The Sims Boss Lucy Bradshaw Leaves EA After 23 Years

Electronic Arts executive Lucy Bradshaw, a 23-year company veteran who most recently served as senior vice president of The Sims studio Maxis, has left the company. The news was announced Thursday in a blog post written by EA CEO Andrew Wilson.

"Today we are announcing that Lucy Bradshaw is moving on from Electronic Arts," Wilson said. "Through 23 years with our company, Lucy has brought an incredible passion for games and our player community. I want to thank Lucy for her dedication to EA, her contributions to Maxis, and the creative spirit she infused in every one of her teams and projects. We wish her the best as she takes on her next adventure."

No further details about what Bradshaw may do next were made available. In her own statement, Bradshaw said she's sure Maxis is in good hands and looks forward to playing their games in the future.

"I've had a wonderful journey at EA and Maxis, filled with amazingly creative people, unforgettable experiences, and an inspiring community of players and creators," Bradshaw said. "I have the highest regard for EA's leadership today, their vision and their focus on putting players first. I leave knowing that Maxis is in great hands with a leader and teams who are full of respect for our players, passion for our games, and new ideas to bring to the world of Maxis gamers. I look forward to seeing what's next from these incredible teams, I'll certainly be playing."

Maxis general manager Rachel Franklin will take over leadership of EA's Maxis studio going forward.

Wilson also stressed that Maxis franchises, including The Sims and SimCity, "[have] never had a bigger and more engaged player base." He also said he anticipates these franchises growing bigger in the future.

To do that, Maxis is being re-assigned to EA's wider mobile division. "The collaboration between these teams will help us unlock new ways for Maxis IP to connect with players wherever they want to play," Wilson said. The executive added that, despite this move, Maxis franchises will continue to be supported on PC.

In March, EA closed the Maxis Emeryville studio.

Bradshaw officially joined EA in 1997 when EA acquired Maxis. She came to EA from LucasArts, where she oversaw the development on games like Star Wars: Rebel Assault and Monkey Island 2. Before that, she worked at Activision.