Dreams studio Media Molecule has appointed a new creative director

John Beech steps up from lead designer to replace the recently departed Mark Healey

LittleBigPlanet and Dreams studio Media Molecule has named John Beech as its new creative director.

He will step up from lead designer to take on the role previously held by Media Molecule co-founder Mark Healey, who left the Sony-owned studio last month.

Beech started working at the Guildford, UK-based studio in 2009, when he became one of a growing number of Media Molecule developers hired directly from the communities that play its games, which focus heavily on user generated content.

“John, for example, is a builder by trade, he wasn’t a game developer, but his work was so good in LBP that we brought him on,” Media Molecule community manager Tom Dent previously told VGC.

Healey’s departure from Media Molecule was confirmed a week after the studio announced it would be ending support for Dreams, which was released in early access in April 2019 before officially launching in February 2020.

In an article posted on the game’s official website, the studio explained it had “made the difficult decision to discontinue live support for Dreams after September 1, 2023 to shift our focus to an exciting new project”.

“We’re so excited that John will be leading us on our new journey here at the studio!” Media Molecule tweeted on Friday.

“I could not be more honoured to take on the role of Creative Director at Media Molecule,” said Beech.

“They are without a doubt some of the most incredibly creative people I have ever had the privilege to know. I will strive to do my upmost to make them, and the Mm coMmunity proud!”