As we reported, EA is restructuring its RPG and MMO games development into a new group that includes both Mythic and BioWare. Mythic General Manager Mark Jacobs left EA on Tuesday, and Massively spoke to a former Mythic employee  about Jacobs' departure, who said, "People are shocked and in disbelief about Mark leaving. But they're also excited to be working with BioWare. I can't even fathom Mark leaving a company he loved so much, it was his life. Personally, I can't see that this is voluntary in any shape or form."

The ex-staffer, who asked to remain anonymous, said Jacobs had been on sabbatical for more than a month. "No one had seen him in a long time, so people already had it in their minds that he was probably going away," the former employee said.

The source emphasized he or she left Mythic on amicable terms. "I can't imagine anyone saying anything bad about Mark. He mostly stayed up on the eighth floor and did his own thing in his office, but he had a vision for the way [Warhammer Online] could be and he definitely follows his vision," the source said.