Volition's founder and president Mike Kulas leaving the firm next week

Volition's founder and president, Mike Kulas, will voluntarily step-down from the company next week stating he had been contemplating leaving the firm since last year.

Kulas has been part of the development firm for 18 years, five of which includes time at Volition's predecessor, Parallax Software, which he co-founded with with Matt Toschlog in 1993. When the company split, Kulas went on to form Volition which is now owned by THQ.

Speaking with Illinois site The News-Gazette, Kulas said no particular event was behind his decision to leave the firm, and that with Red Faction: Armageddon finished and Saints Rows: The Third "in the home stretch," it was the proper time to make good on his decision to leave.

Kulas said he doesn't foresee returning to Volition, but it is "very important," to him "that things at Volition continue smoothly."

He also told the Gazette he has no immediate plans professionally, as he wants to "clear" his mind over the summer before deciding what he should do next.

Kulas also said that although 16 employees were recently laid-off from the firm, there are immediate redundancy plans in the studio's near future.

Volition's vice president of product development, Dan Cermak, will take over as Volition president on Monday when Kulas leaves. Cermak has been with the company since 2003.

Thanks, Gamasutra.