Peter Molyneux To Leave Lionhead Studios

Peter Molyneux has confirmed on his Twitter page that he is leaving Lionhead Studios and Microsoft, and is moving on to “a new independent venture.” But not all is lost for Molyneux as he will swiftly be joining new independent developer; 22 Cans, which was set up last year by former Lionhead CTO Tim Rance.

Molyneux had this to say: “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. I remain extremely passionate and proud of the people, products and experiences that we created, 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.”

In a statement, Microsoft said: “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 game industry and we wish him all the best of luck in his future endeavours.”

And with this sudden announcement, the only question festering in our minds is what will this veteran developer do next? Only time will tell.