On the same day that Microsoft announced it was laying off 10,000 employees, including those at game studios Bethesda and 343 Industries (opens in new tab), Patrick Ren, former senior multiplayer designer on "Halo Infinite" () had harsh words for 343 management's direction for the game.

"Layoffs should not have happened and 'Halo Infinite' should have been in better shape. Both are caused by the incompetent leadership of upper management during the development of 'Halo Infinite,' which is putting a lot of stress on the people who are working so hard to make 'Halo' the best it can be."

While it is clear that Microsoft's layoffs are not even a footnote to 343, Len seems to be arguing that the studio was able to escape or at least mitigate the effects of these layoffs. "Halo Infinite" has a strange arc, and its initial release was met with skepticism It was met with skepticism, derisive memes, and a year's delay; "Halo Infinite," released in the fall of 2021, made a bit of a comeback with a moderately well-received campaign and a well-received free-to-play multiplayer.

Since then, however, fans have complained about the pace of multiplayer updates, and promised additions like Forge and campaign co-op did not materialize until a full year after launch. Shortly after Infinite was delayed, studio director Chris Lee left the project (open in new tab).343 In addition, the studio's founder (open in new tab), lead multiplayer designer, lead narrative designer (open in new tab) director of engineering, and a string of key departures, including.

Nicholas Bird (open in new tab), a contractor who worked with Wren on "Halo Infinite," criticized how 343 deployed its contracted workforce in development; Bird told Wren, lamenting the time limits Microsoft imposes on its contract employees, I would have stayed on the team and moved up if I could," he wrote. Wren agreed: "So many great people and talent have gone."

Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier wrote about contract employees at Microsoft in 2020. Schreier tweeted at the time (opens in new tab), "At Microsoft, contract employees can only work a maximum of 18 months (and can come back after a six-month leave of absence)." Since Microsoft uses so many contract employees, this restriction would lead to a lot of attrition, which would be devastating for a game like "Halo Infinite," which takes more than four years to produce.

Len has a more positive view of the leadership of the multiplayer team on "Halo Infinite," writing, "I would certainly make a case for how great the multiplayer team was during development."

It is surprising and unusual for a developer who is still active in the industry to be so openly critical of his former employer, but in my eyes, it speaks to how deep his frustration with 343's leadership during the development of "Infinite"

343

343's lack of readiness to launch a live service game a year late was puzzling from the outside looking in and discouraging to players who were initially excited about the excellent foundation set by the multiplayer. With layoffs sweeping one of the wealthiest companies on the planet, one can only imagine the frustration of those within the studio.