Matrix Online loses key (only) designer

The tiny team at Sony Online Entertainment that keeps The Matrix Online up and running has just lost a key member. Ben Chamberlain, a.k.a. Rarebit, has announced he's leaving after seven years on the game, in a forum post spotted by Massively.

Although not involved in the technical upkeep of the MMO, Chamberlain has been a one-man designer and game master on The Matrix Online for some years now. He has single-handedly kept a story going for the game's minuscule but dedicated community with a steady stream of live events.

Chamberlain said that his decision to leave SOE (and the games industry) was "purely personal", and that he he would be posting an outline of the story that he had worked out for the rest of the year, tying up most loose ends. "These will, I hope, answer some questions. Where the story goes from here, however, will be - finally - up to you," he said.

This implies that SOE is either unable or unwilling to replace him, and the creative direction of the game will now be left in the hands of its players. "Fortunately, the day-to-day operation of the game servers, aside from maybe a crash here or there, doesn't have anything to do with the coming or going of one small game designer," Chamberlain said, although the community feels different.

"Sadly this could be the final nail in the coffin for this game," commented one poster.

Eurogamer, in the impressive form of Chris Donlan, encountered Chamberlain at last year's SOE Fan Faire in Las Vegas and reported that he "bears a disturbing resemblance to Agent Smith".

"I don't count on ever again having a chance to work on such a cool project, with such devoted fans," Chamberlain concluded. "It is those fans that I have to thank particularly; even if we drove each other crazy now and then, I think many of us will agree that we had our moments.

"My regret is that I have been unable to find a way to stretch those moments out into the full-fledged online Matrix experience that you all deserve."