Sony Online Entertainment has announced that its chief creative officer, Brad McQuaid, will be leaving the company to explore other opportunities in the development of online games. McQuaid was one of the creators of Sony's popular online role-playing game EverQuest. Sony Online chief operating officer John Smedley, also one of the creators of EverQuest, will assume McQuaid's responsibilities.

　　"After five years of building the EverQuest franchise for Sony Online Entertainment, it's time for me to explore other opportunities in the creative development of massively multiplayer games," McQuaid said. "I wish SOE the greatest success with all future releases, and I have the greatest confidence in the ability of the development staff that we've assembled over the past few years to continue expanding the EverQuest experience."

　　EverQuest, which was launched in 1999, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game set in a medieval fantasy world. The game reportedly now has more than 430,000 subscribers. Sony Online has released two expansion packs for the game, EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark and EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark , as well as a compilation, 2812858EverQuest: Trilogy . A third expansion pack, EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark , is scheduled for release this holiday season.