Unknown Worlds is an independent game company in San Francisco, CA. Our goal is simple, but not easy - to unite the world through play.

Previously, we worked on titles such as Titan Quest, Titan Quest: Immortal Throne, Empire Earth (two million copies sold), Mindrover (PC Gamer 89%), and Lair.

Timeline:

  • May 2001 - Unknown Worlds founded
  • October 2002 - Released Natural Selection
  • November 2006 - Released Zen of Sudoku
  • October 2006 - Max joins Unknown Worlds, work on Natural Selection 2 begins
  • October 2007 - Released Decoda
  • March 2008 - Angel investment received
  • April 2008 - Moved into office, hired Matt Regan
  • June 2008 - Hired Cory Strader as Art Director
  • July 2008 - Announced custom engine for NS2
  • October 2008 - First engine footage shown
  • January 2009 - Angel investment received
  • May 2009 - NS2 site and teaser video released
  • November 2009 - NS2 pre-alpha released

Charlie "Flayra" Cleveland - Game Director

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Charlie attended Case Western Reserve University and received a B.S. in Computer Engineering. He worked as a software engineer at IBM, Papyrus, CogniToy and Stainless Steel Studios, on Grand Prix Legends, MindRover and Empire Earth. In May of 2001, he left Stainless Steel to found Unknown Worlds.

Charlie has contributed writings to Game Developer Magazine and Game Design Perspectives and spoke at Casuality (2006) and the Game Developer's Conference (2007).

Max "Max" McGuire - Technical Director

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While still in high school Max worked as the assistant to Dr. Benoit Mandelbrot at IBM Research. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 2001 with a B.S. in Mathematics and a double major in Computer Science, Max joined Iron Lore Entertainment (Game Developer Choice Best New Studio) as the first employee.

While at Iron Lore Entertainment, Max served as the Lead Engine Programmer and held a key role in developing the technology and tools behind their first two titles, Titan Quest and Titan Quest: Immortal Throne.

Cory "Squeal Like a Pig" Strader - Art Director

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Cory attended the Massachusetts College of Art, majoring in Illustration. He worked at Stainless Steel Studios as a digital artist for over five years doing 3D modeling, texturing and concept work on Empire Earth, Empires: Dawn of the Modern World and Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War. He then worked as Senior Texture Artist and Concept Art on Lair and several unannounced titles at Factor Five.

He and Charlie started working on Natural Selection together in August of 2000 and his artwork has been featured several times in Spectrum and Expose.

Matt "Ooghijmiqtxxa" Regan - Artist

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Matt attended the City College of San Francisco and studied business. He worked as environment artist on Insurgency: Modern Infantry Combat and his own mod Southern Rise.

Matt left his job organizing and moving animal toys at the San Francisco Zoo to work as an artist on Natural Selection 2.