Darksiders developer loses co-founder Joe Madureira

Vigil Games co-founder Joe Madureira is leaving the studio he helped create in 2005. The creative director and comic book writer/artist announced on his Facebook page today (via Game Informer) his planned departure and what will come next.

"Farewell and best wishes to all my brothers and sisters at Vigil Games! After 7 long years and 2 hit games ( Darksiders BABY! ) I'm afraid the time has come for me to move on to new adventures," Madureira said. "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."

Madureira's distinct artistic style informed the original designs of Darksiders I and II. While he has been involved with comics here and there since joining Vigil, he said his first priority is "banging out a bunch" of them, until he can talk more about his next big thing in a few months.

Vigil Games is still at work on the MMO-turned-single-player-with-online Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millenium, and presumably on another Darksiders game. Publisher THQ purchased Vigil Games in 2006 and set the developer up with a 33,000 square foot studio in Austin in 2009.