'Star Wars: The Old Republic' creative director Charles Boyd is leaving BioWare after 16 years.

The developer has promised the game is remaining in good hands with "exciting things in the works" including new planets, characters and gameplay.

In a statement, he said: "The 'Star Wars' galaxy has always been a huge part of my life since I was a kid, so getting to play a role in SWTOR’s growth from its initial vision to a colossal release and then an incredible live service for over a decade has been an amazing experience."

BioWare's general manager Gary Mckay also reassured fans about the future of the game, and he noted the studio remains "committed" to its future.

He added: "He leaves 'SWTOR' in excellent hands with an incredible team that will carry forward our vision for the game.

"We are committed to SWTOR’s future as we continue to work on the next 'Dragon Age' and 'Mass Effect.' "

Other members of the design leadership team - including lead producer Eric Musco, narrative director Ashley Ruhl, lead writer Caitlyn Sullivan Kelly, UX director Alan Copeland and gameplay design director George Smith - are staying in place.

Meanwhile, 'Star Wars: Hunters' - Zynga's upcoming team-based combat game coming to Switch and iOS/Android - has been delayed worldwide and won't be released until 2023.

In a statement, the studio said: "We are working tirelessly to achieve our vision for 'Star Wars: Hunter'. Our amibition is to create a competitive battle arena game that will entertain for years to come.

"To ensure we meet the high expectations we are setting for fans globally and ourselves as developers, we have made the decision to delay the worldwide launch of 'Star Wars: Hunters.' "

They added: "We understand game delays are frustrating, however, our top priority is ensuring players will have the best possible experience in the Arena."