Jordan Thomas has departed 2K Marin to create his own games and open an independent game studio; The Bureau: XCOM Declassified unaffected by departure.

The creative director of BioShock 2, Jordan Thomas, has left 2K Marin after more than five years with the developer.

Speaking to GamesIndustry International, Jordan Thomas revealed that a few key moments during the development of BioShock Infinite inspired him to branch out on his own.

A designer on the original BioShock and creative director on BioShock 2, Thomas realised his true calling whilst working on Infinite, saying, "It cemented for me that while BioShock spoke to me, it'll never be for me what it is for Ken [Levine]. I've expanded that legacy here and there, but I could never have created it from scratch."

"I need to build something that is, to me, what BioShock is to Ken. No matter how long it takes, I have to start now."

Thomas has plans to start up a two-person independent game studio with an unrevealed partner, and work on a project that draws upon immersive simulation games such as Thief. The former creative director did not share specific details about his immediate plans.

2K Marin is currently working on the upcoming tactical third-person shooter The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. The game's development should not be impacted by the departure of Thomas, who left the project in early 2012.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified was first announced in 2010 as an untitled first-person shooter set in the XCOM universe. The game underwent an overhaul and was revealed in its current state in April this year. It is currently scheduled for release on August 20 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

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