Media Molecule co-founder and art director Kareem Ettouney to depart in 2023

Media Molecule co-founder and art director Kareem Ettouney will be departing the studio next year.

Ettouney helped establish the Little Big Planet and Dreams developer in 2006 alongside five friends from Lionhead and Criterion. The studio eventually caught the eye of PlayStation maker Sony, which purchased Media Molecule in 2010. Since then, the company has become of the jewels in Sony's first-party crown.

Under Ettouney's stewardship, the Guildford-based studio launched multiple critically acclaimed franchises including Little Big Planet, Dreams, and Tearaway, which inspired spin-offs such as PlayStation 5 platformer Sackboy: A Big Adventure.

It's unclear why Ettouney has decided to depart the studio after almost two decades, with a statement posted online simply explaining the co-founder has "decided to move on."

"Since day one, Kareem has been essential in defining the look, the feel and, without a doubt, the very ethos of who we are and what we do at Media Molecule. We are forever grateful for everything he's done for us and our community. He'll be leaving us in early 2023," reads a statement shared on social media.

"It wouldn't feel right for Kareem to depart without a personal goodbye to the community, so we'll be streaming live with him on January 17, 2023. We'll be looking back at his time at Media Molecule and checking out a few of his personal Dreams highlights. He'll see you there!"