live}}</ref>
His experience as a developer was the subject of a profile in ''Rolling Stone'' in 2016.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Stafford |first=Patrick |title=Solo Indie Game Development – Not for Faint of Heart |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/solo-indie-game-development-not-for-faint-of-heart-20160603 |website=Rolling Stone |date=3 June 2016 |accessdate=24 July 2017}}</ref>
==Education== Trobbiani received a Computer Science degree at the University of Adelaide.<ref name=":0" />
==Career== Trobbiani developed the video game ''Hacknet'' as an indie developer, first posting an unfinished version of it on IndieDB in 2012, where it gave the site its highest day of traffic in its history. Despite this, he was unsure of the game's prospects for success, believing that people only downloaded it because it was free.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Serrels |first=Mark |title=When Two Best Friends Make Video Games (And Only One Sells)|date=15 December 2015|url=http://kotaku.com/when-two-best-friends-make-video-games-and-only-one-se-1748226383 |access-date=2017-08-02 |work=Kotaku |language=en-US}}</ref> He borrowed $10,000 AUD to finish the game, taking an advance to cover the marketing costs.<ref name=":0" />
When it released on Steam in 2015, it garnered a large number of sales, ultimately selling 100,000 copies four months after release and making him "rich" by indie game developer standards.<ref name=":1" /> He was able to make back the cost of development after years of being frugal with his money, earning the equivalent of a six-figure salary for the years he spent developing the game, despite still living in the same house with his siblings where he developed it.<ref name=":0" /> In an interview with ''Game Developer'', he stated that, in ''Hacknet'', one of his major goals was to make the player directly be the one who was making decisions, without any avatar separating them from the game.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/when-the-player-s-screen-is-the-game-s-screen|title=When the player's screen is the game's screen|last=Cameron|first=Phill|website=Game Developer|access-date=2017-08-02|date=9 November 2015|language=en}}</ref>
In August 2021, Trobbiani released a second game, ''Wrestledunk Sports'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Valdivia |first=Angelo |date=2019-09-27 |title=Wrestledunk Sports is the new arcade sports game for Switch by Hacknet dev |url=https://www.vooks.net/wrestledunk-sports-is-the-new-arcade-sports-game-for-switch-by-hacknet-dev/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208061239/https://www.vooks.net/wrestledunk-sports-is-the-new-arcade-sports-game-for-switch-by-hacknet-dev/|archive-date=2019-12-08 |url-status=live |website=Vooks |access-date=2025-10-28}}</ref> which was praised by ''GamesHub''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Corrigan |first=Hope |date=2021-09-01 |title=Review: Wrestledunk Sports sparks party-like joy, even amidst a pandemic |url=https://www.gameshub.com/news/reviews/wrestledunk-sports-review-sparking-joy-even-amidst-a-pandemic-1849/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613141026/https://www.gameshub.com/news/reviews/wrestledunk-sports-review-sparking-joy-even-amidst-a-pandemic-1849/|archive-date=2025-06-13 |website=GamesHub |access-date=2025-10-31|url-status=live}}</ref> Starting in 2019, he began voice-acting for the 2025 game ''Hollow Knight: Silksong'', notably voicing the character Trobbio, who was named after him. He also helped playtest the game near its release.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Simpkins|first=Jen|date=31 December 2020|title=Edge Magazine February 2021 Issue|url=https://pocketmags.com/edge-magazine/february-2021#|magazine=Edge|access-date=14 September 2025|p=58}}</ref><ref name="interview">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p5A7mQDlLg |title=Trobbio Voice Actor Matt Trobbiani talks Hollow Knight Silksong, Team Cherry & Secrets of Game Dev |last=Allen|first=Dan |date=October 28, 2025 |accessdate=October 28, 2025|via=YouTube}}</ref> In an interview, Trobbiani described his experience voice acting and testing such a highly-anticipated game, as being a "real privilege".<ref name="interview" />
Trobbiani is currently working on a new game, one that will feature boss fights, something his previous games lacked. In 2025, he stated "Hopefully you'll be hearing from me next year", regarding his upcoming game.<ref name="interview" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.hacknet-os.com/ Official ''Hacknet'' website] *[https://www.wrestledunk.com/ Official ''Wrestledunk Sports'' website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Trobbiani, Matt}} Category:Living people Category:Australian video game designers Category:University of Adelaide alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people)