It’s a change of era for the Halo saga: the boss of the franchise development studio, 343 Industries, has indeed announced his departure.
Bonnie Ross, the founder and boss of the 343 Industries studio, has announced his departure from the studio and from Microsoft. He worked as vice president of the publisher of Windows, and was the head of 343 Industries for 15 years. In 2007, it was the studio that took over the reins of the saga, while Bungie – creator of the FPS – gained its independence (before being recently acquired by Sony, but that’s another story).
Halo Infinite, the unloved
Ross was hoping he could stay until the update was released. Halo Infinite which is due out this winter, but a family obligation obliges him to leave earlier. “ I’m incredibly proud of the work done by everyone at 343 Industries, whether it’s Halo Infinite, the Master Chief Collection, the Halo TV series, and more. “, he wrote on Twitter.
— Bonnie Ross (@PlutonForEver) September 12, 2022
In addition to these titles, Bonnie Ross and her teams have launched games such as Halo 4 et Halo 5. The latest episode of the FPS, Halo Infinite, has unfortunately experienced some pitfalls since its release last December. The split-screen co-op mode, teased for a long time, has finally canceled when the expectation was great.
Instead, the studio preferred to devote additional resources to new projects that are yet to be revealed. In addition, another disappointment, the third season has been postponed to May 2023, five months behind the initial schedule. Perhaps there was a need to shake up the management of the company to turn the franchise around.
Bonnie Ross will be replaced by Pierre Hinze, previously production lead. Two new roles at the head of the studio have been added: Bryan Koski will be the general manager of the franchise, while Elizabeth Van Wyck becomes the head of business and operations.