Long time Halo dev Joseph Staten is leaving Microsoft after nine years

Head of creative on Halo Infinite and cinematic director on the original three Halo games Joseph Staten is leaving Microsoft.

As reported by IGN, Staten is leaving Microsoft after nine years with the company, though the reasoning behind his departure hasn't been confirmed as of yet. "We’re grateful for Joseph’s contributions to the Halo franchise and Xbox as a whole," reads a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson. "We wish him all the best in his new adventure." Staten has been a notable name behind the Halo series for years, working on the first three Halo titles (Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3) as a cinematic director, and also served as a lead writer on Destiny while working at Bungie.

Staten commented on the report himself, writing, "Hey folks, I am indeed leaving Microsoft. I'll have more info to share soon, but for now, I'd just like to thank all my Xbox colleagues for all their understanding and support as I embark on a new adventure." Earlier this year, Staten left 343 Industries to return to Xbox Publishing, where he was prior to joining 343 Industries to lead development on Halo. This came shortly after Microsoft laid off around 10,000 employees, which did affect 343 Industries.

Halo Infinite also hasn't been doing the best since launch. The game's third season finally arrived in March after having been delayed by several months (and even receiving a mini season to fill in the gap), and even reportedly shifted development from its custom Slipspace Engine to Unreal Engine, something that wouldn't have been a smooth task. 343 Industries has also seen numerous staff exits since Halo Infinite launched, overall building a pretty bumpy picture. All of this really leads you to wonder if we might be witnessing the death of the Halo franchise.