In response to prevailing economic conditions, Microsoft recently made the decision to lay off 10,000 employees, impacting various divisions within the company, including the games division. Notably, developers at The Coalition, Bethesda Game Studios, and 343 Industries, the team behind the Halo series, were affected by these job cuts. In light of recent high-level departures from 343 Industries, the studio took to Twitter to reassure fans that they will continue to develop Halo now and in the future.
This announcement came after reports surfaced suggesting that future work on the beloved franchise would be handed over to a third-party studio, while 343 Industries would take on a supervisory role. According to a report on Metro, which translated information from renowned leaker Bathrobe Spartan, plans for a story-based DLC for Halo Infinite have been canceled. The layoffs further fueled speculation that 343 Industries is downsizing its involvement with Halo Infinite and future Halo projects. However, Studio Head Pierre Hintze’s official statement paints a different picture, affirming that Halo and Master Chief are here to stay, with 343 Industries continuing to develop the franchise and deliver epic stories, multiplayer, and all the elements that make Halo great.
The development of Halo Infinite has faced numerous challenges, including delays and changes in leadership leading up to its launch in December 2021 and beyond. Even without considering the layoffs, the departure of several senior team members, such as Halo Infinite’s multiplayer creative director Tom French and developer Joseph Staten, has had a significant impact on the company. Staten has since rejoined Xbox Game Studios Publishing.
The news of the layoffs has not gone unnoticed by former employees, who have openly criticized Microsoft for the turbulent development of Halo Infinite. One such individual is Patrick Wren, who spent eight years at 343 Industries and tweeted his thoughts on the matter, attributing the layoffs and the state of Halo Infinite to incompetent leadership during its development.
Halo Infinite initially received praise for its strong start in both the campaign and multiplayer aspects. However, 343 Industries later faced criticism for not providing sufficient content. One major disappointment was the delayed release of the much-anticipated split-screen campaign co-op mode, which ended up being restricted to online-only play. The mode was originally scheduled for release in August 2022 but was pushed to November and included in the game’s Winter Update, which also introduced a battle pass.
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