Halo Studios Devs Officially Laid Off After Campaign Evolved Launch

Just One Week After Campaign Evolved's Launch, Halo Studios Hit With Layoffs Published Aug 6, 2026, 5:47 AM EDT James Lucas is an Executive Editor at TheGamer who has worked in professional journalism since 2018. A Newcastle University graduate with a degree in Journalism, Media, and Culture, they have written hundreds of guides, news stories, and original reports, with bylines in IGN, NME, GaymingMag, and VG247, sourcing interviews with studio heads, legendary industry figures, prominent actors, and more. An expert on FPS games, Soulslikes, RPGs, and survival horror, James has intimate knowledge of a wide variety of titles, providing in-depth coverage and exclusive profiles. Some of the games they have extensively covered include: Half-Life 3, Counter-Strike, Elden Ring, and Fallout. They pride themselves on their consistently thorough research, leveraging nearly a decade of industry experience. You can reach them at James.t@thegamer.com Sign in to your TheGamer account Halo Studios is facing layoffs just over a week after the launch of Campaign Evolved. As reported by Eurogamer, several developers have penned goodbyes to their personal LinkedIn profiles. However, it's unclear how many employees have been let go, as Xbox has not yet issued an official statement. "After 6.5 years working on Halo and dodging just as many rounds of layoffs - it has finally caught up to me," producer Nick Treitman said. "I have nothing but love for Halo and the folks at the studio, this is just a tough reality in the gaming industry right now." These layoffs follow the already mass cuts at Xbox, where 3,200 people were let go as numerous studios were spun out as independent entities — including Double Fine, which faced further layoffs in the aftermath. "Today, I learned my time at Halo Studios will be coming to an end following the successful launch of our latest game, Halo: Campaign Evolved," scrum master (yes, scrum master) Paul Morris wrote. "I know this is one of the most challenging job markets our industry has seen, and I know the road ahead won't be easy." Halo Studios Is Embroiled In Accusations Of Mismanagement And Abuse This news also follows accusations of mismanagement and abuse from Halo Studios head Pierre Hintze, who was allegedly "reported to human resources multiple times by multiple employees for different reasons." He has been accused of berating the development team, telling the engineering team "I don't give a fu**" after receiving a memo about work-life balance, and downplaying employees who questioned becoming full-time. Content creator Rebs Gaming, who claimed to have spoken with current and former employees, alleged that Campaign Evolved was "poorly planned and managed" because of Hintze, who failed to create an internal roadmap and "constantly changed priorities for the development team." This lines up with what former art director Glenn Israel described as "the catastrophic mismanagement of Halo: Campaign Evolved." "A lot of people worked very hard to salvage Campaign Evolved," Rebs said. "The development team rallied and saved the project and deserve praise for digging the game out of the hole that was created by Pierre." Released July 28, 2026 Developer(s) Halo Studios Publisher(s) Microsoft Studios Multiplayer Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op Cross-Platform Play Yes - all platforms Halo: Campaign Evolved is a faithful yet modernized remake of Halo: Combat Evolved’s campaign. Experience the original story rebuilt with high-definition visuals, updated cinematics, and refined controls, plus three brand-new prequel missions featuring the Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson. A broader arsenal of weapons, vehicles, enemies, and gameplay-modifying “Skulls” – optional modifiers that change combat in fun and challenging ways – add fresh tactics and endless replayability. Play it your way: solo, in 2-player split-screen co-op (console only), or up to 4-player online co-op with full crossplay and cross-progression support. Whether you’re discovering Halo for the first time or returning to the ring after 25 years, Halo: Campaign Evolved delivers an adventure that feels both timeless and brand new. Discover the Ringworld After crash landing on a mysterious ringworld known as Halo, the Master Chief is tasked with helping the remaining humans survive against overwhelming Covenant forces. Alongside his AI companion Cortana, he uncovers Halo’s dark secrets and fights to avert the annihilation of all life in the galaxy. The Complete Campaign, Rebuilt Battle through the original missions, newly rebuilt with enhanced level design, updated cinematics, and improved wayfinding, refined to keep the pace moving without losing the wonder, tension, or heroism of the original. Cinematics and Audio Overhauled Iconic vistas, alien architecture, and sci-fi wonders are reborn with all-new visuals, cinematics, and animations. The soundtrack has been remastered, the sound design updated for greater immersion, and new voice performances recorded with the primary cast. Combat and Weapons Expanded Classic Halo combat feels instantly familiar yet sharper than ever. Sprint, aim, and engage with refined precision. For the first time in Halo: CE, you can wield 9 additional iconic weapons from across the series, including the Energy Sword, Battle Rifle, and Needle Rifle, giving you more ways to approach every fight. Three New Prequel Missions Join the Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson in a brand-new arc set before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, featuring new environments, gameplay, characters, and enemies. Play Solo or with Friends Experience the full campaign in 2-player split-screen co-op (console only) or 4-player online co-op, complete with crossplay and shared progression across console and PC. Drive, Hijack, Wreak Havoc Whether you’re racing across the map in a Warthog or flipping it over with friends, vehicles have always been at the heart of Halo’s fun. Now they go even further: for the first time in Halo: CE, you can hijack enemy rides and pilot a fully drivable Wraith, creating unforgettable chaos. Remix Your Campaign for Endless Replayability Use the campaign remix feature to return to any mission and remix the experience with the most gameplay-modifying “Skulls” ever in a Halo campaign. These optional modifiers add challenge and variety with randomized weapons, enemies, and environments. Genre(s) FPS, Science Fiction, Shooter, Multiplayer