Phil Spencer wants to reassure Halo fans. The Redmond firm was not finished with the license.
Xbox head Phil Spencer says Microsoft remains fully committed to the Halo franchise and developer 343 Industries. In an interview following XBox and Bethesda’s Developer Direct, Phil Spencer told IGN that “the heart and soul of Halo is 343 and the team, and I have complete confidence in this team that leads and the projects they deliver. up”.
Phil Spencer wants to reassure Halo fans
This comment from the Xbox boss comes after a major wave of layoffs that have affected 343 people as part of a cost cut recently initiated by Microsoft. The number of staff members remaining at the studio was not disclosed, but according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, the Halo Infinite campaign team has been downsized significantly. The news also prompted 343 to issue a brief press release over the weekend: “Halo and Master Chief will stay here,”wrote studio director Pierre Hintze. “343 Industries will continue to develop Halo now and into the future, including epic stories, multiplayer, and everything that makes Halo such a successful franchise.”
According to Phil Spencer, the layoffs are meant to improve the position of 343 going forward. “Today we are trying to make sure that the management team is fully equipped and has all the necessary flexibility to carry out the projects that they have to organize,” he said. “Halo will remain very important to what Xbox is trying to do, and 343 is extremely important to the success of Halo.”
The Redmond firm wasn’t done with the license
Phil Spencer, however, did not discuss the future of the license beyond what we already know or think we know. He declined to comment on whether Microsoft has 10-year support for Halo Infinite. “I’ll let 343 talk about the plans they currently have,”Phil Spencer said when asked about it. However, he wanted to reassure Halo fans who may be worried about the future of Master Chief: “We will continue to support and develop Halo as long as Xbox remains the platform for gaming.”The rest of the interview is interesting if you’re an Xbox fan. Many points are covered, including a rather lackluster 2022 for the console.