Fable series creator Peter Molyneux leaves Microsoft, Lionhead

The creative visionary behind Black & White and the Fable series video games, Peter Molyneux, announced today that after a decade he was leaving both Lionhead Studios and Microsoft's Xbox team and moving onto a new venture, according to video game news site Kotaku.

"It is with mixed emotions that I made the decision to leave Microsoft and Lionhead Studios, the company that I co-founded in 1997," Molyneux said in a statement to Kotaku.

This news comes days after the Xbox showcase of the latest version of the Fable series--Fable: The Journey. This role-playing game is one of several that are coming out this year that don't use the Xbox's standard controller but instead relies entirely on players' use of the Kinect motion controller. According to Kotaku, Molyneux will stay involved in the Fable series as a creative consultant.

Earlier today, Molyneux tweeted, "I have left the lovely amazing Microsoft and Lionhead. Now for something really amazing, scary and brave a new company called 22 Cans." However, nothing is yet known about this new business.

According to Kotaku, Lionhead will now be run by studio co-founder Mark Webley and Microsoft has yet to name a new European studios head.