Toni Dimaano Games 01.29.2023 22:Jan PM EST

Halo Will Continue Receiving Support From Microsoft Despite 343 Layoffs, Phil Spencer Claims

Microsoft, according to Xbox CEO Phil Spencer, is still dedicated to the Halo series and its creator 343 Industries, Engadget writes.

Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, has reiterated the company's dedication to the Halo series and insisted that it is still vital to what Xbox is doing.

Microsoft Remain Upbeat Despite Recent Challenges

Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is meeting with strong opposition, and the company did not have many huge exclusive blockbusters last year because of it.

Since then, over 10,000 positions were recently lost, many of them senior developers at Halo Infinite creator 343 Industries.

Spencer claimed that Microsoft tried to position 343 for the future by making the layoffs, and that its leadership team is making sure that it can build a flexible plan for the future off of it.

Following a massive wave of 10,000 layoffs at Microsoft, there have been several unsettling rumors and reports about the future of the Halo series in the hands of a drastically reduced staff.

On each of these issues and many others, Spencer made an effort to maintain his positive attitude to reassure 343 and Halo fans.

According to IGN, the Xbox CEO has promised that 343 remains "critically important" to the success of Halo in response to these concerns.

"The heart and soul of Halo is with 343 and the team that's there, and I have the utmost confidence in the team that's there and leading and the plan that they have going forward," the CEO says.

Despite this, Spencer deferred to letting 343 explain in its own time when asked what that future goal would include.

He did, however, mention that the group was still working on "some other things, some rumored, some announced."

Speaking more generally about the layoffs, Spencer said he understands how they affect people and that it is his duty as the business owner to provide a secure environment where employees can perform their best work.

Xbox Has Been Facing Challenges This Past Week Alone

343 Industries in particular was struck hard by layoffs, with 30 employees let go from its art department alone and positions impacted across other disciplines.

At first, Halo Infinite received accolades for its narrative and free-to-play multiplayer, but it has since come under fire for its content droughts, controversial progression system, canceled split-screen co-op, and delays to Forge Mode.

Kotaku reports that Microsoft reported a 12 percent decline in net income for the most recent fiscal quarter compared to the same period last year on Tuesday.

Microsoft mentioned nothing about how many new users the Game Pass program has added since it passed the 25 million mark precisely one year ago, while Xbox gaming hardware and software also experienced percentage declines.

It can be remembered that the company also took a page out of Nintendo's playbook on Wednesday by offering a slick and efficient look at its upcoming titles via a Developer Direct broadcast.

When asked about the success of these games or their effect on Game Pass, whose growth has supposedly stagnated on consoles, Spencer remained evasive.

It is probable that Microsoft's ongoing difficulties with some of its internal programs account in part for its emphasis on seeking assistance from outside the organization.