A long-standing member of the Halo development team, with 17 years of experience, has departed the company, leaving behind a cryptic message. Glenn Israel, who began his journey with the Halo franchise at Bungie before becoming an art director at 343 Industries (now Halo Studios), announced on LinkedIn that he is “no longer contributing to the Halo universe” after working on the sci-fi series since 2008. He hinted that he couldn`t disclose further details about his departure at the moment but intends to share the full story when it`s “absolutely safe to do so next year.”
Israel also offered advice to his colleagues in the games industry, describing the current times as “dire.” He emphasized that “no illusion of security nor promise of wealth or fame or power is worth trading away your health, your dignity, your ethics, or values—and no one can force you to.” His message urged them to “Stay strong, take evidence when necessary, and find where you belong.”
GameSpot is currently seeking comments from Microsoft regarding this situation. Israel`s exit comes amidst other personnel changes (such as Melissa Boone`s move from Halo Studios to Riot Games) and upcoming announcements concerning the Halo series. Microsoft has already confirmed that multiple new Halo projects are in development, utilizing Unreal Engine 5. It is widely anticipated that details about the next Halo game(s) will be revealed this month.
The last main series installment, 2021`s Halo Infinite, reportedly fell short of some expectations. This has led to significant changes within the franchise and its studios, including a new executive leadership team and a shift to Unreal Engine 5 for future titles. Xbox boss Matt Booty likened Halo Infinite`s launch to a “runner tripping at the finish line.” Studio head Pierre Hintze affirmed, “Halo Infinite was the last remnant of how we made Halo games in the past. That was our recipe. And what we`re doing right now is changing our recipe.”
Rumors suggest that Microsoft plans to bring Halo to PS5 and Switch 2, potentially as early as this year, with a new Halo: Combat Evolved remaster project specifically mentioned. As 2026 approaches, marking the 25th anniversary of Xbox and Halo, Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer has hinted at the possibility of a new Halo project launching next year, alongside new Fable and Gears of War games.