Overwatch Co-Creator Jeff Kaplan Unveils Independent Studio Following Ultimatum at Activision Blizzard
Los Angeles, Thursday, 12 March 2026.
Driven away by Activision Blizzard’s threats to lay off 1,000 employees, Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan has launched independent studio Kintsugiyama, debuting a new survival shooter later in 2026.
A Breaking Point at Blizzard
Jeff Kaplan, the co-creator of the highly successful franchise Overwatch, departed Activision Blizzard in 2021 [1][4]. The primary catalyst for this exit remained largely undisclosed until a recent interview on the Lex Fridman podcast, which aired on March 10, 2026 [4]. During the discussion, Kaplan revealed a stark clash with corporate leadership, specifically pointing to a severe ultimatum from the company’s Chief Financial Officer regarding the franchise’s revenue targets [1]. At the time, the CFO demanded that Overwatch hit a specific, redacted revenue figure in 2020—a deadline that was later pushed to 2021—and maintain recurring revenue every subsequent year [1].
A Strategic Partnership with Dreamhaven
Moving away from the consolidated corporate structure of major publishers, Kaplan has formed an independent development studio named Kintsugiyama [2][3]. This venture represents a growing industry trend where veteran developers seek creative autonomy outside of massive conglomerates [GPT]. To bring his new vision to market, Kintsugiyama has partnered with publisher Dreamhaven [3]. Notably, Dreamhaven was established by Mike Morhaime, the former president of Blizzard Entertainment, marking a significant reunion of high-profile Blizzard alumni [4].
Surviving the Mythical Gold Rush
Kintsugiyama’s inaugural project is The Legend of California, a multiplayer action-survival first-person shooter set during the gold rush era on the mythical Island of California [2][3]. Expected to launch into early access later in 2026, the game will be available on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store [3][4]. The title shifts away from the hero-shooter mechanics Kaplan is famous for, instead focusing on an open-world environment featuring distinct biomes, iconic Californian landmarks, and both player-versus-environment (PvE) encounters and optional player-versus-player (PvP) combat [2][3].