Here at Munzee we’re constantly encouraging our players to meet and greet and build the personal relationships that make this game so great. Today we have the chance to get to know Dylan, the behind the scenes man who makes many fantastic aspects of Munzee possible. If you’ve been following us for a while, you might remember his 2014 Meet Dylan! Let’s see how things have changed since then!
Striking a pose with Wylie at a friend’s wedding
Name and Title:
Dylan Derryberry, Creative Director (dderryberry60)
Where are you from?
I grew up in McKinney, TX as part of Munzee’s farm team long before they knew they’d need me.
Tell us about yourself:
Looks like a lot has changed since the last time I did this. I’m only slightly more humble than my previous Meet Munzee Munzday would suggest, but alongside my two corgis, the family has also grown to include a loving pibble named Dean, and my five year old daughter Etta. With the help of my wife and FT teammate Wylie, I try and juggle the family at home as well as at the one at office.
A very Derryberry Christmas card
I grew up in North Texas playing hockey, and then I took my talents to Glenwood Springs, CO followed by Lawrence, KS to get a little bit o’ learning under my belt before jumping into the working world. I studied Journalism at the University of Kansas, and I was pretty dead set on pursuing a career in that field. Life had other plans, but luckily my skills as a writer alongside a stellar cover letter led me to an opportunity with Munzee. Now five years later I’m doing a bit less writing, but working with a great team to take location-based gaming to the next level.
Another successful McKinney Ice Hockey Club alumni game back in 2016 with my biggest fan
How long have your worked for Munzee?
I’ve worked for Munzee for five years, the last two of which have been with Freeze Tag. As Creative Director I bridge the gap between gameplay and development. So more or less I help Rob’s crazy ideas come to fruition and hopefully keep Daniel Fischer from getting too overworked.
How did you find Munzee?
After college I moved back home to write for a local news organization as a sports reporter focused on the city’s high school teams. Unfortunately that publication shut down a few months into my time there, which left me looking for work with a kid on the way. Upon picking up my last paycheck, I asked my editor for a letter of recommendation and she let me know that a gaming company in town was looking for a writer. As it turns out they weren’t, and I never got that letter of recommendation, but after a coffee meeting led to a lunch meeting, I was welcomed in as the sixth member of the Munzee team. Five years later and I’m still learning new things about this game and industry every day.
College crafting
What do you enjoy most about Munzee?
My favorite aspect of Munzee is the versatility of gameplay options. Whether you strictly stick to Greenies, or focus on completing your Bouncer collection, Munzee gets players moving in one way or another. As part of the gameplay team we’re always trying to come up with new, exciting, and sometimes weird, aspects we can bring into our game. Location-based games have become much more popular in recent years so we’re constantly learning what works (and what doesn’t) for our worldwide community.
Family Halloween with Wylie and Etta
What are some of your other hobbies?
In what little free time I have I like to watch movies, work on craft projects, read (not nearly as much as I should), and prepare for the family’s annual Christmas card. I think it’s in poor taste to ask what someone’s favorite movie is (how do you pick just one?) but I float between campy horrors, indie rom coms, and comic book movies.
Famous last words?
“There are wood ships, there are steel ships, but the best ships are friendships.” – Ghandi, probably
Check back next week to get to know another member of the team!
Average sleep schedule these days
