Former Halo franchise development director Frank O’Connor is urging Activision to hire former Halo Studios staff as it builds the team responsible for Master Chief’s future.
O’Connor weighed in on the franchise’s dramatic restructuring in a LinkedIn discussion about Microsoft’s decision to transfer development of the next major Halo game from Halo Studios to Activision.
A screenshot from Halo 2: Anniversary (2020), 343 Industries
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While outlining several directions Activision could take, O’Connor offered one particularly notable piece of advice.
“Pro-Pro-Tip: Hire Bungie, Halo Studios and other laid off folk who are bursting w. talent and ideas that got nerfed or shut down over the years,” he wrote.
Microsoft recently eliminated 268 positions across Halo Studios, other first-party developers, and Xbox management as part of a sweeping restructuring.
That has suddenly put experienced Halo developers on the job market just as Activision is assembling an entirely new team to take control of a franchise that many believe has lost its way.
O’Connor Sees Three Paths Forward for Halo
O’Connor also outlined three potential strategies for Activision.
The first would be a return to a “classic” Halo experience centered on the franchise’s traditional movement, sandbox, and shooting mechanics. Such a game could initially target the core audience before attempting to expand beyond it.
A screenshot from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (2020), 343 Industries
His second option would involve substantially reinventing Halo, potentially turning it into a different type of action game or even an action RPG while retaining its universe and storytelling.
The third would move Halo closer to Activision’s existing comfort zone by adopting proven progression and business models while delivering major releases annually or semi-annually alongside a steady stream of content.
However, O’Connor warned Activision against tying future games to hardware launches or abandoning Halo’s sandbox.
His recommendation to hire former developers also echoes comments from recently laid-off senior franchise story lead Jeff Easterling. As That Park Place previously reported, Easterling said he would be honored to join Activision’s new Halo team after losing his position following more than 12 years with the franchise.
Frank O’Connor Remains a Polarizing Halo Figure
Of course, O’Connor himself remains a polarizing figure among longtime Halo fans.
He joined Bungie in 2003 and became familiar to players through his work on the Bungie Weekly Update during the development of Halo 2 and Halo 3. O’Connor subsequently left Bungie for Microsoft in 2008, becoming one of the foundational leaders at the newly created 343 Industries and helping oversee the franchise’s creative and narrative direction for roughly 15 years. He departed Microsoft in 2023.
An image from Halo: Campaign Evolved – Microsoft, XBOX Game Studios, Halo Studios
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That tenure means O’Connor is closely associated with both eras of the franchise. However, it also connects him to many of the controversial decisions made under 343 Industries as the studio struggled to recreate the success Halo enjoyed under Bungie.
Activision is now being asked to succeed where that studio ultimately could not.
Should Activision Make a Clean Break?
While many online agree that retaining experienced talent makes sense, others would prefer Activision to make a much cleaner break with the past. Their argument is straightforward: the people who spent the last 15 years overseeing Halo already had an opportunity to build upon the franchise’s legacy, and the results ultimately helped create the circumstances that led Microsoft to hand development to Activision.
Former Halo creative director Frank O’Connor wants Activision to bring back the people laid off from Halo studios, the same people that completely ruined the franchise
“Hire Bungie, Halo Studios and other laid off folk” who are “bursting with talent and ideas.”
He says… pic.twitter.com/913nC3DGVn
— Pirat_Nation 🔴 (@Pirat_Nation) September 30, 2026
Some fans have consequently called for strict gatekeeping around the new team, arguing that Activision should avoid bringing back the previous stewards altogether. For them, even a Halo game that borrows heavily from Call of Duty would represent a more promising experiment than rebuilding the same development culture under a different corporate banner.
Yet Activision does not necessarily have to choose between recreating Halo Studios and abandoning everyone who worked there. The challenge will be identifying developers with valuable experience and strong ideas without rebuilding the leadership structure and creative philosophy Microsoft just dismantled. If Activision can make that distinction, former Halo Studios employees could still have an important role in Master Chief’s future—even if the franchise itself desperately needs a fresh start.
Do you think Activision should hire former Halo Studios staff for the reboot? Sound off and let us know!
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