Helgason steps down as Unity CEO, and John Riccitiello steps up

Unity founder David Helgason has stepped down from his position as CEO, though he will remain with the company going forward. His replacement is none other than Unity Technologies board member John Riccitiello, former CEO of Electronic Arts. Riccitiello resigned from his role as CEO of EA last March, after a spate of rough financial performance for the company. He held the position for six years, and his legacy includes a number of remarkably quotable public appearances. The news comes courtesy of a blog post published to Unity's website by Helgason himself. The departing CEO took pains to reassure developers that the change in leadership would not affect Unity's ongoing operations, claiming he would remain personally involved with the company. "I will be heavily involved with the company’s direction, and will focus my efforts on finding the best ways to serve all of you amazing developers," wrote Helgason. "We want all of you to have the best tools and opportunities, and we’re going to do everything we can to make that happen across the board." UPDATE: We spoke to David Helgason about his changing role, what Riccitiello brings to the company, and the future of Unity. Read our interview now.