A seasoned veteran with 17 years dedicated to the Halo development team has unexpectedly left the company, sharing a mysterious message as he exited. Glenn Israel announced on LinkedIn that his time ‘contributing to the Halo universe’ has concluded after an extensive career that began in 2008. Israel started his journey with the Halo franchise at Bungie before transitioning to 343 Industries, now known as Halo Studios, where he served as an art director.
In his announcement, Israel stated there’s ‘little more I can say for the moment’ regarding the circumstances of his departure from the Halo development team. He added a cryptic note: ‘I intend to share this particular story in its entirety when it is absolutely safe to do so next year.’
He also offered a poignant message to others in the video game industry, which has recently faced ‘dire’ times. ‘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,’ he advised. ‘Stay strong, take evidence when necessary, and find where you belong.’
GameSpot has reached out to Microsoft for further details on this situation and Israel’s exit from Halo Studios. This follows another notable departure, as Halo Studios chief of staff Melissa Boone recently moved to Riot Games.
Israel’s departure comes just before Halo Studios is set to unveil upcoming plans for the Halo series later this month. Microsoft has already confirmed that multiple new Halo projects are in development, utilizing Unreal Engine 5. Many anticipate Microsoft’s announcement this month will shed light on the next Halo game or games.
Halo Infinite, released in 2021, is the most recent main entry in the series. Since its launch, Microsoft has implemented significant changes to the franchise and its studios, including appointing a new executive leadership team and shifting to new game engines for future titles. The company has also acknowledged that Halo Infinite didn’t quite hit the mark in certain areas. Xbox boss Matt Booty famously compared Halo Infinite’s launch to ‘a runner tripping at the finish line.’
‘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,’ said studio head Pierre Hintze.
Recent reports suggest Microsoft intends to bring Halo to PS5 and Switch 2, potentially as early as this year. Specifically, there’s talk of a new Halo: Combat Evolved remaster project. The year 2026 will mark the 25th anniversary of both Xbox and Halo, and Microsoft Gaming boss Phil Spencer has hinted at a possible new Halo project release next year, alongside new Fable and Gears of War titles.
Stay tuned to GameSpot for all the latest updates on Halo projects.
