According to Danish newspaper Børsen, a rift that had developed between Playdead Co-Founder Dino Patti and Creative Director Arnt Jensen was the main reason behind the split in the company’s management.
Known for creepy hits Limbo and Inside, Playdead is an independent studio that has come to be known for a special brand of unique, minimalist titles with charged atmosphere and dark themes. In a conversation with Gamesindustry.biz, Patti revealed that the personal conflict resulted in Jensen submitting a letter of resignation. Although Jensen claims he was only resigning from his position as Creative Director, Patti believed it was a total resignation, and subsequently decided to share his own share of the company for €7.2 million (approximately $7.7 million USD). Patti expressed sadness at the manner in which events unravelled, praising his now former colleague:
“It has of course been hard to leave the company I’ve been part of building, and it’s a bit sad not to have a daily interaction with all of the great people working there…Arnt has been a really good friend and business partner for many years, and as I stated in the Danish article, I think he’s one of the best game-directors in the world.”
Patti remains tight lipped about his future plans, but has hinted that he will be sharing new projects in 2017.