343 Industries, the studio behind the beloved Halo franchise, recently released a statement to reassure fans that the series and its main character, Master Chief, were "here to stay" and that the studio would continue to develop Halo now and in the future. However, this statement seems to have had the opposite effect on some fans, who remain sceptical and frustrated that 343 is still in charge of the development.
Recent rumours had suggested that the studio would be moved away from the majority of Halo's ongoing development, leading to concerns among fans about the future of the franchise. In response, 343 Industries released a short message to dispel these rumours and assure fans that the studio would continue to be the driving force behind the series.
In Hintze I Trust. pic.twitter.com/GYWtPTwIKG
— Ultimus (@UltimusGaming) January 19, 2023
While the statement was intended to provide reassurance, it appears to have done the exact opposite for some fans. Many have taken to social media to express their disappointment and lack of confidence in the series' future. On the Halo subreddit, for example, fans have been arguing about whether 343 Industries should be the studio in charge of Halo going forward, feeling that the studio's handling of Halo Infinite's development has proven otherwise.
Some fans are not even convinced that the statement disproves recent rumours at all, still believing that 343 may be deprioritized as a Halo developer. This sentiment is echoed by Reddit user ZehDon, who states, "If 343 have taught me anything, it's that the devil is in the details. No mention of single-player, new games, or new experiences tells me the statement isn't a direct rebuttal to the rumours because there is some truth in them; 343 is still playing word games."
Another user, ThatKiwiBloke, agrees, stating, "This is a classic 'say something so you don't look guilty' PR message. The fact they didn't address what you mentioned above tells me the rumours are true and Halo is going to be dead for a long time."
It's worth mentioning that this scepticism is not limited to just the Halo subreddit, similar opinion are shared on twitter as well.
This lack of confidence in 343 Industries is further compounded by recent layoffs within the company. Microsoft, 343 Industries' parent company, announced that it would be cutting 10,000 jobs across all of its studios by March 2022. This equates to 4.5% of Microsoft's entire workforce, and is being done in the name of "long-term growth". However, many fans are questioning the timing of these layoffs, especially in light of the generous bonuses that Microsoft executives received. CEO Satya Nadella, for example, received a 10% pay rise just a few months before the layoffs were announced. This means that Nadella made, on average, 289 times more than most employees, likely including a few of the developers working on Halo Infinite, even if they were lucky enough to keep their job.
All this has led to a sense of frustration and disappointment among fans, who feel that 343 Industries and Microsoft are not taking the future of the Halo franchise seriously. While some remain confident that individuals within 343, particularly studio head Pierre Hintze, are up to the task, many are calling for a change in leadership and a renewed focus on the series' future. Only time will tell whether 343 Industries and Microsoft will be able to win back the trust of their fans, but for now, it seems that the studio has an uphill battle ahead of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment