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WHO ARE WE?

Imagine if the developers of some of the best video games in the world got together to build the ultimate social game experiences. As game developers, we love creating real-world impact through games. Over the course of our combined century of experience, there are ways we’d like to make games a little differently.

Think of us as classically trained with an edge .

BUILDING A GAME THAT BUILDS

Games are the fastest way to teach anybody anything. Games are also the most powerful way to bring strangers together to forge lifelong friendships. We humans need more, not less, connection in our increasingly isolated world, and yet most video games that come to market pit people against each other in combat. Here at Unleashed, we use deeply understood social science to create games where players connect in our game to work together to save the world.

A MISSION UNLEASHED

Imagine a game where you face moral dilemmas, challenging boundaries, and driving epic quests. Our mission is to create deep, dynamic worlds with immersive stories and an opportunity to forge friendships between strangers, while also deepening your relationships with those you know and love.

But instead of building this world in a vacuum, we want to develop alongside you. Embark on this journey with us as we redefine how video games are made.

Expect subversion, revolution, immersion.

Our games are built on the backbone of incredible social experiences like you’ve never seen. By driving the creation of great friendships, our team aims to make a game greater than we've ever imagined. Our team of talented designers, engineers, and artists come together to create thrilling experience that transport players to new worlds, challenge their resolve, and immerse them in unforgettable adventures.

A fusion of experience + AI

Join our guild

We have a big dream for a world we want to build, but we will need help getting there. We are seeking partners of all kinds, from funding to development. But we see our project more as a guild than as a corporation.

We are on an epic quest to build the greatest game we can imagine. If you’d like to join us on our quest, please reach out.

Meet the Team

  • Irena Pereira

    CEO & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    Irena Pereira has been making games for over 24 years on both PC and Mobile. She has made a name for herself in the world of game development by helping guide teams to focusing deeply on the player experience with both user testing and player-focused design methodologies. With a background in photography, anthropology, and religion, Irena brings a fresh perspective and a unique skillset to games. She started her career as a web developer and grew into a user interface engineer on World of Warcraft. Her ability to blend design, art, and engineering has enabled her to create stunning visuals and resonant game interfaces that keep players deeply engaged in the titles she contributes to.

  • Dave Cham

    COO, ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE

    Dave has been in the industry for over 20 years in various technical, management, and executive positions.  At Electronic Arts, Dave worked as Technical Director on many AAA titles such as Medal of Honor, James Bond and Boom Blox. He has since worked at several companies on MMORPG and Mobile Games including Star Trek Timelines, The Walking Dead, GSN Casino and Archer: Danger Phone.  Prior to joining Tricky Fast, Dave created and was Studio GM of Wicked Realm Games where he operated live games and worked with stakeholders to create new games for premium IP’s. Dave previously worked with both Irena and Thom on the MMORPG : Kingdoms of Amalur by 38 Studios. (unreleased)

  • Kris Zierhut

    CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER

    Kris Zierhut is an 18 year veteran of Blizzard Entertainment, with expertise in every aspect of Systems Design, including combat and combat balance, classes, abilities, itemization, tradeskills, encounters, progression, and social systems. He joined the original World of Warcraft team soon after its launch and has worked on nearly every expansion to the acclaimed game. He also led Systems Design on Hearthstone and Diablo Immortal and has most recently returned to World of Warcraft to lead its Classic Wrath of the Lich King project as its Principal Designer.

    Kris lives in Orange County, California, with his wife and two daughters. He spends his free time walking and running with his dog, Luna, hosting board game gatherings with friends, and voraciously consuming Science Fiction and Fantasy novels.

  • Thom Ang

    CAO, CREATIVE & PIPELINE

    Thom Ang has had an illustrious career spanning decades in games and production. He was one of the original artists for Disney's first foray into interactive production and contributed to many marquee IPs. He also served as Art Director for Electronic Arts and THQ Inc Corporate, managing third-party teams on licensed properties. Thom has held leadership roles in various companies and delivered over 300 titles for High 5 Games, and over 100 VR training simulations for Transfr Inc. He excels in problem-solving and inclusive collaboration, and strives to create engaging experiences that push the boundaries of interactive entertainment.

  • Brian Labore

    PRINCIPAL ANIMATOR, BATTLE WIZARD

    Brian embarked on his career as a Nintendo of America intern, contributing to notable projects like Pokemon Puzzle League and Waverace 64, alongside developing prototypes for the Gameboy Color. After relocating to New England, he worked at Turbine Entertainment, gaining experience with MMO titles such as Asheron’s Call 2 and Lord of the Rings Online. Later, Brian joined 38 Studios for an extensive period, collaborating with Thom, Irena, and Dave on Kingdoms of Amalur. Subsequently, he seized an opportunity at Vicarious Visions, which was acquired by Activision Blizzard in 2019, enabling him to work on various acclaimed titles like Skylanders, Crash Bandicoot, Call of Duty, Destiny 2, and Diablo 2 and 4. Beyond his professional life, Brian finds joy in Adventure & Obstacle Course Racing, Travel, Puzzles, Hiking, Drawing, and cherishing moments with his family.

  • Jason Hutchins

    GAME PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

    Jason is a seasoned game industry veteran with 25 years of experience in producing games and a lifelong passion for playing them. His career started at Blizzard Entertainment in 1998, where he contributed to renowned titles like StarCraft: Broodwar, Diablo II, Warcraft III, and spent the majority of his 16 year tenure on World of Warcraft. He has held various production roles and has worked on premium AAA console, PC, and mobile free-to-play games, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare remastered, World of Tanks, Star Citizen, Madden, and Gold Fish Casino Slots. Apart from gaming, he enjoys riding motorcycles, shooting pistols, crafting cocktails, and playing tabletop role-playing games; never at the same time. Currently based near Austin, TX, Jason shares his life with his chosen family and two rescue dogs, Gina & Rocco.

WHAT’S IN THE DRAGON’S DEN?

JOIN THE ADVENTURE

We have a big dream for the world we want to build, but we need help getting there. We are seeking partners of all kinds, from funding to development. We see our project more as a guild than as a corporation. We are on an epic quest to bring the greatest game we can imagine to players like you. If you’d like to join us on our quest, please reach out.

ELEMENTS OF THE DRAGON

TRANSPARENCY

Transparency isn’t just a buzz word, it’s a way of operating. It’s being honest and open with the team as they are also investors, with their time and energy. We are all business partners. It’s time to act like it.

COMMUNITY

We are more guild than company. Community not only drives our gameplay, but how we operate, and how we grow. We are here as a collective working toward a common purpose: making the best game we can imagine.

RESPECT

Respect is fundamental - from working internally as a team to how we treat our players. Respect runs deep in our veins and our being. And the best way to show respect is to listen.

AGILITY

Scrappy excellence drives our decisionmaking. We ask ourselves: What’s the least amount of work we can do to learn the most? How quickly can we learn to make a better next decision? Our agility reduces the time between every iteration.