Our Scopelean Spotlights this month highlight some of the brilliant gamemakers behind our newly launched mobile game, “MONOPOLY GO!.”
Say “hi” to Holly.
Long-time Scopelean, Holly Grothues, is no stranger to exceeding play expectations. She’s had a hand in designing for several of our games, each with their own unique spirit. Now a part of the “MONOPOLY GO!” team, Holly rallies her team to bring to life the fun and cheeky MONOPOLY IP. Read on to learn more!
Tell us a little about yourself and your journey at Scopely.
I'm fast approaching my 7th year (!!!) at Scopely. Time really flies. I started as a User Experience (UX) Designer on “Wheel of Fortune®: Free Play” before moving over to “Temple Run: Puzzle Adventure.” After working on that project for two years, I transitioned onto “MONOPOLY GO!” as the Lead UX Designer and have been on this project for nearly two and a half years. I was based out of Los Angeles, California for several years, but moved back home to Austin, Texas during the pandemic.
What are you currently working on and how does your work impact the company?
As a Lead UX Designer on “MONOPOLY GO!,” I've focused on creating a process and team-wide mindset that embraces emotional design. MONOPOLY is such a rich IP (no pun intended) with a distinct flavor of humor and cheekiness. Meeting and exceeding players' expectations around those elements in the game is what sets us apart. This has been a huge growth process for me as I was quite the "functional" designer at the start of my career. But now I recognize the role that emotional design plays in creating memorable experiences and contributing to a successful product. It's something I'm really passionate about.
What does diversity in gaming mean to you?
Games are an art form, and by extension are experienced on a deeply human, personal level. It is both a burden and a privilege to create play experiences that have mass appeal. When I was pursuing creative writing in college I was always told, "write what you know." To create play experiences that captivate and delight audiences of diverse and varied backgrounds, we need to amplify the voices of creators from equally diverse and varied backgrounds.
Which Scopely culture tenet are you the most passionate about?
CARE DEEPLY. I'm a strong believer in that when you invest in people, the rest will follow. I apply this ideology to my team and to our players and can attest to the difference it makes.
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
The best advice I've received comes from one of my previous managers at Scopely, which is to “always assume good intention from others.” I find I can avoid wasting time on negative thoughts and energy by remembering this and instead focus on next steps and resolution.
What's the last good show you watched?
If you haven't checked out “Station Eleven” on HBO Max, I highly recommend it. It's a post-apocalyptic miniseries that deviates from many dystopian tropes, which is one of the reasons it gripped me. It follows a troupe of traveling performers and is a really evocative, poignant exploration of grief and loss.
Are you interested in becoming a Scopelean like Holly? Apply for one of our open roles: scopely.com/join-us.