Microsoft has been taking huge steps in preparation for what we in the gaming press have temporarily dubbed Halo 5 (at least until the real name comes out). While the Microsoft site constantly posts new openings in Redmond, 343 Industries itself has undergone a major reshuffle. We’re running the changes down for you below.
Tim Longo, from LucasArts and Crystal Dynamics, has joined 343 as creative director. The last director, Josh Holmes, is now executive producer. MS did not reveal what position Kiki Wolfkill, the last executive producer, is in now, but she is apparently still making stories for Halo.
Nicolas Bouview joins the team as the new art director. The previous director, Kenneth Scott, was a founding member of 343, and will still help them as a visual design consultant.
Interestingly, Joe Staton, who used to be Bungie’s lead writer, and famously left Bungie while they were working on Destiny, has taken a position back in Microsoft Studios. Staten is not working directly on Halo, but will take a role shaping the franchise strategy of some of the Studio’s titles. This means he is in a position to help steer Halo’s direction, but he may not necessarily be doing anything important.
Finally, Microsoft has a staggering fourteen job listings for 343 Industries, indicating plans for growth comparable to those of Sony Santa Monica’s. Several are for software development engineers, but there are also positions for concept and environment artists, sound designers, program managers, multiplayer level designers, gameplay engineers, graphics engineers, and engineers with online and connected experience.
Without a doubt, some of these openings are simply to fill in gaps left behind by Bungie separating from Microsoft. That last opening, however, makes me wonder if Halo 5 will be making use of online in a big way, like Titanfall, or maybe even more than that game.
Whatever the case, the next Halo is going to be big for sure. We’ll let you know when more information surfaces.
