Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker are leaving the studio after 2022 to “begin a new adventure in gaming”.

Rocksteady Games’ parent company, Warner Bros. Games’ president, David Haddad, spoke about Hill and Walker’s departure in an open letter. Nathan Burlow, Rocksteady’s production director and founding member, will take over the director role. At the same time, Darius Sadeghian will assume the studio’s product director role after Hill’s and Walker’s departure.

“I have some important news to share with you about Rocksteady Studios. Co-founders and studio heads Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker have decided to leave the studio. We are very proud to have worked alongside Jamie and Sefton, who have led their talented teams to create some of the best games in the world. They have been great team leaders, from the critically acclaimed hit Batman Arkham franchise to their evolutionary thinking with Suicide Squad. Visiting Rocksteady Studios has always been a highlight for me—the attention to detail, the energy of the people and a sense of what it is like to be in a high-performing studio. They have committed to the highest quality and excellence across all facets of game development while ensuring a unique culture of caring for their employees. With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League nearly finished, they have both decided to leave Rocksteady at the end of 2022 and will begin a new adventure in gaming. We have the utmost respect and gratitude for Jamie and Sefton and wish them all the best in their new endeavour, and like many fans, we look forward to what they do next. Rocksteady is well-positioned with veteran studio leadership elevated to oversee the team,” Haddad wrote. We cut the second paragraph out as he named Hill’s and Walker’s successors, whom we had already named.

“Our decision to leave Rocksteady was emotional! From the day we founded the company in 2004 to today, Rocksteady has been our life and soul. It has allowed us to do what we love most: make great games with exceptionally talented people. We are so proud of the team here for the games we have all made together, from our first game Urban Chaos to the much-loved Arkham series and now the epic Suicide Squad. But there is something extra special about Rocksteady that goes beyond the games we make, and everyone who works here feels it. The incredible moments we’ve shared over the years, the friendships made, and the care this team has for each other has made this unforgettable journey so special. People wear their Rocksteady T-shirts with pride because of how we treat each other and how it feels to be here. We want to thank the team for their hard work and everything they bring to make this such a great place to be. Some of our proudest moments happened because of this team’s energy and talent: getting the chance to work with Warner Bros. and DC on Batman, the excellent Arkham games being way more than we could have imagined, the opportunity to work with some of our childhood heroes, giving back to the industry we love so much by helping budding games makers, and finally, building a culture here where people can just be themselves and together make great games.

One exceptional ingredient in all of this is the Rocksteady fans. Their excitement and support for what we do is the fuel that motivates us to be our best. They are the extended Rocksteady team, and we wish them a huge thank you for energizing us over the last 18 years! With Suicide Squad in safe hands and the team here more vigorous than ever, it’s time to hand over the reins and for us to start a new adventure together in games. Nathan and Darius have proved their passion and skill at Rocksteady over many years. They are veterans of our industry, and we know their commitment to Rocksteady and their talent and energy will take the team to even greater heights. We couldn’t be happier that they are leading the future here and wish them all the very best,” Hill and Walker wrote.

Burlow and Sadeghian also said goodbye to the pair: “Having worked with Jamie and Sefton as one of the studio’s founding members, I want to thank them for creating what I consider to be one of the best games development studios in the industry. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work alongside them, and I wish them the best in the future. I am very passionate and honoured for the opportunity to continue the leadership of Rocksteady with Darius. My goal is to support our talented, hardworking team, retaining the heart and amazing culture of the studio. We are looking forward to building upon our successes with the upcoming release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and our future games,” Burlow said. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead and support the amazing, creative and talented team at Rocksteady. Throughout my career at the studio, I have been driven by the team’s passion and collective energy to achieve their creative vision. I want to extend my thanks to Jamie and Sefton for all the support and guidance they have provided over the years, and the time we have spent working closely together, which has been very special to me. My commitment and goal are to continue building upon Rocksteady’s legacy for delivering innovative and world-class game experiences,” Sadeghian added.

It’s safe to say that Rocksteady is changing. The question is whether it’s happening in the right direction. Let’s hope Hill and Walker don’t start to deal with NFTs and the blockchain… but we wish them luck.

Source: Gematsu