Even EVE's Lead Designer Has Left For LoL

Riots have a way of enveloping, possessing, and changing even the most unlikely of passersby, and so too does Riot Games. The League of Legends developer has expanded its more-than-a-thousand-deep talent pool to the point of near-ludicrousness, hungrily slurping up the best and brightest from games and other media alike. The latest? Why, none other than EVE Online lead designer Kristoffer Touborg, that most Borgiest of Tous. Strikes me as a bit of an odd fit, but anyone who can build a universe for EVE's endlessly intrigue-starved legions must know a thing or two about making good online games. So off he goes.

Touborg explained the change of scenery in a Facebook post, bidding a heartfelt farewell to CCP in the process:

"You can’t do the same thing forever and I feel like after more than five years, it’s time to try something new. So I’m packing my bags again and moving to Dublin, where I’ll be joining Riot games to work on League of Legends."

"I feel a bit lucky that I get to work on not just one of my favorite games, but two of them. I don’t think I could have asked for anything more and it’s pretty humbling to go from one love to another. A few years ago, my overwhelming interest was the EVE universe; now it’s League of Legends and the competitive scene there. To everyone at CCP, it’s been wonderful and I would happily do it all over again. To everyone at Riot, I’ll see you soon."

What this means for both games is anyone's guess at this point, but it's pretty clear evidence that Riot will eventually HIRE THE WORLD. Also, while EVE is held aloft on the shimmering, deity-like shoulders of a very large team, lead designer's a pretty huge role to vacate. I doubt it'll cause any seismic shift in the game's direction, but it could cause CCP to plot a different course in the long run.

So then, multi-year political battles rife with subterfuge and backstabbery confirmed for LoL? We can only hope.