After immediately’s announcement that Microsoft will lay off 10,000 individuals, particulars on how inner restructuring will hit its gaming divisions proceed to emerge, with Halo Infinite’s 343 Industries among the many studios impacted.
In line with Bloomberg, Joseph Staten, a Halo veteran who started his profession with Bungie in 1998, will transition from his Halo Infinite inventive director function and rejoin Xbox’s publishing division. Staten joined the workforce at 343 Industries in 2020 because the marketing campaign challenge lead on Halo Infinite and later noticed a title change to Head of Artistic.
Bloomberg’s report consists of an e-mail from 343 Industries head Pierre Hintze, who defined the studio “made the troublesome choice to restructure” and that help for Halo Infinite’s stay service options will proceed. Particulars on Staten’s new function and the precise diploma of impression at 343 Industries stay unclear for now.
Staten’s credit embody a protracted historical past with the Halo sequence, beginning together with his function because the cinematic director on Fight Developed, Halo 2, and Halo 3. His work on the Halo universe consists of authoring a few of its novelizations, and the studio lead additionally served as lead author on Bungie’s sci-fi shooter, Future. He departed his function on the MMO and later rejoined Microsoft in 2014.
The Halo studio is amongst many impacted by Microsoft’s layoffs, together with Gears of Conflict studio, The Coalition, and the extra lately acquired Bethesda. Microsoft’s weblog notes that cuts impression 5% of its workforce. That is along with the 1,000 staff let go in October 2022.
As cuts and restructuring prolong into its recreation studios, Microsoft remains to be transferring ahead with acquisitions. A yr in the past immediately, the corporate introduced it will purchase Activision Blizzard for a record-breaking $68.7 billion. That deal later got here beneath hearth by regulatory our bodies, just like the US Federal Commerce Fee, with investigations ongoing.
Andrea Shearon is a contract contributor for IGN masking video games and leisure. She’s worn a number of hats over her seven-year profession within the video games business, with bylines over at Fanbyte, USA Immediately’s FTW, TheGamer, VG247, and RPG Website. Discover her on Twitter (@Maajora) or the Materia Possessions podcast chatting about FFXIV, RPGs, and any sequence involving big robots.
