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Owlcat co-founder says the studio won’t turn its back on hardcore RPGs as it hits 600 employees and preps its own Mass Effect killer
Owlcat Games has expanded to 600 employees as it marks its 10th anniversary, with co-founder Alexander Mishulin confirming the studio's continued dedication to hardcore CRPGs. Mishulin stated that whilst the studio intends to explore different creative approaches to RPG design, it remains passionate about the genre and committed to creating high-quality games that reflect the team's own gaming interests and vision.
The studio is currently developing two significant titles that illustrate this creative range: The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, which borrows inspiration from Mass Effect, and Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy. Osiris Reborn marks a notable departure from Owlcat's established design template, where previous titles centred on leading state-level organisations, yet the reaffirmation of the studio's CRPG focus suggests an intention to balance innovation with the expectations of its dedicated fanbase.
In short
- Owlcat Games reached 600 employees and reaffirmed its commitment to hardcore CRPGs despite exploring new directions
- Studio developing The Expanse: Osiris Reborn (Mass Effect-inspired) and Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy
- New titles represent creative evolution whilst maintaining focus on quality RPGs for core audience
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Game studios with significant resources and talent should explore creatively beyond their established formula. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn demonstrates Owlcat's confidence that they can deliver excellence across different RPG styles whilst maintaining investment in hardcore CRPGs through titles like Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy. Creative breadth prevents stagnation, allows talented developers to grow, and establishes the studio as multifaceted rather than one-dimensional. A 600-person team unnecessarily constrains its potential by limiting itself to a single genre.
The case against
Owlcat's reputation and commercial success derive specifically from their distinctive hardcore CRPG expertise. Diverting resources toward Mass Effect-style action RPGs dilutes creative focus and risks compromising quality in their genuine area of excellence. Their dedicated fanbase has supported them precisely because of their specialised identity and uncompromising design philosophy. Studios that attempt to excel across multiple genres often master none; maintaining sharp focus and deepening expertise in hardcore CRPGs would better serve both their reputation and their core audience.
Explained simply
Owlcat Games is a video game studio best known for computer role-playing games, often called CRPGs. These games typically give players detailed choices about their characters and how they approach a story, and Owlcat has built a following among fans of that style.
The studio’s new projects show it is trying different kinds of role-playing games. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn takes inspiration from the science-fiction series and games such as Mass Effect, while Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is set in the Warhammer universe. This matters because Owlcat is broadening its work while saying it will continue making the more demanding RPGs its existing audience knows it for.