343 Industries Layoffs May be The Sign That Halo Infinite is in Trouble

Microsoft recently announced widespread layoffs for 343 Industries, which may spell bad news for the post-launch promises of Halo Infinite.

[porkChop]

Bruh? *That* may be the sign? Not the fact that post launch content has already seen numerous delays and controversies?

[Lightning77]

Right.

The issue lies in milking this IP, not just to death, but beyond death. After Halo 4 they should of made a new ip full stop back when 343 was semi competent. You can't sit there and release the same game over and over that's partly why Bungie left. If Bungie stayed Halo would of went down hill because of fatigue. Yet they left and made Destiny. Was the game a landing at launch no but they had a formula and stuck with it and now Destiny is a extremely popular game.

Halo isn't that game anymore. Hasn't been for a while.it doesn't sell like it used to, it doesn't move consoles like it used to.

It's apparent MS hasn't learned the lesson by keeping 343 around. Halo needs to be temporarily shelved. Retire the game from 343. If MS must have a halo then give it to someone else and let them teach that very old dog new tricks.

[ZwVw]

Where does this "milking" talk come from? Halo 5 came out three years after 4. Infinite came out six years after 5. There was an eight year gap between Halo Wars 1 and 2. MCC was released because the severs for the Halo games on 360 were closing. Milking would be MS literally releasing a Halo title annually (i.e. COD).

Considering Halo is the Xbox's premier ip, they don't "milk" the brand any more than Nintendo or Sony does theirs.

The issue isn't with "releasing the same game over and over." It's the contrary. Halo 5 was a huge change up from Halo 4, as was Infinite (from 5). Anyone who thinks Halos 4-6 play similar either hasn't played them or is parroting things that they read from others.

The main issue with 343 is that they're a very reactionary company, who lacks a definitive vision. They can't decide on whether they want to make a Halo game tailored towards casuals (Halo 4) or one geared towards E-Sports audience (Halo 5).

[Godmars290]

The issue lies in said "milking" has been done so incompetently. That they so obviously set out to make an open world setting, the halo version of Sea of Thieves only to bungle it, as badly as they managed Sea of Thieves launch.

[agnosticgamer]

Incorrect... IMO... You can milk an IP but still, make an excellent game while doing it. Halo Infinite just isn't that. I don't personally believe 343i was ever competent, studio to be honest Bonnie Ross was a huge part of the problem and Microsoft enabled her to keep failing and leading her studio down the crapper.

[shinoff2183]

Zwvw

There's been 10 or so halo games since part 1

That's milking.

[Lifexline]

There is actually a lot of content right now thanks to the community. It’s very active. I believe the fan base will keep it going even if 343 doesn’t.

But they should just move onto to the next main series learn a lesson from it and don’t make the same mistakes. I think they are learning giving the delays Starfield got they do seem to want to release a good product we will see how Starfield turns out to see if that’s true.

[porkChop]

I haven't played since before they added Forge. Maybe I should give it another go.

[Lightning77]

"Where does this "milking" talk come from? Halo 5 came out three years after 4. Infinite came out six years after 5. "

I'm talking from a generational point of view. MS continues to push the game so much now it's in the dirt. A AAA studio needs to make other games.

"Considering Halo is the Xbox's premier ip, they don't "milk" the brand any more than Nintendo or Sony does theirs."

It's no longer Premier IP anymore. It's been done to death. The difference between the other 2 companies is that they've indicated the old ips into something new. 343 simply can't do that.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

I think it was a big sign imo.

[hiawa23]

Or MS could hand it to anyone of their studios, like it went from Bungie to 343.

[SullysCigar]

Yeah, because that went well lol

[Aloymetal]

''The sign'' was the moment they showed the 1st demo and everyone saw Craig...

[isarai]

So it wasnt the embarrassing quality it was revealed in, the 1yr delay, the development lead leaving, the unfinished state it launched in DESPITE the 1yr delay, the cancelation of several roadmap goals, or the horrendously greedy microtransactions for multiplayer....those werent the sign? Really goes to show the state of denial a lot of the MS fanbase is in to only now think "i think this game may have had issues" after everything

[rlow1]

Well according to 343 Industry top person. Halo will be moving forward and continuing on. They tweeted that officially. Time will tell.

[SullysCigar]

They also said we were getting co-op mode.

[EvertonFC]

I think it just proves MS/Xbox can't manage AAA studios, layoffs at Bethesda also among other studios.
No news on fable yet rumoured it's having problems again like other studios

[SullysCigar]

"343 Industries Layoffs May be The Sign That Halo Infinite is in Trouble"

Lmao - D'YA THINK??!

[northpaws]

Gamerant.com clickbait titles are getting ridiculous.

[SullysCigar]

And their sister site, Screenrant.com is equally bad. If not worse.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Season 3 is nearly done. The big issue is Halo Infinite is a step back from Halo 5 multiplayer (which was a blast), and we are missing tons and tons of campaign content.

[Sciurus_vulgaris]

Cutting Warzone, dozens of weapons, enemy classes, several vehicles and even well received maps (Regret and Plaza) from 5 was a mistake. You’re expected to build off and refine your template, which 343i did to an extent. However, you shouldn’t just throw out stuff due to criticisms.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Blast meaning... more verticality, assassinations, more weapon variety, Warzone, better special effects, better requisition packs/armor, better vehicles, better netcode.

The only advantage Halo Infinite has is better graphics and a better campaign.

[SpacedDuck]

Feel bad people lost their jobs especially when it should have been all of the managers to get fired and anyone with a decision making job.

The earliest sign for me that 343 was clueless was when they launched the multiplayer with no stand alone option to play Team Slayer.

Was a confusing idiot decision.

[TheColbertinator]

Halo will be pushed away as COD becomes the Microsoft flagship franchise. 343 is simply suffering from Microsoft's success.

[agnosticgamer]

Halo Infinite was a sign that Halo Infinite was in trouble. All these employees crying about losing their job after blowing like $500M on an average game... They were part of the problem.

[franwex]

I do believe that 343 had bloat. Just too many people doing the same tasks.
For example they cut staff that was working on campaign. Okay? The campaign was done. Were they working on DLC? Halo 7? What were these people actually doing?

[contra157]

Been in trouble