Blind Squirrel Games 15-Year Retrospective Series

Part 2: Leveling Up: Expanding Skills and Reputation (2013-2016)

By 2013, Blind Squirrel Games had proven it could survive and thrive as a lean, high-performing studio capable of delivering consistent, high-quality support work. What followed was transformational. Over the next three years, the team evolved from a tightly focused engineering crew into a complete, full-service game developer. Fueled by the success of Bioshock: The Collection, BSG rapidly expanded its capabilities, its reputation, and its vision for the future.

Part two of Blind Squirrel’s story focuses on how it grew from dependable co-development partner to trusted full development studio, and how it made the critical moves that shaped the next decade of success.

The Bioshock Catalyst

After steady work with 2K on games like XCOM and Evolve, Blind Squirrel was given the opportunity to be the primary developer on Bioshock: The Collection, an ambitious remaster of all three core Bioshock titles. What began as a modest port evolved into a studio-defining achievement.

“We rebuilt that game,” said CEO Brad Hendricks, referring to the original Bioshock. “All the geometry, everything had to change. All the surfaces had to be retextured because the textures weren’t 4K. It still looks good [even] today; we started taking advantage of the new lighting and VFX opportunities that were available on the new consoles, and that quality holds true.”

CDO Matthew Fawcett emphasized the leap in complexity. “It was the first multidisciplinary project we tackled; it was the first time we brought art, engineering, and design together at that scale. It completely changed how we operated. That level of collaboration changed how we approached everything going forward.” BSG passed all 14 SKUs in The Collection on the first try.

The scale was unprecedented. “Bioshock required us to divide efforts across the trilogy. Each title had a dedicated crew. We had people on Bioshock 1, Bioshock 2, and Infinite running concurrently,” Matt added. To meet that demand, the Company saw a dramatic hiring expansion, growing the studio to over 100 people, doubling in just over six months. It was the largest talent surge in company history and a signal to the industry that the new Blind Squirrel had arrived.

Building Systems for Growth

With rapid growth came operational challenges. Under Brad’s direction, the company moved fast. “We had to grow up,” he said. “I knew we couldn’t scale on instinct alone. We needed process, and we needed clarity on how things got done.” The studio, once nimble by necessity, had to develop infrastructure to support its expanding teams and responsibilities.

“Before Bioshock, we were working in other people’s systems,” Matt explained. “We didn’t have a dedicated build pipeline or internal tools. We had to build everything ourselves: automated builds, localization integration, version control. It was a crash course in scaling under pressure.”

Drew Bradford, brought in as the company’s first full-time producer in 2014 and now serves as BSG’s Director of the Project Management Office, said, “We were tracking everything in spreadsheets on a shared drive. We knew we could do better.”

That effort included BSG’s first applicant tracking system. “Beth Hendricks [current Director of Human Resources] had been managing hiring through Outlook folders. Just replacing that and building a more robust and scalable system made a massive difference in keeping pace with growth,” Drew said.

Matthew added, “Brad couldn’t be the producer for every project anymore. We needed layers—reporting, decision-making, planning. Suddenly, no one could know everything by instinct. We had to professionalize how we worked.”

Diversifying the BSG Portfolio

With infrastructure in place, Brad turned his focus to diversification. While 2K remained a valued partner, BSG was no longer reliant on a single publisher. “We started working with Disney, with Trion on Trove, and with Insomniac on Sunset Overdrive,” Brad explained. “It wasn’t just about financial health, it was about building a studio that could control its own trajectory with long-term sustainability.”

Business development became a priority. “Until that point, I was still handling every deal myself,” Brad said. “Bringing in dedicated BD leadership gave me room to think bigger,” he said. “It allowed us to say no to projects that didn’t align and find new opportunities to show our talent.”

Brad noted that this marked a new phase in BSG’s identity. “We began thinking like a complete studio. We had real systems, real departments, and we weren’t reacting—we were choosing our path.”

Matt reflected on the shift: “We weren’t just reacting to opportunity anymore. We were going after it.”

XCOM and Solidifying Partner Trust

One major turning point came with XCOM 2 for consoles. Originally hired to assist the primary console developer, BSG was eventually asked to take over the project entirely.

“They asked us if we had the source code,” Matt recalled. “We said yes. The next day, we became the primary console studio.”

Despite tight timelines and a complex project, the team delivered. “We got it done. It shipped on time, and they asked us to help develop the expansion pack with Firaxis,” Matt said.

According to Brad, that outcome was hard-earned, and steadfast leadership was crucial. “We took over a high-stakes project on a tight timeline,” he said. “And when expectations got out of hand, I pushed back to protect our team. But we delivered.”

Original IP and New Creative Ground: The Genesis of Cosmorons

Amid high-profile co-development work, Brad and his leadership team were also planting seeds for Blind Squirrel’s creative future. An early internal prototype eventually evolved into what would become Cosmorons.

“That project started around an internal game jam based around action MOBA shooters,” Matt said. “It was early, but the idea was there. We were already thinking about how we could build something of our own.”

Even small-scale releases like Forklift Simulator were important milestones. “It wasn’t flashy, but it sold,” Drew said. “We learned so much around publishing negotiations, Steam’s publishing back-end, and executing the launch of a product. It was proof we could release a product ourselves, and it showed we could handle every part of a game’s lifecycle.”

“Creative ownership was always part of the plan,” said Brad. “You don’t build a lasting studio without original ideas—and the confidence to pursue them.”

2016: Lessons Learned and Future Foundations Set

By 2016, Blind Squirrel Games had not only delivered one of the most ambitious remasters in the industry, it had redefined itself. “Our Bioshock remasters scored higher than the originals on Metacritic,” Brad said. “It was 2K’s biggest launch of the year. And if they gave awards for best remaster, we would’ve won.”

The team internalized key lessons quickly. “We implemented policies to protect the team. No seven-day work weeks. No endless crunch. We were building a place that people could grow with,” Drew said about the internal shift.

Matt reflected on the external shift. “People started recognizing the logo. We weren’t just part of the credits anymore. We were front and center.”

This maturation is when Blind Squirrel Games proved it could lead a full development project. With intention, with confidence, and with results that spoke for themselves.

Next Time: Part 3: Weathering the Storm

As original development kicks off and the studio scales up again, Blind Squirrel faces one of its most difficult periods. Part 3 explores how the company dealt with growing pains from its rapid expansion and ultimately built the foundation for the next chapter of growth.