Bruce Shelley, the co-founder of the now defunct Studios, has been hired by as a consultant on The Settlers 7.

According to the news broken by Big Download Shelley is helping to shape the game's design focus. The newest trailer for the game highlights the news, trumpeting Shelley's contribution to the game.

Bringing Shelley on board could signal a change in direction for the long-running series, which has been criticised for requiring too much micro-management.

In contrast, Shelley's work in bringing the Age of Empires and Age of Mythology series to emphasised accessible, action-oriented strategy. Both series were phenomenally popular and instrumental in shaping the evolution of the real-time genre.

By Tracy Erickson