Halo's Multiplayer Creative Director Leaves 343 After More Than 11 Years

Not surprised that people are leaving considering that the game is average at best. They did a poor job just like Bonnie etc and won't be missed.

Hopefully finally means that more competent management can be hired as Halo has been poor since 343 took over. I would actually rather ID had the franchise.

So he's been there around the amount of time since the multiplayer got crap lol

Strange studio 343, we can blame the studio
But I tend to point the finger at the higher ups.

I sort of put it behind me know the whole Halo Infinite thing. But not the Xbox higher ups.
They have a massive amount to prove to me in 2023 blah blah blah.
It will probably be my make or break Xbox year for me. If they get the big 3 released by end of June 2023 as per Phil and of very good quality then it will be a very good start and faith will start to return.
Let’s wait and see. A console and game-pass are only as good as their games simple as that.
The console series x is fantastic but that only goes a tiny tiny way.

Let’s not forget Black Friday UK was good for Xbox with 40% probably also due to some good prices cuts on the consoles and there was definitely no stock shortages.
But it still missed out to a 6 year old Switch console that sold a little more and was more expensive than the series s on Black Friday by about £60.
It’s all about the games that grab you and get the general public engaged. Sell a console sell a game pass.
And not being funny had the PS5 been in stock we all know truthfully what would have happened.

To be honest, MS should have handed this title to a better dev some time ago. Failing that the higher and middle management teams should have been 'redeployed' some time ago. Its a dreadful shame to see whats happening to this franchise, which should still be the premiere game franchise in the world I believe.

It does give me concerns that MS have failed to deal properly with this underperforming studio. Bethusda were in decline prior to purchase and clearly need strong management, and Id suggest Activision will need a similar approach.
Unfortunately there appears to be an issue where MS ownership
Is seen almost like public ownership and productivity goes down in the believe theres infinate money. I hope MS appoint some top movers to get these pipelines working again...

Is there anybody still out there that still believes they can turn thia around?
Please hand the franchise to somebody competent, I used to love Halo franchise, but it has become horrible boring mess.

@Cikajovazmaj Sony probably

Say what you will about the ongoing support for Infinite but at its core the multiplayer is fun as heck. I appreciate this man's work and wish him well in his future endeavors.

@Titntin
Well put totally agree and as always put better than I do.
Halo my original favourite Xbox franchise along with gears.
It’s not like Xbox don’t have some fantastic studios that they could look at, as to lead by example. Playground, Turn 10, Coalition even Arkane.
They have to look at those and see what internal structure makes them tik etc.
I sometimes wonder if the higher ups are sitting there well paid loads of money and get complacent or can’t be bothered.
You need drive, focus, motivation, movers and shakers, top management that manages and never lets go.
There is probably as in all business people earning very good money but doing next to nothing for the position they are paid for. Maybe nice people but to chilled.

Ah jeez. This is huge. Tom French was always my favourite person to see in videos about Halo. The guy just cares.

I wish him all the best for the future and am looking forward to seeing what he does next.

@Dezzy70
I do agree with everything you said. I don't think they need all three good releases in the next 6-7 months, but they need one and it needs to be top notch. That said, there is no reason to believe Forza Motorsports will not be a strong entry in the Forza series and Starfield is being made by one of the best RPG studios in the history of gaming. So, not really worried there. The only one that is probably going to be questionable is Redfall. Looks like there MS is looking to build its own Left4Dead/Back4Blood game. Hopefully it will be deeper than those two games. I like them a lot, but they are more or less one trick multi-player ponies. Hopefully MS can make a much more engaging SP/Co-op campaign.

As for Halo Infinite I see a lot of potential there, but 343 launched about 1.5 years too early and was not able to capitalize on the potential yet. Hopefully they clean everything up and start moving forward by end of 2023. But, I am dubious and think it will be more like end of 2024.

So far this generation Sony has outshone XB for exclusives. but MS has an opportunity over the next 2 years to get things on track and start delivering regular content that is above 85 on Metacritic. I thought MS was out of the hole in 2021 with Flight Simulator Psychonauts 2, and Forza Horizon 5. Plus, Halo Infinite with its potential. But 2022 was a step backwards.

Next week: 343i leaves 343i after 11 years working on Halo.

@Savage_Joe I do you one better. What if Halo leaves 343 ? 😂

@Would_you_kindly
Yeah first thing I noticed, he was not ever with Bungie just 343. N even with Infinite falling on hard times, I still think this was 343's best Halo game. Hopefully someday they will have the content

Does this mean the game will start to get good? The current team doesn't seem to gaf, so replace them all, the worst has already happened. XD

@Dezzy70
So you are saying you would switch to PC? Because PlayStation only put out 3 games in a full year, and they were multiplats, with Santa Monica Studios confirming GoWR was a game modeled around getting the most out of the PS4... not the PS5. Game Pass may not have had first party games this year (besides grounded n Pentament) but PS only had 3 first party games... first party is like 1% of games every year. Game Pass brought a ton of quality games to it this year and continues to this month.
Your whole ultimatum that Xbox better have 3 banger first party games that are in your opinion high quality, just sounds like you want a reason to complain instead of be grateful for all the games we have.

I have a PC, Steam Deck, and a Series X. They are all great IMO

@Dezzy70 @Stoned_Patrol And don't forget those 3 games were also 'delayed' into 2022 - so if they had released 'on time', it would of been a barren year for Playstation Studio's too. Delays worked in Playstation's favour this year, maybe next year they'll work in Xbox favour.

Its not 'just' first party either as it was due to be supported by a couple of 'Big' 3rd Party exclusives - like Stalker 2 that also has been delayed.. Not just the lack of first party 'exclusives' but the industry in general has 'struggled' this year - with many delays and those that have released certainly many weren't 'ready' and needed more time.

Its not a tick boxing contest - Sony released 3 games so Xbox needs to release at least 3 to 'compete'. Its all about where you 'want' to play most of your games, where you spend 'most' of your time and importantly ' money'. Exclusives maybe the cherry on top, the main thing that differentiates the platforms, its a 'small' fraction of the games and time you'll spend in that ecosystem. MS want you in 'their' ecosystem playing ALL games - whether small indie games to AAA big budget multi-platform juggernauts to first party exclusives - as long as you are in their ecosystem having 'fun' and spending money...

Who's even left on this sinking ship? There's like 20+ decade plus staff gone since the game launched

@Stoned_Patrol I liked the campaigns for 4 & 5 not really been interested in the multiplayer since reach though

@BAMozzy 'And don't forget those 3 games were also 'delayed' into 2022 - so if they had released 'on time', it would of been a barren year for Playstation Studio's too.' assuming the whole COVID situation never happened who's to say those game wouldn't have released on time & this year would've seen some big games that will now be releasing next year

Of all the things Halo Infinite messed up...MP is really fun at its core. Hopefully 343 is shedding more bad than good with these losses.

Sorry (not sorry) about NOT joining in the negativity here... the multiplayer is great and has been a lot of fun.
I'm not saying it's perfect... we'd all like a lot more content (and some would like better cosmetics)... but the core MP gameplay really works well and is thoroughly entertaining.

@Would_you_kindly The point I was trying to make is that its circumstantial that Sony had some big AAA first Party releases during this calendar year and why Xbox has not.

If you take the 12month period from E3 2021 to E3 2022 for example, then Microsoft released more First Party games than Sony - it just so happens that they primarily released in latter half of 2021 where Sony Studio's had no 'new' releases and '2' of MS's studio's released games for Playstation - both of which should be on Xbox before the next E3 (2023). They had to wait until 2022 when H:FW and GT7 arrived before E3.

If we don't see anymore delays, what has Playstation got to look forward to from their own Studio's in the first half of of 2023? Xbox Studio's are 'expected' to release Forza Motorsport, Starfield, Redfall, Minecraft Legends and the Xbox version of Ghostwire Tokyo. Then if you go 'E3 22 - E3 23', Sony will have released just God of War and MS has 'more'. Between E3 2021 and E3 2023, Sony have just '3' first party 'new' releases (HFW, GT7 and GoW:R), MS had 'more' in the last 6months of 2021.

All I am trying to say is that its just circumstantial that MS hasn't had a 'big' AAA game in this 'calendar' year, but its not like Sony are churning out 'more' games from their own studios for their PS5 gamers.

Its been a difficult time for the industry with numerous delays and 2022 hasn't been a 'great' year. Elden Ring, arguably the 'Game of the Year', was intended to release in 2021.

Make Halo great Again!

@BAMozzy I think we should take into consideration that Microsoft has many more studios than both sony & Nintendo especially after their zenimax purchase also the first half of 2023 is absolutely packed with big releases so it's a good thing they aren't releasing anything in that time period imo as I think most gamers will be busy with Hogwarts legacy , dead space remake , re4 remake , dead island 2 etc

@Would_you_kindly Only in the last 18months or so as that was when Zenimax Studio's officially joined MS. The timing is important as that is why these Studio's have yet to produce an Exclusive for MS. In fact, its the reason why the 'two' games that have been released by former Zenimax studios came to PS5 first.

Games take a long time to make and so it's also important to consider that when discussing the topic. They may have 'more' studios NOW, but they haven't had the 'time' to make the games. SuckerPunch had 6yrs to make GoT, Guerilla had about 5yrs to make H:FW and 5 yrs ago, MS had just 5 studio's (343, Coalition, Rare, Turn 10 and Mojang) - that's a lot less than Sony had 5yrs ago.

Yes that should mean MS can compete on output as these studio's complete projects and begin releasing games. Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo were 'released' after Zenimax joined MS but because of 'Prior' deals, released on PS first and, like Psychonauts 2 or Minecraft: Dungeons, not generally counted as MS releases because they were not 'exclusive' to Xbox. Minecraft Legends is due out early next year, yet that is another Xbox First Party release...

Those Studio's have released games - which would show MS is certainly 'catching up' to the number of First Party games released by Sony over the past 4-5 yrs since MS decided to expand but because people overlook anything that wasn't 'Exclusive' and on Xbox Consoles, those games haven't counted. You don't hear people talking about Mojang or their Games as 'Xbox' games despite them being an Xbox Studio and Xbox hasn't released a AAA game this year yet released Ghostwire Tokyo...

2023 does look very busy with releases. A Lot of games that were targeting the 'Holiday' 2022 market being delayed into 2023. As for gamers being busy with Hogwarts, a couple of old games remade etc, well that's up to them. At least they'll have more 'choice' on what game(s) they wish to fill their time up with. I don't know that I'll spend £60+ to play 'Hogwarts' when I can play Starfield or Redfall 'free' on Game Pass and wait until Hogwarts is on Sale.

During 'busy' gaming releases, I tend to buy the games I most wanted and then buy the rest I wanted in sales - now I can play games I want at no extra cost and wait for games I have to buy to drop in Price so I doubt I'll be playing those games when I have Game Pass options

@BAMozzy 'now I can play games I want at no extra cost and wait for games I have to buy to drop in Price so I doubt I'll be playing those games when I have Game Pass options' don't you think that's an example of how gamepass could have a negative effect on the industry in the long term

@Would_you_kindly I couldn't care less! I have never paid more than £50 for a 'new' game on release so I wouldn't have been buying these games at release anyway - instead I'd be playing ''older' games that are in my backlog until the Price dropped and/or shopping the sales. Now I can add Game Pass games to the options.

I certainly have NO intention of spending more than $50 on games that are clearly 'unfinished' and/or rushed out to 'sell'. Games. Unless they are 'perfect' at release, then I won't spend money anymore - its a 'vote' with my Wallet situation and if the industry does 'change' as a result of my (and others similar) behaviour, I hope that initial prices drop and that games release when they are 'ready' - not be patched weeks, months etc later to a 'playable' state.

If you want to keep spending £70 on games - just because they are 'new' releases when you know that a few months later, they'll be on sale. Spend £70 on games that are 'broken', not been well optimised for the hardware etc - that's your choice.

I don't want Gaming to become 'commercial' and all I see from Major Game Companies is purely Commercial decisions. Games getting cancelled because the publisher doesn't think they'll be 'commercial' enough, games being pushed out to recuperate investments instead of investing a 'bit' more to ensure they are 'ready', Countless ways of trying to get you 'buy' or risk FOMO, especially at launch when the price is highest and often at its 'weakest' - the 'worst' value. Wait a few months and that game maybe half the Price and much more enjoyable thanks to post release patches...

I'm hoping it actually has a more 'positive' impact on the gaming market - that we don't have to 'buy' unfinished, rushed out games, don't have to buy on release etc and that more gamers get to enjoy a much wider range of games instead of only sticking to the 'few' big games they can afford to buy a year and the industry is more consumer friendly...

Honestly was sooooooo incredibly glad to see Bonnie Ross go. French I'm not sure yet. Depends on how much involvement he had with halo 4. That was the most fun I EVER had even to this day with halo multiplayer. Hundreds upon hundreds of hours in big team battle.

Loved it!