343 Industries has lost its multiplayer designer lead in Halo Infinite

343 Industries has lost its multiplayer designer lead in Halo Infinite

Andrew Witts, the lead multiplayer designer for Halo Infinite, has departed Microsoft’s Redmond-based studio 343 Industries, marking the firm’s latest high-profile departure. Witts spent nearly three years at the firm, working on Halo Infinite’s key modes and algorithms alongside multiplayer creative director Tom French on the game’s latest free-to-play options.

It’s unknown who will take over the post at the Redmond studio next. The announcement comes after Halo Infinite’s release on Xbox One and PC in December.

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Halo Infinite designer lead leaves

The announcement comes after the multiplayer launch in November, which saw the introduction of its initial free-to-play offers, which will act as a platform “over the next 10 years for Halo.” This contained a critically lauded multiplayer basis that put a fresh take on classic Halo gameplay. The game had already surpassed 20 million users in January, across Xbox platforms and Windows PCs.

Witts announced his departure on Twitter, saying it’s been a “honor” to lead the multiplayer design team. Following Witt’s retirement, it’s unknown who will take over as director of Halo Infinite multiplayer design.

Over the years, Halo Infinite has seen a slew of high-profile exits, with the project even cycling through multiple directors over the course of a half-decade. Following the resignation of former creative director Tim Longo and lead producer Mary Olson in 2019, former 343 Industries studio chief Chris Lee left the project in late 2020. As creative director on Halo Infinite, Joseph Staten, a former Bungie director, continues to manage the project.

Halo Infinite Review: System Requirements, Campaign, Price, and More
Halo Infinite Review: System Requirements, Campaign, Price, and More

Game will soon get its second season of DLC, with a slew of new additions unveiled. Halo Infinite Season 2, Lone Wolves, will be released on May 3, 2022, and will include two multiplayer maps, three modes, and new customization options.

It comes as Halo Infinite gamers have expressed dissatisfaction with developer 343 Industries’ lack of communication, with the game’s population declining due to a lack of post-launch content updates. Aside from the content, the game has had game-breaking technical flaws as well as widespread cheating, which has had a big impact on PC players. Season 2 provides the studio’s next chance to set the tone for what it believes will be a future Halo platform.

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