The search for a successor to lead Lionhead studios since the departure of Peter Molyneux has finally come to an end. John Needham will be the new studio head calling the shots at Lionhead.

Needham will be running Lionhead’s day to day operations and report to Microsoft’s Phil Harrison. Needham has plenty of experience during his time as CEO of Cryptic Studios and Gazillion Entertainment. Needham is quoted as saying that he can’t wait to get started on building innovative AAA experiences.

While Molyneux’s departure from Lionhead was some time ago, it looks like Microsoft spent significant time trying to make sure that they had the right person for the job. It was no easy task to replace someone like Peter Molyneux, that is for sure.

As for Lionhead, no one is really sure what the studio is working on. A number of rumors suggest that the studio is likely working on a new title for the Xbox Next, but of course, no one is confirming that is the case at this time.