Bonnie Ross, founder and head of hello developer 343 Industries, is stepping down. Ross, who has worked with the Hello franchise for 15 years, cited a family medical issue as the reason for her departure. In a statement to Windows Central, publisher Microsoft said the vacancy will effectively be taken over by 343 Industries’ current head of product, Pierre Hintz. The development comes as Halo Infinite delayed all of its upcoming content, including the long-requested co-op mode, until November.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work everyone at 343 Industries has done on Halo Infinite, The Master Chief Collection, the Halo television series and more. It has been an honor to serve with the team for the past 15 years and be a part of my favorite universe,” Ross said on Twitter. With the announcement, 343 Industries’ leadership team will undergo a major restructuring, starting with the aforementioned Hintze assuming the role of studio head. Going forward, he will lead the ongoing development of Halo Infinite and The Master Chief Collection, among other future projects.
Microsoft also said Windows Central The studio’s senior leadership team will be expanded into new roles. Brian Koski, who previously handled marketing for Halo, will become GM of the franchise, while Elizabeth van Wyk will head business and operations. Earlier this month, 343 Industries unveiled a new roadmap for Halo Infinite, listing a new round of delays for new content. Whether this studio shake-up will result in further changes to the launch dates remains to be seen.
To the dismay of fans, 343 Industries first revealed that the much-anticipated co-op mode has been pushed back to a November 8 release date. The game mode was originally targeted for an August launch and also held a beta testing event in July. The studio delayed Halo Infinite’s Forge mode — a map editing and creation tool — to a November date, just in time for the big winter update, which adds a free battle pass to the mix.
As part of the Halo Infinite roadmap, 343 Industries completely scrapped the promised split-screen mode — a staple feature in the classic Halo games. Season 3 multiplayer has also been pushed back to March 7, 2023, bringing new maps, weapons, and the cloak screen, a device that places an opaque dome-shaped shield to protect your squad.
Halo Infinite is available now on Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One and Windows PC via Steam and PC Game Pass.
