Media Molecule’s Last Remaining Co-Founder Resigns After Nearly 20 Years

David Smith, the final original co-founder at Media Molecule, has declared his decision to depart from the company.

Today, the developer announced the news through their social media platforms, featuring a message penned by Smith personally. In his own words, he shared that he is embarking on a journey to focus on “independent artistic endeavors.” Here’s the complete statement:

20 years back, I established Mm alongside a fantastic team. Memories of crafting the initial concept for LittleBigPlanet still seem fresh as yesterday. Now, it’s with a heavy heart that I announce my departure from Mm to dedicate myself to personal artistic pursuits.

The majority of our company’s founders hail from Lionhead Studios, a vibrant breeding ground for unusual creativity, which I consider an ideal incubator for my skills. The influence of this unconventional creativity sparked the inception of our company, driven by an insatiable desire to create innovative experiences that we truly believe in. We’re passionate about game development and it was only natural for us to want to pass on the joy of our creative journey to our players. I am proud to assert that this spirit of creativity and enthusiasm permeates every game we’ve produced or are still creating. This journey has been a fulfilling investment of those years.

Lately, I find myself drawn towards dabbling with unconventional concepts and creating items that reflect my unique imagination. Although I continue to appreciate the collaborative environment at Mm, the time constraints make it challenging to manage both work there and my personal endeavors without compromising on the elusive “work-life balance”. Consequently, I’ve chosen to part ways with Mm.

In the future, I look forward to staying connected with Mm and popping in occasionally. I truly appreciate collaborating with this team, as they are a refreshing change from what we had two decades ago. Despite the differences, the core values of optimism and open-mindedness, which reflect the original mission of the company, persist. I’m confident that the organization will continue to thrive under its capable leadership.

In January of 2006, Smith established Media Molecule jointly with Mark Healey, Kareem Ettouney, and Alex Evans. After the launch of Dreams, these individuals also left the studio.

Siobhan Reddy, who leads the studio, has been part of the company nearly since its inception, making her the individual with the longest tenure on the team moving forward.

In the specified period, we conducted an interview with Smith, coinciding with the addition of PSVR support to Dreams. You can find details of this conversation by following the provided link.

Presently, Media Molecule is developing an entirely novel intellectual property, though details about it remain elusive. The creative director behind the acclaimed Dreams game, John Beech (who led the team on ‘Dreams’ project Tren), will spearhead this new venture.

What are your thoughts on this news? Discuss in the comments section below.

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2025-08-06 20:10