A new report has claimed that longtime Halo developer 343 Industries is being removed from the “active development” for the studio. The new games in series will, instead, be created by a third-party developer. This is according to Halo leaker Bathrobe Spartan–who has a great track record of leaking Halo information–says Microsoft’s layoffs hit 343 particularly hard, seeing a third of its workforce being laid off (as translated by Metro). Joseph Staten, veteran developer, is also reportedly exiting the studio to rejoin Xbox publishing.
343 Industries will take on a parental role for Halo, overseeing new games and content, while maintaining the game’s engine. This isn’t new for 343, as it has relied on outside assistance to develop Halo Infinite’s multiplayer content. Additionally, Bathrobe Spartan claims the planned story-based DLC for Halo Infinite has been cut due to cost.
A sequel to Halo Infinite is a expected to enter pre-production right alongside any spin-offs, with these games reportedly being given to other studios on bigger budgets. While Halo Infinite had a strong launch, 343 has come under scrutiny in recent months for delayed content, tedious multiplayer progression, and bugs.
