Steve recently had the opportunity to ask Justin Gary a few questions. Besides being owner and CEO of Gary Games, Justin is also a devoted gamer and an accomplished MTG Pro Tour player (don't worry if you don't know what that means).

Some highlights:

Steve: Do you have any favorite boardgames at the moment?

JG: Other than lots of Ascension, I have been playing a fair amount of Citadels, Race for the Galaxy, Ra, and El Grande.

Steve: Are there any other titles that Gary Games is planning to release? If so, could you tell us a little bit about them?

JG: Of course we plan to continue making Ascension expansions (including Storm of Souls coming out this November/December). In addition, we are working on several other titles, but unfortunately can’t reveal any details about them now. Look for some announcements first quarter 2012.

Steve: The new Ascension: Storm of Souls expansion will introduce a new card type, Events. Can you tell us more about them? Will future sets also continue to introduce new mechanics to keep the gameplay fresh?

JG: Events are an exciting new addition to the Ascension world. Event cards represent the different factions of the Ascension world rising to dominance. When an event card flips into the center row, it is set aside and creates a new rule for the game that all players must follow. Some cards interact with the Event cards, becoming stronger when their faction’s events are in play. We have a lot of exciting new ideas for future expansions and I know Ascension fans are going to love what we have in store. Storm of Souls represents a lot of great mechanical changes to the game, not just with the new Event card type, but also with Trophy Reward monsters, and a whole slew of exciting individual cards and interactions.

Steve: Can you tell us about your experiences from being a gamer and a game designer? Any advice for those people who want to venture on their own and publish their own games?

JG: I am very fortunate to have been able to build a career around my passion of gaming. For those out there who want to do the same, I recommend putting in the hours to develop their skills and try to get involved in the industry at any level they can. Playing and doing well in tournaments, writing strategy or community articles, and designing and showing off your own games are all great ways to get noticed and hone your skills. Most importantly, be sure to learn from your mistakes and take criticism well- its the only way you will get better.

You can read the full interview @ his blog.