Halo Infinite/343i is officially done (Joe Staten leaving 343) *Update* leaving Microsoft

[Gizmo_Duck]

343 is now stopping "active development" and become "franchise coordinator" of Halo. Halo Infinite Campaign DLCs scrapped, focus on MP support​

Summary:

• 343 seems to have lost around 1/3 of its workforce (internal + contractors)
• 2023 plans seem unchanged by this major reshape: focus was and still is on MP for this year (Forge MM, new Seasons/BP, New maps and probably Tatanka)
• Before Bonnie Ross quitting, Joseph Staten with a small team was preparing to ship multiple contained Campaign DLC to expand its narrative over the months or even years. This plan was stopped when Pierre Hintze and the new key roles came in after Ross as they've seen too much complexity in creating new contents for Campaign + was not enough profitable for them to sustain, so they decided to completely halt them in favor on focusing on MP only for the time being (this may have led to Staten deciding to leave too)
• Halo Infinite largely missed its financial and overall goals and led to Microsoft decision to halt 343 "active development" transforming (or regress?) them into "franchise coordinators"
• This means that other than supporting Halo Infinite MP (which is already largely externalized to Certain Affinity, Spearsoft and others), their role will be limited to make sure different external studios will create further Halo projects (direct sequels to Infinite story or spin-offs of different genre) respecting all the established lore and fundamentals for the IP
• Slipspace Engine is still in place along with its internal engineers, but it will be opened up to learn and use also to all external studios working with the IP (if they want)
• In this sense, 343 together with Microsoft Game Publishing started contacting (and contracting) with external studios to create "future Halo experiences" together since 2020, also with the aim to reduce/optimize costs/budget

 

[Rekkapryde]

343 is now stopping "active development" and become "franchise coordinator" of Halo. Halo Infinite Campaign DLCs scrapped, focus on MP support​

Summary:

• 343 seems to have lost around 1/3 of its workforce (internal + contractors)
• 2023 plans seem unchanged by this major reshape: focus was and still is on MP for this year (Forge MM, new Seasons/BP, New maps and probably Tatanka)
• Before Bonnie Ross quitting, Joseph Staten with a small team was preparing to ship multiple contained Campaign DLC to expand its narrative over the months or even years. This plan was stopped when Pierre Hintze and the new key roles came in after Ross as they've seen too much complexity in creating new contents for Campaign + was not enough profitable for them to sustain, so they decided to completely halt them in favor on focusing on MP only for the time being (this may have led to Staten deciding to leave too)
• Halo Infinite largely missed its financial and overall goals and led to Microsoft decision to halt 343 "active development" transforming (or regress?) them into "franchise coordinators"
• This means that other than supporting Halo Infinite MP (which is already largely externalized to Certain Affinity, Spearsoft and others), their role will be limited to make sure different external studios will create further Halo projects (direct sequels to Infinite story or spin-offs of different genre) respecting all the established lore and fundamentals for the IP
• Slipspace Engine is still in place along with its internal engineers, but it will be opened up to learn and use also to all external studios working with the IP (if they want)
• In this sense, 343 together with Microsoft Game Publishing started contacting (and contracting) with external studios to create "future Halo experiences" together since 2020, also with the aim to reduce/optimize costs/budget

They need to first realize that Halo ain't what it used to be. Move on.

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

They need to first realize that Halo ain't what it used to be. Move on.

I’ve never seen a publisher try so desperately to hold onto an IP before lol

 

[ORDER_66]

I’ve never seen a publisher try so desperately to hold onto an IP before lol

It's literally all they have... no innovation or moving the story forward just now with more MP/live service bullshyt

 

[ALonelyDad]

They need to first realize that Halo ain't what it used to be. Move on.

Halo and 343i

 

[Pull Up the Roots]

• Before Bonnie Ross quitting, Joseph Staten with a small team was preparing to ship multiple contained Campaign DLC to expand its narrative over the months or even years. This plan was stopped when Pierre Hintze and the new key roles came in after Ross as they've seen too much complexity in creating new contents for Campaign + was not enough profitable for them to sustain, so they decided to completely halt them in favor on focusing on MP only for the time being (this may have led to Staten deciding to leave too)
• Halo Infinite largely missed its financial and overall goals and led to Microsoft decision to halt 343 "active development" transforming (or regress?) them into "franchise coordinators"

Interesting.

 

[kdslittlebro]

fell From top 10 ten to not mentioned at all

in high school u was the man homey. fukk happened to u headass

halo is literally 50 cent. Came up like gangbusters his first two albums. Sold really good on the 3rd. But u saw the fall of coming. the last 3 50 albums mirror Halo. Just very cheap and stuck in the past


fukk Xbox

The unmitigated vitriol

 

[Legal]

• Before Bonnie Ross quitting, Joseph Staten with a small team was preparing to ship multiple contained Campaign DLC to expand its narrative over the months or even years. This plan was stopped when Pierre Hintze and the new key roles came in after Ross as they've seen too much complexity in creating new contents for Campaign + was not enough profitable for them to sustain, so they decided to completely halt them in favor on focusing on MP only for the time being (this may have led to Staten deciding to leave too)
• Halo Infinite largely missed its financial and overall goals and led to Microsoft decision to halt 343 "active development" transforming (or regress?) them into "franchise coordinators"

Interesting.

Yeah, those two bullet points are what I need more context on. Because we all exactly what people are going to ask about if left to their own devices here.

 

[AStrangeName]

I dont think thats true, halo’s just not that popular anymore. Look at the steam charts, PUBG, Apex, Destiny 2, Counter strike

Halo is basically Microsoft's SOCOM, the thing is they won't let the series ride off in the sunset like Sony did with SOCOM

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

Halo is basically Microsoft's SOCOM, the thing is they won't let the series ride off in the sunset like Sony did with SOCOM

They think its their mario thats the problem

 

[Tim Lord]

First thing to mention and I want to be clear, is that it's bullshyt that everyone lost their jobs. In addition to the money issues, being laid-off can make a person feel worthless. Especially when it's not your fault. The issues and missed goals I am about to mention are not solely on the devs. It is a reflection of the upper management.

• Before Bonnie Ross quitting, Joseph Staten with a small team was preparing to ship multiple contained Campaign DLC to expand its narrative over the months or even years. This plan was stopped when Pierre Hintze and the new key roles came in after Ross as they've seen too much complexity in creating new contents for Campaign + was not enough profitable for them to sustain, so they decided to completely halt them in favor on focusing on MP only for the time being (this may have led to Staten deciding to leave too)
• Halo Infinite largely missed its financial and overall goals and led to Microsoft decision to halt 343 "active development" transforming (or regress?) them into "franchise coordinators"

Interesting.

Ok, now I want people to read the bolded, then read this.

Halo Infinite biggest launch ever

This is why player counts for free to play (or GamePass) titles are not an accurate measure of success. Player counts close to launch just show if a game is trending and doesn't translate to real money.

Back to the actual game, the writing was on the wall. Missed console launch, delayed campaign co-op and forge, bad (and overrated) single player campaign, couldn't deliver any DLC on time, fired the studio head (Bonnie Ross), and the list goes on. That's only 343's Halo Infinite era. Heads were going to roll.

Halo was their top franchise. The most property for Xbox and look what they did with it.

They shouldn't be buying any more studios until they get their shyt together.

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

First thing to mention and I want to be clear, is that it's bullshyt that everyone lost their jobs. In addition to the money issues, being laid-off can make a person feel worthless. Especially when it's not your fault. The issues and missed goals I am about to mention are not solely on the devs. It is a reflection of the upper management.



Ok, now I want people to read the bolded, then read this.

Halo Infinite biggest launch ever

This is why player counts for free to play (or GamePass) titles are not an accurate measure of success. Player counts close to launch just show if a game is trending and doesn't translate to real money.

Back to the actual game, the writing was on the wall. Missed console launch, delayed campaign co-op and forge, bad (and overrated) single player campaign, couldn't deliver any DLC on time, fired the studio head (Bonnie Ross), and the list goes on. That's only 343's Halo Infinite era. Heads were going to roll.

Halo was their top franchise. The most property for Xbox and look what they did with it.

They shouldn't be buying any more studios until they get their shyt together.

It also kind of proves that Gamepass isn’t some impenetrable coat of armor where they can just drop big expensive games in it and think it will save them from not having to sell direct to consumer. Just because they ain’t talking about actual sales numbers don’t mean it don’t matter.

Those player counts are nothing but PR

 

[Cladyclad]

i said halo 6 was gon be on ps5 as a console exclusive

well maybe not exclusive but it’s gon be on ps5

i said this when halo 5 flopped

 

[Cladyclad]

It also kind of proves that Gamepass isn’t some impenetrable coat of armor where they can just drop big expensive games in it and think it will save them from not having to sell direct to consumer. Just because they ain’t talking about actual sales numbers don’t mean it don’t matter.

Those player counts are nothing but PR

Give me a free game. That game will continue to be free. I ain’t buying shyt lol

 

[Legal]

It also kind of proves that Gamepass isn’t some impenetrable coat of armor where they can just drop big expensive games in it and think it will save them from not having to sell direct to consumer. Just because they ain’t talking about actual sales numbers don’t mean it don’t matter.

Those player counts are nothing but PR