A number of high-level staff are departing Borderlands maker Gearbox.

That's according to Axios, which reports that senior producer Christopher Brock, lead mission designer Keith Schuler and art director Scott Kester – who have all been with the studio for over ten years – were leaving. Meanwhile, creative director Paul Sage, UX/game feel director Chris Strasz and lead character artist Kevin Penrod were also departing the Austin, Texas-based studio.

Apparently these job moves were announced internally a fortnight ago. There's also a seventh person leaving, though they aren't named by Axios. Nearly all of those moving on were reportedly working on a pre-production project.

"Before their transition, the group was part of a not-yet-announced pre-production team and their departure will cause minimal disruption in our current plans," Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford said, also saying that those leaving were doing so "on the best of terms."

The exec also said that work on the recently-announced Borderlands spin-off Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is "on-track" at the moment.

Gearbox was acquired by European games giant Embracer Group in February of this year in a deal worth $1.3 billion. Pitchford has described the sale as a "rocket booster" for the studio's ambitions.