Lionhead co-founder Mark Webley will take over the management role at the Guilford-based studio.
”It is with mixed emotions that I made the decision to leave Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, the company that I co-founded in 1997, at the conclusion of development of Fable: The Journey,” wrote Molyneux in a statement to Kotaku.
”I remain extremely passionate and proud of the people, products and experiences that we created,” he continued. ”from Black & White to Fable to our pioneering work with Milo and Kate for the Kinect platform. However, I felt the time was right to pursue a new independent venture. I’d like to thank the team at Lionhead, as well as our partners at Microsoft Studios for their support, dedication and incredible work over the years.”
We aren’t sure what project Molyneux will be working on with 22 Cans, which was established earlier this year by former Lionhead chief technical officer Tim Rance.
Microsoft hasn’t revealed a new head of the European studios yet, but it did issue this statement: ”As co-founder of Lionhead and an integral part of Microsoft Studios, Peter was the creative visionary behind the blockbuster Fable franchise, and one of our most passionate and influential developers for the Xbox 360 platform.
“He has made an indelible mark on the games industry and we wish him all the best of luck in his future endeavours.”
Perhaps his first project will be something Kinect based, as he seems to be a firm supporter of the motion based hardware.
