A veteran developer from 343 Industries, Will Waltz, who worked as a lead animator on the Halo series for 13 years, has voiced his frustrations with Halo Studios’ leadership and Microsoft’s management. Following the announcement that Halo is transitioning to Unreal Engine 5, Waltz took to LinkedIn to discourage others from working at the studio, citing a lack of creative freedom and poor leadership as the primary issues.

343 Industries has struggled with numerous setbacks since the announcement of Halo Infinite, from canceled projects like co-op mode and rumored battle royale to multiple layoffs that have left the studio in turmoil. Despite a promising internal roadmap, Waltz believes the issues stem from leadership, particularly pointing out Pierre, the studio head, as a major contributor to the problems.

“Stay away and stay safe, it’s not worth it,” Waltz wrote. “The employees are some of the best in the industry, but the leadership is toxic, especially Pierre. They stifle creativity, and it’s frustrating to work under those conditions.” While Waltz sees the move to Unreal Engine 5 as a positive step, he remains skeptical about whether leadership can effectively manage this transition.

Is Microsoft to Blame for Halo’s Current State?

Waltz further explains that the root of the issue lies with Microsoft and the executives they choose to lead their studios. “Even though they eventually agreed to switch to Unreal Engine, I have no doubt they will still make it a miserable place to work,” he said. In response to another developer, Waltz elaborated on why he referred to the leadership as “cancerous.”

“The real issue is with Microsoft’s choice of leadership and how they manage their studios. Pierre is not the right person for the job, and I know exactly why.” This criticism echoes previous statements made by another former Halo Infinite developer, who blamed Microsoft for the decline in the game’s quality.

Waltz concluded his remarks by saying that Microsoft and the studio have lost sight of what made Halo so beloved. “They’ve almost forgotten why we make Halo and why fans are so passionate about it, despite the drama surrounding the series today.”

Source: 3djuegos