Report: Former Disney Game Design Director Heads To LucasArts

Disney Interactive Studios' former director of game design Frederic Markus is now the new studio creative director for LucasArts, according to a report on IndustryGamers. The hiring of Markus comes shortly after Disney Interactive experienced "significant" layoffs in the group, but the report did not state Markus' reason for leaving Disney. Disney's gaming arm has been in the midst of a transition from a concentration on packaged games to a greater focus on online gaming. Meanwhile, LucasArts saw layoffs late last year, and key job positions have had employees come and go over the past several months. Markus is credited with 35 shipped games including games in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia franchises. Prior to Disney, he was director of pre-production at Ubisoft and also acted as a consultant with companies like Atari, Microsoft, and Rockstar. His most recent credit is on Epic Mickey, developed by Disney-owned Junction Point Studios. Markus was director of game design on the title on the production side.