Halo Infinite campaign DLC reportedly scrapped following studio reshuffle
The Microsoft layoffs have changed a lot for Halo
The single-player DLC planned for Halo Infinite has reportedly been scrapped as 343 Industries supposedly ceases "active development" of the Halo series.
This claim comes from Twitter user @BathrobeSpartan (as shared on ResetEra) who, in a lengthy thread, shed more light on the effect Microsoft's recent layoffs have had on the Halo series. According to the leaker, the plans developer 343 Industries had for Halo Infinite in 2023 remain unchanged, even after the studio was supposedly hit hard by Microsoft's latest round of layoffs.
Thread on Halo:I was waiting to share this as they do a good job of breaking it down.From what I can corroborate, the below is accurate. Halo is certainly not going anywhere, but to realize its potential the management structure is changing (drastically).1/2 https://t.co/SSBrVA1Qt1January 19, 2023
The studio will apparently still be focusing on Halo Infinite's multiplayer after its plans for multiple campaign DLCs were scrapped. The single-player content, which was apparently planned to expand the game's narrative over months, was reportedly canceled after Bonnie Ross (former head of 343 Industries) left the company in 2022 and Pierre Hintze, along with other new key roles were filled at the studio.
It's said in the Twitter thread that the reason behind this cut content was due to narrative single-player content being "difficult to produce" as well as it "not offering strong player retention," and "not allowing for viable monetization for the sustainability of the studio and the teams."
Another interesting claim made in the thread is that 343 Industries will apparently soon be ceasing active game development. Instead, it's said that the studio will be responsible for coordinating the follow-up of Halo Infinite and franchising the Halo license to other studios, whilst also supporting the game's multiplayer. This is reportedly due to the Halo Infinite failing to meet its financial expectations.
These claims were later backed up by fellow Twitter user @Porshapwr, who quote retweeted the original thread and added: "From what I can corroborate, the below is accurate. Halo is certainly not going anywhere, but to realize its potential the management structure is changing (drastically)."
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After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training. My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.
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