Could it be the game is simply not coming together as they hoped/planned? Is not often two critical members leave a game when there's so long before completion.
true, but according to the press release given after longo left, Mary Olson was supposed to "take charge of the Campaign team on Halo Infinite", which makes her leaving only 2 months later just odd.Lots of folk here seem to be confusing the roles of producers and creative directors.
A producer in a dev studio is usually responsible for organising schedules and ordering the pizzas when crunch time arrives...not to belittle their roles (no game would ship without them having done a decent job) but they aren't usually the creative force behind a project.
Nope there's no way they delay the game unless the console gets delayed. And you best believe they ain't delaying the console launch. There still have enough time for everything to come together.They should delay it. It's more important as a Halo game than as a console launch game. Next year will be a bloodbath of love and hate anyway so it wouldn't be treated fairly.
Yeah, this is not just a corporate reshuffle. Can I get a yikes?
No amount of spin is going to present this situation in a better light.
This is not good!
Looks like she immediately started at Midwinter Entertainment. This studio is run and founded by former 343 Industries Studio Head, Josh Holmes.
It seems to me that Mary Olson seemed to want to move on from Halo, rather than any reason to have concern over.
Maybe she felt out of her depth or was just poached by the new, local studio... not unheard of.true, but according to the press release given after longo left, Mary Olson was supposed to "take charge of the Campaign team on Halo Infinite", which makes her leaving only 2 months later just odd.
And I would argue the game suffered for it. Parts of the game it was very apparent it had development problems.Thats such a weird example, UC4 went through development hell, delays and insane crunch. Not exactly a good example to follow.
Well said, I agree!If anything, this just signals a lack of confidence in the product from the higher ups. If you have a game coming along smoothly that has all the potential to be a massive hit both reception and sales-wise, it would make zero sense to leave in the most crucial year of development like this. Stuff coming together and the end being in sight would mean improved morale, not lessened. You'd want to be a part of the team when a game like this launches. These back-to-back departures kinda show me that they aren't willing to stick around for launch, which is certainly worrying.
We'll see. It might be just a freak coincidence, but it could also mean core development trouble.
Nope there's no way they delay the game unless the console gets delayed. And you best believe they ain't delaying the console launch.
This comment is logical and makes sense.Maybe she felt out of her depth or was just poached by the new, local studio... not unheard of.
Her previous roles leaned heavily on the audio side of things so I'm doubtful she would have had too much say on any fundamental design/gameplay choices, that's just a hunch on my part though.
If anything, this just signals a lack of confidence in the product from the higher ups. If you have a game coming along smoothly that has all the potential to be a massive hit both reception and sales-wise, it would make zero sense to leave in the most crucial year of development like this. Stuff coming together and the end being in sight would mean improved morale, not lessened. You'd want to be a part of the team when a game like this launches. These back-to-back departures kinda show me that they aren't willing to stick around for launch, which is certainly worrying.
We'll see. It might be just a freak coincidence, but it could also mean core development trouble.
I may be wrong but don't Producers work hand in hand with the design and creative teams? I'm guessing a studio as big as 343i with over 520+ devs and over 25 new job roles ( last week) won't have any issues filling these roles quickly (internally or outsourcing) as they would already have a number of producers and directors working on the project from the beginning.Lots of folk here seem to be confusing the roles of producers and creative directors.
A producer in a dev studio is usually responsible for organising schedules and ordering the pizzas when crunch time arrives...not to belittle their roles (no game would ship without them having done a decent job) but they aren't usually the creative force behind a project.
XO19 is coming next month. Maybe you'll be singing a different tune.Well said, I agree!
Let's be real, we still have no idea what this game even is. If there was some solid looking gameplay footage out in the wild to give the fans some confidence, this would be an entirely different conversation.
I really don't see how it can be more important than the console itself. The console is assumed to arrive late 2020 and it's not like Halo gamers will ignore the next Xbox and buy a PS5 instead if Halo is delayed 3 months.Nope there's no way they delay the game unless the console gets delayed. And you best believe they ain't delaying the console launch. There still have enough time for everything to come together.
I sure hope so. I would love for this game to turn out great.XO19 is coming next month. Maybe you'll be singing a different tune.
I really don't see how it can be more important than the console itself. The console is assumed to arrive late 2020 and it's not like Halo gamers will ignore the next Xbox and buy a PS5 instead if Halo is delayed 3 months.
Yep. This is the problem of launch titles - you do not really have the option of delaying your big launch title.
So either MS release Scarlett without their tentpole title, or they delay the new console giving Sony a big advantage. Neither of those are going to happen. Infinite is coming out in holiday 2020 hell or high-water.
This is just grasping at straws at best, knowing absolutely nothing about what is happening at 343. Not sure the "concern" is warranted.
I should become a producer. Where do i apply?
If you're promoted to campaign lead of a game in a huge franchise, where you're confident in that it will blow minds and have an amazing reception, what exactly is the incentive for leaving? Wouldn't you want that milestone on your resumé?
pizza hut
Yes they do, but in my experience working in game development studios, producers have more of a "shepherding" role, making sure milestones are hit, scheduling tasks and making sure the artists, designers etc have what they need to fulfill their tasks. I've never worked with a producer who has had a major impact on design or gameplay. Other studios may do things differently though.I may be wrong but don't Producers work hand in hand with the design and creative teams? I'm guessing a studio as big as 343i with over 520+ devs and over 25 new job roles ( last week) won't have any issues filling these roles quickly (internally or outsourcing) as they would already have a number of producers and directors working on the project from the beginning.
the title update is misleading, the point isnt that a producer left, the PR that released alongside the director leaving said that this producer would now lead the campaign, but she has left 2 months after.
What I posted by the look of it. If you know any different, tell us. My reply was based on my experiences of a producers role (a very abridged version to be fair), as I wrote elsewhere, other studios may do things differently.
The power of compelling software should never be underestimated. Obviously unlike Nintendo Sony/Microsoft have the luxury of 3rd Party support. However the power of exclusive content to Microsoft's platform could be the difference to the platform selling after the initial launch period. Also could sway fence sitters to buy into the ecosystem and not the opposition. But that's just my opinion.I really don't see how it can be more important than the console itself. The console is assumed to arrive late 2020 and it's not like Halo gamers will ignore the next Xbox and buy a PS5 instead if Halo is delayed 3 months.
Yep. This is the problem of launch titles - you do not really have the option of delaying your big launch title.
So either MS release Scarlett without their tentpole title, or they delay the new console giving Sony a big advantage. Neither of those are going to happen. Infinite is coming out in holiday 2020 hell or high-water.
sorry for the bump, but it seems like the Mary Olson, the one that according to MS's press release was supposed to take charge of the campaign after Longo has now also left 343, only 2 months after.
sure it applies but I may be forgetting some details of that story now cos for some reason, I always thought Amy left just before UC4 shipped? i.e after her work on the project was done? I thought herself and Bruce stayed back just until the end of the project?While i think the departure of these two people does indicate certain project leads being unsatisfied with the direction of the project and possibly even development being in a precarious state, i feel like it doesnt really neccisarily matter to the outcome of the project being good or not.
Uncharted 4 went through FAR more of a huge shift in development and still ended up being a good game, despite me not personally gelling with uncharted(i think that has more to do with me not liking uncharted in general though).
Of course, there is something to be said for the argument that the people who replaced amy henning were as capable, or more capable than she as creative leads whereas we have no real knowledge of the development team of Halo infinite. but at the same time, i still think the UC4 comparison applies.
Lead Pizza-getter more like
She left 5th March 2014, and the game released 10th May 2016 :p Also, it's well documented as a terrible time to have been working at the studio with how much work they had to do to retool it (covered in Blood, Sweat, and Pixels).sure it applies but I may be forgetting some details of that story now cos for some reason, I always thought Amy left just before UC4 shipped? i.e after her work on the project was done? I thought herself and Bruce stayed back just until the end of the project?
sorry for the bump, but it seems like the Mary Olson, the one that according to MS's press release was supposed to take charge of the campaign after Longo has now also left 343, only 2 months after.
Pizza is VERY important.
Too much pressure having to deliver a BotW type system seller that looks and performs great on like 3 plattforms and offers great single player and multiplayer content.
In regards to Uncharted 4 Amy and the co-director (I forget his name) left/fired around a year into the game's production. At least 9 months of progress had to be retooled in a hurried pace when Straley and Druckmann took the reigns. I remember it being described as a "Three year project done in two years".
Hopefully 343 aren't in that dire a situation and are able to release a high quality launch game for Scarlett, but having high level turnover so quickly and a year out is not good.