Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan discussed the shift in developing Legends of California: the team can decide on release dates and business models, but must also bear the consequences. After leaving Blizzard, where he worked for nearly two decades, he focused on this debut title from his new studio, Kintsugiyama.
Kaplan worked on World of Warcraft and, from Overwatch's announcement until his departure in 2021, spent a long time introducing the game to players. He stated that after leaving Blizzard, he wanted to step out of the public eye and focus on his new studio's game. The changes brought by independent operation are concrete: he once set up server networks in restaurants, and industry contacts who used to reach out to him now ignore his emails. Kaplan said this transition has made him feel humble.
Kintsugiyama currently has 33 employees, with 32 working on game development and one handling operations. Kaplan said that while the team's size and resources cannot compare to Blizzard or Microsoft, they still hope Legends of California will meet high standards in production quality and detail.
Kaplan and co-founder Tim Ford want developers to make decisions regarding the game, including release dates and business models. Kaplan also acknowledged that with decision-making power comes accountability; results can no longer be blamed on superiors, and the studio is financially responsible for its employees. He believes that focusing on making a great game is the path to future commercial success.