I've been covering this news for the past several weeks, with John Smedley's stepping down from Presidency as the latest shocking bit of information in this ongoing drama. To top that, not only has Smedley apparently departed from Daybreak games entirely - but now he appears to have formed an entirely new company.
John Smedley Starts New Company
While details about this new - I would assume - game development company are not yet readily available, this shouldn't come as a complete shock given the rather vague statement by Daybreak to Gameinformer about him stepping down. It was a sudden move that while sensible, probably caught the CEO as much off guard as it did anyone else.
John has a wealth of experience in the game development industry including the launch of many MMORPG titles during his tenure at Sony Online Entertainment (now known as Daybreak games). He is a passionate developer and thoughtful leader that has a track record for making bold decisions. While the road hasn't always been good - it has always been exciting to watch Smedley lead from the front.
I would assume he will retain as much (if not more) executive control over this new company's direction as he did for Daybreak/SOE. It might be some time before a new game concept is announced, but I imagine it will be something bold and innovative - as the former President will now be free to pursue concepts and ideas outside of Daybreak's bread and butter MMORPG genre of game development & design.
We'll keep you updated on the situation as we learn more information.
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