The Studio

Mike is a passionate 25-year veteran of the video game industry, well known and respected for his creative leadership and intimate knowledge of game design. He has exceptional instincts in predicting industry trends and understanding what will make or break a game before precious resources are invested in implementation. Mike has led teams of 100+ on the design of Triple-A projects and he also has a great deal of passion and experience working on smaller independent projects. Published titles include: United Front Games (2007 – 2016): Design Director/Studio Creative Director – Sleeping Dogs, Smash + Grab, Disney Infinity: Marvel Battlegrounds; Rockstar Games (2003 – 2007): Design Director/Studio Design Director: Bully, Max Payne 3; Radical Entertainment (1996 – 2003): Senior Designer: Hulk, Bloodlines, Jackie Chan Stuntmaster; West Coast Creations (1991 – 1998): Founder and Lead Designer: MajorMUD.

“What I love most about Brass Token is that we all bring unique strengths to whatever project we are working on. Everyone is here for each other and that allows us to learn new things and apply them to The Chant each and every day.”

A Chartered Professional Accountant with over 20 years experience, Sapna has managed multi-million dollar projects and led global teams. At KPMG and Smythe CPA, her experience ranged from assurance, corporate finance and international taxation. In her role as Executive Director of the international not-for-profit organization imagine1day, Sapna devoted eight years to designing and leading imagine1day, a non-profit which provides access to quality education for children throughout Ethiopia. A builder at heart, Sapna is excited to be working with an inspired team at Brass Token to create intriguing immersive experiences.

“It’s been incredible to see how far our collective passion and desire to create something truly unique, has taken us. I’m so proud to be a part of the team at Brass Token”.

Stephen began his programming career in 1998 and eagerly moved on to developing flash games in 2004 at Cackleberries Entertainment. In 2005 he joined Rockstar Vancouver where he worked on melee combat and AI for Bully and Max Payne 3. In 2008 he joined United Front Games where he developed cutting edge character and gameplay mechanics for Sleeping Dogs, Smash+Grab and other unannounced projects. Stephen most enjoys playing story-based action games with the occasional multiplayer 2-4 person co-op multiplayer game.

“What I love about Brass Token is that we’re a close-knit, experienced group of developers that get to leverage cutting-edge technology to create experiences that are both familiar and unique!”

Warren’s career  in games spans over 15 years and has earned him a strong reputation in AI programming in particular, and gameplay in general.  He’s worked on a variety of notable games including Bully and Max Payne 3 – Rockstar Games; Sleeping Dogs and Smash + Grab – United Front Games; and Age of Empires IV – Relic Entertainment. Some of Warren’s favourite games to play these days include The Witcher 3, DOOM, Team Fortress and Counterstrike.

“What I most enjoy about Brass Token is the chance to work with a small team of extremely talented individuals.  I’ve never worked on an original horror game, so that too has been a great experience and has allowed me to expand my capabilities with Unreal Engine.”

Corissa is a talented and highly versatile artist who helps drive the artistic vision for our games. Prior to joining Brass Token she worked with Electronic Arts on the FIFA (17/18) franchise and at Hellbent Games on Video Horror Squad. Some of the games she loves to play are Bloodborne, Cult of the Lamb, Hollow Knight, Meteorfall: Krumit’s Tale, and Pokémon.

“I love everything about my experience working at Brass Token! I love the company, people, vibe, and everything else about it. Everyone’s opinion matters and is valued. It has such a synergetic environment that ideas evolve into even greater ones through amazing teamwork and collaboration. The Chant is such an amazing game to work on and to help it become the greatest game it can be. I’ve learned and grown so much and really feel like I belong here at Brass Token.”

Dale is a generalist designer with a broad skillset that spans narrative, level and cinematic design. He has a distinct passion for creating worlds that feature complex interactive storytelling and thoughtful gameplay encounters. He has worked in both independent development at Interdimensional Games, and in AAA at The Coalition (Gears 5), Capcom (Dead Rising series), and Electronic Arts (FIFA 20). Dale loves too many games to pick a favourite, but if he had to choose his top five they would be: Bloodborne, The Last of Us, God of War, Witcher 3, and Outer Wilds.

“What I love about my work at Brass Token is that I feel empowered to contribute new ideas and to be creative. Everyone on the team has a voice, and those voices have shaped the game for the better. The team consists of super talented industry veterans, and I’ve learned a ton working with them over the course of developing The Chant. It’s been incredible to work on an original horror IP with such a unique setting and premise. I have a deep love for horror games and third person action, so working on this project has been a personal dream of mine.”

Mat’s experience began in quality assurance at Rock Star Games and from there he worked as a designer for six years at United Front Games. His responsibilities have spanned animation and gameplay scripting, combat design, as well as UX and level design. Published titles include: Sleeping Dogs, Smash+Grab, and Max Payne 2. A consumer of all things video game, Mat is currently playing Elden Ring, Dota 2 and Satisfactory.

“Working at Brass Token with friends and colleagues, some of whom I’ve known for decades, on exciting new projects in an independent studio? What’s not to like?”

Meagan joined Brass Token with a breadth of experience as an artist working in virtual reality experiences for location based entertainment and as a compositor on films including Terry Pratchett’s Troll Bridge (Short Film), AWOL (Feature Film), The World of Steam (Web Series) and a variety of other short films. The mix of experience that Meagan brings to her work has brought new perspectives and approaches to the team at large. Some of Meagan’s favourite games to play are Mass Effect 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Elder Scrolls, Ghost of Tsushina, and Uncharted 4.

“Everyone at Brass Token is incredibly talented and not hesitant about stepping up and helping each other out, which makes working with the team great! With the smaller group, being able to offer ideas and artistic suggestions and have that heard and built further upon by the rest of the team really solidifies that feeling of it being a true group effort!”

Djibraïl brings to Brass Token, a very unique skill set as an animator, being both highly technical while also having finesse and strong design sensibilities, particularly when it comes to creature animation. His prior experience was on a cosmic horror game called Hellpoint. Some of his favourite games to play are RPG-Survivals and Co-op Adventures with a good construction system. Djibraïl is a builder at heart, and loves to play with friends.

“One of the best things about Brass Token is that there are many talented people working here and it’s amazing to see what everyone is creating together. I feel grateful to be part of such a team and to have an impact on the game. Another thing I like is that I can practice my Japanese at work with Sota!”

Felipe joined Brass Token fresh out of Vancouver Film Schools’s game design program, where he continues to contribute his knowledge of Unreal Engine by supporting workshops for up and coming talent as an Ambassador to the program. Though new to the industry, his desire to learn and develop from our senior team members has expanded his contribution to The Chant, in particular in getting through first party compliance. Felipe currently loves to play Kenshi, Mount & Blade: Bannerlord, and From the Depths.

“What I most enjoy at Brass Token is the opportunity to work with a small team of incredibly talented and hard-working individuals,  on an exciting and new original game.”

Matt is part of the furnace of fresh talent at Brass Token, having recently graduated from Vancouver Film School’s game design program.  A natural collaborator, Matt has integrated into various aspects of development including game design, scripting, and production. When it comes to games Matt enjoys most, what draws him in is the connection with characters and unpredictable stories that challenge his skills and values as a player.  Whether it’s surviving the depths of Rapture, surveying the shores of Monkey Island, or saving a civilization from total extinction, the experiences that are truly fulfilling to Matt explore deep narrative with profound themes of survival and perseverance. 

“I am privileged to be working with and learning from such a warm and supportive group at Brass Token. The team is incredibly talented. I’ve really enjoyed the collaborative efforts of everyone involved and to be part of a horror game as my first project feels like a dream come true.”

A recent graduate of the Vancouver Film School’s Game Design program, Austin was part of the winning project for both the Best Interactive Narrative and Best Team Project awards.  His talent, passion and dedication adds tremendous value to our team and has helped raise the quality of The Chant.  Some of the games Austin is currently playing are Minecraft, Sea of Thieves and Total War.

“I’m enjoying the aesthetic and tone of The Chant; how it invokes the feeling of going down the rabbit hole while accompanied by a musical score that adds to the sense of becoming lost in a mysterious place.”