Simply weeks after the departure of Halo inventive chief Joseph Staten from Microsoft comes affirmation that one other Halo veteran, Halo franchise inventive director Frank O’Connor, has left its subsidiary, 343 Industries.
An organization spokesperson confirmed to Polygon in an announcement Monday that O’Connor was not with Microsoft, saying, “We thank Frank for his quite a few contributions to the Halo franchise and want him nicely going ahead.” The rationale for O’Connor’s departure wasn’t introduced, however in response to his LinkedIn profile, he has the title “franchise inventive director” at a separate unnamed firm.
O’Connor and Staten’s departures from Microsoft and the Halo franchise are the newest in an extended checklist of management adjustments for the model. Longtime head of Halo developer 343 Industries Bonnie Ross introduced her departure from the studio in September 2022, with 343 manufacturing head Pierre Hintze stepping up as studio head.
These departures be a part of related senior-level shakeups that embody former Halo multiplayer inventive director Tom French, who left 343 Industries in December; Halo Infinite head of design Jerry Hook, who left 343 Industries final Might; and Halo Infinite artwork director Nicolas Bouvier, who left 343 last July after 14 years with the corporate. One other longtime face of the franchise, Kiki Wolfkill, transitioned from 343 studio head for Halo transmedia and leisure to move of IP growth and leisure at Microsoft. Wolfkill, O’Connor, and Ross all served as government producers on Paramount’s Halo TV collection.
343 Industries was additional affected by layoffs in January, when Microsoft introduced it was reducing 10,000 staff from its international workforce. The Halo studio was reportedly “hit onerous,” dropping greater than 90 staff and transitioning to new know-how — from the in-house Slipspace Engine to Epic Video games’ Unreal Engine 5 for brand new tasks — and “all however ranging from scratch” after a collection of different adjustments.
With ever extra adjustments coming to the studio, and outdated blood leaving, it is going to certainly make many followers of the franchise marvel what’s subsequent for Halo. In the interim, 343 studio head Pierre Hintze says “Halo and Grasp Chief are right here to remain.”