Airship Syndicate

Airship Syndicate is an independent Austin-based video game developer creating character-driven action role-playing games, isometric action titles, dungeon crawlers, and adventure experiences for PC and console platforms. Founded in 2014 by comic artist Joe Madureira, Ryan Stefanelli, and former Vigil Games colleagues after THQ’s bankruptcy, the studio was built as a focused independent team with a distinctive comic-inspired visual sensibility.

Its work combines full-cycle game development with combat, systems and level design, narrative design, worldbuilding, 3D character and environment art, animation, technical art, shaders, programming, quality assurance, and live-operations support. The team works with Unreal Engine and Unity and develops both single-player and co-operative multiplayer systems.

Games and worlds

The studio’s first major release, Battle Chasers: Nightwar (2017), brought Madureira’s comic-book universe to a turn-based RPG published by THQ Nordic. It later returned to the publisher’s wider catalogue with Darksiders Genesis (2019), an isometric action entry that introduced co-operative play to the Darksiders universe.

In 2021, Airship Syndicate worked with Riot Forge on Ruined King: A League of Legends Story, expanding Runeterra through a turn-based RPG. The studio also developed Wayfinder, initially in partnership with Digital Extremes. After Digital Extremes restructured its publishing division, Airship Syndicate negotiated ownership and publishing rights to the property and rebuilt it as the premium standalone and co-operative release Wayfinder: Echoes in 2024.

Current development

Airship Syndicate remains an active independent studio. In August 2026, it announced DUST: Origins, its fifth title: a dark, isometric science-fiction action-horror shooter set aboard a doomed orbital prison platform. The project was revealed during gamescom Opening Night Live alongside a Kickstarter campaign.

Across original and licensed projects, the studio is known for stylized, comic-informed art direction, RPG-oriented combat, and worldbuilding that connects distinctive characters with expansive game universes.