Media Molecule is one of the UK's best known and beloved development studios, and the company has become a bastion for creativity, showing what user-generated content games can be like when done correctly. The examples of this include the ever-popular Little Big Planet and the more recent Dreams.
Why are we telling you this? It has been revealed that one of the founders of Media Molecule is departing to instead chase and pursue "personal creative projects." This individual is David Smith, who for the longest time has been known as the gameplay director at the studio.
Speaking about departing Media Molecule, Smith has shared a statement where he explains: "I'm proud to say that of all the games we've made, and are making, the spirit of creativity and joyfulness suffesses them all. This has been an unregrettable use of those years."
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This is a particularly interesting moment for Media Molecule, as Smith's departure does mean that now all of the main core founders have exited the studio. Alex Evans left in 2020, followed by Mark Healey and Kareem Ettouney in 2023, and now Smith in 2025.
As for what's next for Smith, he adds: "I've been feeling a growing itch to explore truly wild ideas and make things based on my personal whimsy. Though I still greatly enjoy the creative dynamic of working at Mm, there simply aren't enough hours in the day to work at Mm and on my personal projects, without entirely giving up on pursuing that mythical creature called "work-life balance"."