We've got some employee news from 343 Industries today - Halo Infinite head of design Jerry Hook has departed. He has just spent his final day in the office. Here's his goodbye message via social media:
"Today marks my last day at 343i, Microsoft and Halo. This journey has been filled with creating new worlds, platforms and products from Xbox, Xbox Live to Halo. Most of all it has been working alongside some of the most passionate and driven people in the industry, that have impacted millions of players around the world. Thank you to all that have let me run alongside you in this amazing industry. And thank you to this community."
Hook started out at Microsoft in 2003, working on Xbox Live and eventually moved on to Halo. He then joined the Destiny team and returned to Xbox in 2018 to help out with Halo on the latest entry.
It's unclear at this point in time who will replace him, but this news follows a series of other departures at 343 in recent months. Joe Staten is still running the show as 343's head of creative for Halo Infinite.
On behalf of the community and team here at Pure Xbox, we wish Jerry all the best in his future endeavors.
[source twitter.com, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 7
Unless Bonnie Ross and Kiki Wolfkill are gone, Halo's current situation will not change.
Seems the start of the rats leaving a sinking ship
Bonnie Ross needs to be fired ASAP
All those studio's and forza is the only good thing star field is going to have to be spectacular
Given the issues I have with infinate, im not gonna shed a tear.
I hope they get some new dynamic personality who can transfrom how 343 have been working, or they simply reconsider who handles the halo franchise.
Halo deserves to be the most outstanding title on modern consoles and machines, and its such a shame its just not there.
@Xiovanni Why thank you for giving me the right to like something. It’s very gracious of you!
Heh, I kid. I did enjoy halo infinite though… I think it’s solid in the gameplay department (which is paramount), and I think the open world really suits the halo universe… I would look forward to spending hours in it taking out bases and hunting down the targets. It could have done with a little more variety in level design. But the game was loads of fun.
The visuals of the world itself I also don’t have a problem with. Characters faces though are pretty shocking in their dated nature.
But the game clearly does have issues as it isn’t finished.
This guy sounds like he came aboard to help an already sinking ship in 2018. 343s issues with management were already present and will likely continue regardless of this guy being there or not.
I’m critical of the management but still had fun with the game.
Just playing devil's advocate, but it's entirely possible that he never intended to stay longer than he needed to. Most of these guys who have been in the industry for as long as he has don't tend to go backwards. Staten will likely move on as well once they feel Halo is in a good place again. They came in to lend a hand (for better or worse) and then they'll move on to the next thing.
@xboxjapanfan
And that won't be happening. A big company such as MS, especially in the current climate, is not going to remove two prominent women in the games industry from positions of power even if it would be the right decision.
When I wake up to the headline of Joe Staten leaving Halo Infinite... I will officially lose all hope on this game/project. They need to get Forge out to the community so damn badly... How is that not the top priority... If they can't seem to make maps for this game, at least get the tool set for the players to make them for you. a week after the Forge Tools drop the game will look so much better.
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