The Legend of California
News, coverage and analysis tracking The Legend of California across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Wild West-themed survival shooter Legend of California pushes early access back to next year
The Legend of California, an open-world survival shooter, has delayed its early access release to sometime next year due to significant performance issues encountered during alpha testing. Game director Jeff Kaplan and tech director Tim Ford confirmed the delay, stating that server stability is the primary concern holding back the launch. The developers are aiming to meet server performance metrics before early access, with content largely in place.
Betawatch: Enshrouded launches as Guild Wars 3 starts sharing social hubs
Enshrouded has officially launched into version 1.0, exiting early access. Meanwhile, Guild Wars 3 has previewed its first social hub, and World of Warcraft Forever is preparing for a server slam stress test. The article also lists numerous other games in various stages of beta and early access testing.
Jeff Kaplan discusses indie dev, his post-Overwatch life, and fixing Legend of California’s busted ladders
Jeff Kaplan, currently working on the Wild West survival game The Legend of California with his studio Kintsugiyama, discussed his transition from Blizzard Entertainment and the game's development. He expressed a preference for not being the public face of a game and finds indie development freeing, despite facing fiscal realities. Kaplan also confirmed his disconnection from Overwatch and highlighted that fixing issues like the game's ladders is a positive sign for The Legend of California's progress.
Ex-Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan ignores everything about the hero shooter after his 'almost clinical' departure 5 years ago: 'I don't search for my name in Overwatch. I don't search for Overwatch. I sort of just disconnect.'
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan revealed he has completely disconnected from the game and its community since his departure from Blizzard five years ago. He described his exit from World of Warcraft in 2008 as a precursor to his eventual departure from Overwatch, leading to a deliberate separation from the title. Kaplan is now working on a new cowboy-themed survival game called The Legend of California with former Blizzard developer Tim Ford.
Ex-Overwatch Director Jeff Kaplan Says He Never Wanted The Spotlight, But The Game Needed A Face
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan reflects on his public-facing role, stating he never sought the spotlight but felt it was necessary for the game's growth and fan engagement. He discusses the personal cost of dealing with player toxicity and his relief in stepping away from Blizzard to work on his new studio's game, The Legend of California.
Jeff Kaplan Says Seperation From Overwatch Was “Clinical”: ” I Never Go Back”
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan stated he has maintained a "clinical separation" from the game since his departure from Blizzard in April 2021. He explained that to protect his own mental well-being and focus on his new independent game, The Legend of California, he avoids engaging with Overwatch content online. Kaplan drew parallels to his earlier departure from World of Warcraft, noting that stepping away from that game was more emotionally impactful.
Jeff Kaplan Was An Industry Icon, Now Peers Ignore His Emails: Ex-Overwatch Director Talks “Humbling” Reality Of Indie Dev
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan discusses the humbling transition from AAA development at Blizzard to leading his independent studio, Kintsugiyama, and its debut title, The Legend of California. He reflects on the challenges of indie development, including industry contacts ignoring his emails, and emphasizes the importance of a developer-run studio focused on creative integrity over corporate mandates. Kaplan also shares personal inspirations for The Legend of California, drawing from his upbringing in California and his father's love for Westerns.
The MOP Up: Spirit Crossing celebrates the Feast of Bears
Spirit Crossing has launched Update 15.4, featuring the Feast of Bears seasonal event, revamped crafting stations, improved tournament rewards, and new flairs. The cozy social MMO is still targeting an early access release in November. The article also rounds up other smaller MMO news, including updates and early access launches for Delverium, Last Epoch, Neverwinter, and more.
Betawatch: Monsters & Memories plunges testers into The Deep, Loftia begins pre-registrations, and ArcheAge S is on its way next year
Several MMORPGs are entering new testing phases or preparing for launch. Monsters & Memories is plunging testers into 'The Deep' ahead of its early access, while Loftia has begun pre-registrations. ArcheAge S is slated for a Q2 2027 release, with gameplay previews coming soon. Legends of Aria Eternal and Valheim have officially launched, while Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen has experienced layoffs.
'I would love that but we're cheap and poor': Jeff Kaplan speeds through everything players should know about his upcoming cowboy survival game, The Legend of California
Jeff Kaplan provided details about Kintsugiyama's upcoming open-world survival game, The Legend of California, set in gold-rush-era California. The game will feature a sandbox world with activities like trading, fishing, and ranch building, supporting up to 100 players on public servers with monthly resets. Kaplan also discussed potential future features like holiday events and pets, while acknowledging the game's current financial limitations.
Betawatch: Stars Reach sets course for early access, EverQuest Legends successfully launches
Stars Reach has announced its paid early access will begin on August 18th, while EverQuest Legends has officially launched. The article also provides updates on Guild Wars 3's music, Cinder City's pre-alpha testing, and Reaper Actual's free weekend, alongside a comprehensive list of games currently in various stages of testing and early access.
'It stayed exactly the same': Jeff Kaplan takes us back to 2016 by confirming that Blizzard did not change the…
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has addressed the long-standing community discussion about Tracer's character model, confirming that Blizzard Entertainment never altered the size of her posterior. Kaplan stated that only one of Tracer's poses was changed shortly after the original Overwatch's release due to player feedback, and the model itself remained consistent. He also briefly mentioned his new multiplayer action-survival FPS game, The Legend of California.
Perfect Ten: MMOs and other online projects created by ex-Blizzard devs
This article highlights ten notable projects created by former Blizzard Entertainment developers and leads, focusing on MMORPGs and other online games. It details various ventures, including Jeff Kaplan's 'The Legend of California,' Greg Street's 'Project Ghost,' and Ben Brode's successful 'Marvel Snap.'
Former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan has "over 5,000 hours" in Rust and calls it "the pinnacle of PvP games," but his own survival game takes cues from World of Warcraft
Former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan expressed his deep admiration for Rust, calling it the "pinnacle of PvP games" after accumulating over 5,000 hours of playtime. While his new survival game, The Legend of California, draws inspiration from the genre, it will focus more on base-building and open-world multiplayer elements reminiscent of World of Warcraft, rather than Rust's intense PvP.
Former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan says he wants to put "Rust-like mechanics" in his new survival game "someday," but for now base-building is more like "Valheim and Subnautica"
Jeff Kaplan, former lead of Overwatch, is developing a Wild West survival game called The Legend of California with his studio Kintsugiyama. While he intends to add Rust-like PvP mechanics to optional servers in the future, the current base-building system is more akin to Valheim and Subnautica, focusing on utility and aesthetics rather than defense.
Overwatch creator tries showing off his new Rust-like open-world game but finds fellow dev stuck in a T-pose instead:…
During a 10-hour stream showcasing their upcoming open-world cowboy game, The Legend of California, Kintsugiyama co-founders Jeff Kaplan and Tim Ford encountered a humorous bug where a character model was stuck in a T-pose. The developers, including former Blizzard engineer Tim Ford, joked about the situation, with Kaplan humorously asking if Jira or the server would crash faster.
Is Jeff Kaplan's The Legend Of California Coming To PS5 Or Xbox? Here's What We Know
The Legend of California, a new project from former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan and developer Kintsugiyama, is currently confirmed for PC with an alpha test starting March 26. While console releases for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are still to be determined, the game is targeting an early-access launch on Steam and the Epic Games Store in 2026. Controller support will be available during the alpha test.
Jeff Kaplan’s Legend of California demos multiplayer, opens signups for March 26 Steam alpha
Jeff Kaplan's studio Kintsugiyama has opened signups for a Steam alpha test of their upcoming multiplayer title, The Legend of California, scheduled for March 26th. The game, inspired by California's gold rush history, will feature FPS action multiplayer with survival sandbox elements, cooperative play, and optional PvP zones. Monthly server resets will occur, but legacy unlocks will persist.
New open world, action-survival shooter from the creator of Overwatch gets its first public Steam playtest next week
Kintsugiyama, an independent studio founded by former Overwatch lead Jeff Kaplan, has announced its debut game, The Legend of California. The open-world action-survival shooter will have its first public Steam playtest next week, with a larger beta planned for this summer before Early Access.
Ex-Overwatch Dev's New FPS Action Game Opens For Testing Soon, How To Sign Up
The Legend of California, a new first-person shooter from former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan and developer Kintsugiyama, will hold its first public playtest from March 26-30 on Steam. While not everyone who requests access will be accepted, players invited to the alpha test will be able to share content freely. Future tests, including a larger beta, are planned before an early-access launch.
