A new report from Bloomberg has make clear what’s taking place at Halo developer 343 Industries, and it feels like main adjustments are afoot inside regards to the group of the studio, the varieties of video games it develops, and the way it makes them.
Beginning off, the report mentioned 343 Industries was majorly impacted by Microsoft’s latest layoffs, with a reported 95 builders let go. Affected builders included “dozens of veterans,” together with “prime administrators,” the report mentioned.
It was reported that 343 may shift away from growing video games and as an alternative work with third-party studios on new tasks. 343 already mentioned this can be a bunch of baloney, and Xbox boss Matt Booty instructed Bloomberg that 343 will “proceed as the interior developer for Halo and because the house of Halo.”
The report went on to state that 343’s longtime companion, Sure Affinity, is making a brand new Halo recreation below the codename Tatanka. It began as a battle royale recreation and has now shifted in “totally different instructions,” the report mentioned.
What’s extra, the report talked about that 343 is doubtlessly shifting to a brand new recreation engine, Epic’s Unreal Engine, to make future titles. 343’s present engine, Slipspace, has proved troublesome to make use of, the report mentioned, and these points have resulted in unannounced Halo Infinite modes like Extraction and Assault taking longer to launch than anticipated.
The Tatanka recreation will probably be developed utilizing Unreal, the report mentioned, and the usage of Epic’s engine has made some individuals inside 343 nervous that Halo may now not “really feel” like Halo.
Lastly, the report mentioned 343 just isn’t planning to launch extra story content material for Halo Infinite. Builders have hung out creating prototypes of recent Halo video games within the Unreal Engine as an alternative of engaged on story content material for Halo Infinite, the report mentioned.
Former 343 designer Patrick Wren mentioned on Twitter not too long ago that the studio suffered from “incompetent management up prime.”
The layoffs at 343 should not have occurred and Halo Infinite must be in a greater state. The rationale for each of these issues is incompetent management up prime throughout Halo Infinite improvement inflicting huge stress on these working onerous to make Halo the most effective it may be.
— Patrick Wren (@Witdarkstar) January 19, 2023
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer not too long ago mentioned the adjustments at 343, saying Halo stays “critically necessary.” He additionally mentioned Halo just isn’t going wherever, as Microsoft plans to maintain making Halo video games so long as Xbox exists. Spencer additionally defended Microsoft’s newest layoffs, saying robust choices are essential in enterprise.
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