Cofounder leaves Darksiders developer Vigil Games

Joe Madureira is moving on from Vigil Games, the studio he cofounded in 2005, to discover "new adventures."

The announcement came from a status update on Madureira's Facebook yesterday: "Farewell and best wishes to all my brothers and sisters at Vigil Games! After seven long years and two hit games (Darksiders, BABY!), I'm afraid the time has come for me to move on to new adventures. I could not be more proud of what we achieved or the awesome people who helped build up this studio. I can safely say Vigil's future is in very good hands, so expect only awesomeness down the road. This feels surreal … I miss the place already."

We'll have to wait a few months to learn what Madureira is focusing on next, but until then, he's back to working on comics for Marvel — "something Wolverine and Spidey and Elektra related," he said.

Madureira added, "I left Vigil and THQ on very good terms. The continued success of the studio is extremely important to me. And it is not out of the question that I could work with them as an external developer. I'm just not an employee anymore."

He also said that his leaving did not mean "the end of Darksiders."

A statement made by THQ confirmed Madureira's stance: "After nearly eight years at the studio, he has decided to take time out and focus on his passion for comics and other creative outlets. His departure will not have an impact on future DLC or game development. Joe was beloved by all at Vigil and THQ, and he will most certainly be missed. It is possible he may still consult with Vigil on future projects, and we look forward to that opportunity.”

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[Game Informer]