Dishonored, Prey Dev's Founder Leaving The Studio After 18 Years

Raphael Colantonio, the president and co-founder of Arkane Studios, has announced that he is parting ways with the developer. He had been with the company since he co-founded it in 1999.

The news was shared in a post on Bethesda's blog written by Colantonio, who explained, "[I]t is time for me to step out to spend some time with my son and reflect on what is important to me and my future. I've had the opportunity to work with some of the best and brightest people in the industry, and I feel extremely lucky to have been part of this journey with everyone at Arkane."

Colantonio credits Arkane's acquisition by Bethesda parent company ZeniMax in 2010 as giving the developer "the opportunity to emerge as a world-class studio. ZeniMax enabled us to make the best games that we've ever made. And I know there is even more to come."

His statement attempts to reassure Arkane fans that nothing is wrong with the studio; he notes that Harvey Smith, with whom Colantonio directed Dishonored, will "oversee the team in Austin." Colantonio added, "I will be around for as long as necessary to ensure a smooth transition to the new management team in Lyon," referring to the studio's France-based location.

There's no indication if Colantonio intends to return to game development in the future. He's been in the industry for more than two decades, having worked at Electronic Arts before founding Arkane. The studio reached new heights with the release of Dishonored in 2012; GameSpot's in-depth documentary explored the impact that game had, the studio's origins, and more, featuring interviews with both Colantonio and Smith. You can watch Part 1 above.