[kupoartist]

Warren Spector, a key figure on many of PC gaming's most innovative series (System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex, Ultima Underworld, many under Looking Glass Studios) and a popular speaker at Games Industry Shows is leaving the company he formed when creating the excellent Deus Ex over half a decade ago.

In the aftermath of the abysmal Deus Ex 2 (which wasn't really Spector's resonsibility) and the questionably successful Thief III, Ion Storm made a number of lay-offs and a few key staff members quit to persue other interests. Spector is said to be "persuing personal interests outside the company" (aren't they always ^^) So it is unknown whether this is a break, a retirement or a simple move to another studio. He is apparently still employed in an advisory capacity at Eidos, with rumours that he is overseeing work on the new Tomb Raider game.Source