God of War Director Leaves Sony Santa Monica

Following the unusual trend this week of prominent developers leaving their long-time studios, God of War III director Stig Asmussen is confirmed as having left Sony Santa Monica for unknown reasons. 

Asmussen joined the studio in 2003, beginning as an environmental artist on God of War, working his way up to director of God of War III. Turning direction of the franchise's latest installment, God of War: Ascension over to Todd Pappy, Asmussen was working on an unrelated internal project before he left, which some are wondering might have been the new IP Sony Santa Monica dropped following the round of layoffs it went through last month.

The cancelled project would have featured Battlestar Galactica writer Michael Angeli, who in a panel at last year's San Diego Comic Con said it was intended to be the studio's next project following the release of God of War: Ascension. 

No details have been released yet regarding the nature of Asmussen's departure, other than a confirmation by SCEA.