Bioshock Lead Developer Talks Going Indie With Wartorn

Ken Levine, the creative mind behind BioShock, opens up about his transition from AAA to indie game development with his latest project, Wartorn, exploring the challenges and opportunities of this bol

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Stray Kite Studios, an indie collective made up of some of the most renowned developers in the industry, has announced its debut project: Wartorn. This rogue-lite fantasy game brings together an impressive team of veterans who have shaped some of the most iconic titles in the gaming world, from BioShock to Borderlands and Age of Empires. With the move to indie development, Wartorn is balancing the experience of AAA developers with the constraints and creative freedom of working within a smaller, more agile team.

A Powerhouse of Talent Behind Wartorn

Set for release later this year, Wartorn marks the first major project from Stray Kite Studios, a team that brings decades of collective AAA experience. Chief Creative Officer Paul Hellquist, a former lead designer on BioShock, leads the charge along with other key figures like Paul Slusser, who worked on Age of Empires and Halo Wars, and Kyle King, a former Borderlands animator. In a conversation with Game Rant, Hellquist revealed how these industry heavyweights have adapted their skills to fit the indie scope of Wartorn.

"Having a AAA pedigree means we know how to create and ship high-quality games," said Hellquist. "But we’ve also had to pivot in ways that make Wartorn feel unique. For example, Paul Slusser’s extensive experience with RTS games, like Age of Empires, has been essential in crafting the game's isometric camera view and ensuring smooth gamepad controls, especially for strategy elements."

Hellquist continued to highlight how Ryan Slack, Stray Kite's lead programmer, used his extensive AAA experience to build a dynamic UI system that allows the team to quickly adapt and create a wide range of interface elements necessary for Wartorn. Meanwhile, Kyle King’s animation expertise from Borderlands brings a cinematic flair to Wartorn’s character motions, giving the game a distinct visual appeal.

Despite Wartorn’s reliance on strategic, isometric gameplay, the influence of the team’s varied experience is clear. With so many former Borderlands developers on board, it will be interesting to see how their background in action-heavy, often humorous design translates into a dark, war-torn fantasy setting.

The Indie Transition: Balancing Ambition with Reality

The transition from AAA to indie development is never simple, and Stray Kite is no exception. While the studio enjoys complete creative freedom compared to the often restrictive environments of large-scale publishers, Hellquist admits that working with a smaller budget and team size presents significant challenges.

"Wartorn is an indie title through and through," Hellquist explained. "We’re fully self-funded, and we’re working with a fraction of the resources we had on previous AAA projects. But the trade-off is the unparalleled creative control we have. We can make exactly the game we want without outside interference."

Of course, this freedom comes with its own set of limitations. Hellquist acknowledged that while the team has grand ideas, the small size of Stray Kite means those ambitions sometimes need to be dialed back. "Our team is under 10% the size of what we've worked with on previous AAA games," he said. "So we’ve had to be realistic about what we can accomplish while maintaining the quality and scope we envision."

In the indie world, where smaller teams can craft bold, creative experiences, this balance between ambition and resources can yield some of the most innovative and unexpected results. And based on the experience and talent at Stray Kite Studios, Wartorn is shaping up to be a standout title that blends the best of both worlds.

A New Era for Indie Games

As Wartorn draws closer to release, fans of the developers’ previous work will no doubt be eager to see how their transition to indie development impacts the final product. The challenge of making a big impact on a smaller scale may be daunting, but it also offers the team a unique opportunity to push boundaries and take risks that wouldn’t be possible in the confines of a AAA studio.

For Stray Kite Studios, the road ahead is one of innovation and creative freedom—qualities that have always been the hallmark of great games, regardless of the budget. Wartorn represents more than just a new game; it’s a bold step into the future of indie game development for some of the industry’s most seasoned veterans.