Update: Marcus Lehto says Ridgeline/EA departure was completely voluntary

Update (2/27/24): On Twitter, Lehto confirmed his departure from Ridgeline and EA was "of my own accord. This was a very tough decision for me to make."

"I want to thank the Battlefield community for allowing me to listen to you while I was able," he continued. "Your feedback will help make Battlefield stronger."

As far as his next venture is concerned, Lehto said he would step away from games to figure what, "if anything, I want to do next."

Original story: Over the weekend, Marcus Lehto departed Ridgeline Games, which he helped found in 2021.

Per Insider Gaming, the Halo veteran revealed his leave from the studio on Facebook. Based on its wording (and his LinkedIn), he also appears to have left parent company Electronic Arts entirely.

And as the outlet notes, Lehto's exit raises questions about Ridgeline's overall future. The company's website shows no open positions.

Ridgeline was formed with the specific purpose of creating the single-player campaign for the next Battlefield entry. Previous entries have had their solo and multiplayer modes made by the same developer.

But Ridgeline was to collaborate with Ripple Effect (née DICE LA) on Battlefield's "narrative, storytelling and character development opportunities," said Lehto in 2022.

Pre-Ridgeline, Lehto co-created Halo at Bungie and worked on several entries in the series. He then founded V1 Interactive, which released Disintegration in 2020 before shutting down the following year.

Game Developer has reached out to EA about Lehto's leave and Ridgeline's future, and will update when a response is given.