Despite an onslaught of complaints that steampunk monster slaying game The Order: 1886 was too short for its $60 pricetag, the game still sold well enough that its developer, Ready At Dawn Studios, is now expanding.

The Irvine-based company has announced that it will be opening a new “business hub” office in Austin, Texas, and former Blizzard Entertainment COO Paul Sams will be joining the studio as its Chief Executive Officer. Co-founder and current CEO Ru Weerasuriya will remain with the company as President and Chief Creative Officer.

“It is never easy finding someone to take over the reins of a company after this many years, but I cannot think of anyone better suited to guide the team as we look to the future,” Weerasuriya said in a statement. “He is one of the most accomplished, respected and experienced leaders in our industry.”

He added, “With Paul’s arrival, our studio in Irvine will turn its attention solely to creative and game development, while Austin will become the focus of our business endeavors. Paul’s expertise and industry knowledge positions us well to reach our company goals, including securing a strategic partner which will allow us to retain ownership of the transmedia IPs that we create.”

“It has always been a challenge to balance business and creative”

Sams worked at Blizzard for 20 years, most recently serving as the studio’s COO for the last 10 years. His new role at Ready At Dawn will place him in charge of the company’s business operations and growth plans, freeing up Weerasuriya to focus more on game development.

“While working on our past games, it has always been a challenge to balance business and creative,” Weerasuriya said in an interview with GameInformer. “Although I spent countless hours of my days on The Order: 1886, there were often times when I needed to devote my attention to business, while in the back of my mind, wanting to spend more time on the game itself. That constant switch in mindset is not easy to manage long term. With Paul’s arrival, I am now looking forward to placing all my attention on creative.”

Sams said that he is looking forward to once again working with Weerasuriya and Ready At Dawn CTO Andrea Pessino, both of whom had previously worked at Blizzard in the late 1990s.

“We have often joked about working together again, but in all honesty none of us really believed it would happen,” Sams told GameInformer. “Being together again is surreal. I can’t wait to see what we can do together.”

Image credit: Ready at Dawn (c)