Julian Gerighty, overseer of The Division, departs Massive for DICE

Julian Gerighty, face of The Division franchise at Massive Entertainment, has announced his departure from the Swedish developer in a social media post.

“It’s time for me to hang up my go bag (keeping the watch) as I go on another grand adventure,” he wrote. “The Division’s future burns bright, and I can’t wait for you to discover what the teams have been working on.”

Gerighty had been the face of the game for a number of years, serving as Creative Director on The Division and The Division 2, then becoming Executive Producer overseeing the franchise following a stint as Creative Director on Star Wars Outlaws. Last week he promised that The Division 3, which is yet to be formally revealed, would have “as big an impact as The Division 1”. He is moving to EA’s Battlefield Studios, and an unspecified role at fellow Swedish studio DICE.

His departure follows the announcement this week of layoffs at Massive and Ubisoft Stockholm, following a voluntary redundancy process last year amid ongoing cutbacks at the French publisher.

“We are incredibly proud of everything Julian has contributed to Massive,” said Thomas Andrén, Managing Director at Massive Entertainment. “His move to DICE reflects the unique strength of Swedish game development, an industry built on collaboration, shared heritage, and a passion for creating unforgettable experiences.”

“We look forward to seeing how he continues to elevate our craft on a global stage. Julian’s next chapter is a testament to how talent and creativity flow across studios in Sweden.”

Andrén described creative leadership across The Division franchise as “exceptionally strong”, with series veterans Yannick Banchereau and Mathias Karlson continuing as Creative Directors on The Division 2 and The Division 3 respectively. Magnus Jansen, a 21-year veteran of the studio and “one of the original creative voices of the franchise,” has returned to lead development of upcoming extraction mode The Division 2: Survivors.

“Together, they bring deep continuity and a clear creative vision that will carry the franchise forward, hand in hand with our experienced teams with both seasoned leaders and newer faces – all ready to push boundaries and explore innovation to bring the franchise into an exciting future,” ” said Andrén.

Ubisoft is expected to announce details of its restructuring into “Creative Houses” later this month, as part of an ongoing transformation process that has resulted in significant job losses and the cancellation of a number of projects over the last few years. The first Creative House, Vantage Studios, was announced last year and is partially owned by Tencent.