Overwatch Director Unveils New Game Inspired by Red Dead Redemption 2 and Rust

Jeff Kaplan has launched a new studio and is working on an exciting new game that might surprise fans of his previous work on World of Warcraft and Overwatch. Titled The Legend of California, this game reimagines the essence of Red Dead Redemption 2 as a survival crafting sim.

This marks the first project from Kaplan’s studio, Kintsugiyama, which is being backed by Dreamhaven, the company founded by former Blizzard president Michael Morhaime. The game was unexpectedly unveiled recently, and it’s described as a multiplayer action-survival FPS set on the Island of California during the gold rush era, as detailed on its new Steam page.

The trailer showcases an expansive open world inspired by the game’s namesake, set in the 19th century. Players can team up or venture solo into the wilderness to gather resources and develop their ranches with stables, mines, and various structures.

Kaplan shared insights on a recent episode of the Lex Fridman podcast, explaining that each server will feature a unique world map configuration. Different regions will present varying levels of difficulty, and points of interest will shift as players progress. The game’s atmosphere is enhanced by music and lighting, drawing inspiration from the artwork of Albert Bierstadt.

This online survival crafting sim, with its hyper-realistic graphics set in a historical context, is a departure from the fantasy and sci-fi themes Kaplan is known for. He emphasized that Kintsugiyama, which includes 34 developers, aims to carve out its own identity rather than replicate Blizzard’s style. “I don’t want to crib Blizzard and make a pseudo-Blizzard game,” Kaplan stated.

While there’s no official release date yet, a public alpha is expected to launch later this month, with plans for an Early Access release on Steam in the future. The team appears to be taking its time, stepping back from the corporate pressures that impacted Overwatch 2. Interested players can currently request access to the upcoming alpha test on Steam.