Kotaku has learned that Tim Longo, the creative director for Halo Infinite, has left 343 Industries. The departure may have been prompted by a recent leadership shakeup that placed him into a different role.
This isn’t great news for a high-profile title that is not only slated for release in fall 2020, but meant to usher in a brand-new console and restore the reputation of a huge franchise. It isn’t clear where Longo is headed, but Microsoft says Executive Producer Mary Olson will now lead the Campaign team as Lead Producer.
In addition to releasing on Xbox One and PC, Halo Infinite will be a launch game for the next-generation Xbox, which is codenamed Scarlett. It’s envisioned as a “spiritual reboot” for the series, according to 343 studio head Bonnie Ross. The studio hasn’t shown any actual gameplay just yet, but put out a cinematic trailer featuring protagonist Master Chief at E3 of this year.