Halo’s Former Creative Director Urges Activision to Hire Laid-Off Bungie and Halo Studios Talent

Halo’s creative leadership for nearly two decades has a blunt message for Activision now that the Call of Duty publisher controls the franchise: hire the people Microsoft just let go.

Frank O’Connor, who spent almost 20 years writing and directing Halo’s creative vision, posted advice to LinkedIn this weekend after Xbox announced it was transferring Halo to Activision’s control as part of sweeping studio restructuring. Halo Studios, the team that shipped Halo Infinite, is being cut down to a skeleton crew for live-service support while Activision builds what it calls “a new, purpose-built Halo team that is separate from ongoing development and plans for Call of Duty.”

Three Paths Forward, None Guaranteed

O’Connor laid out what he sees as Activision’s realistic options. The first is a “classic” Halo sandbox experience—core multiplayer DNA that draws hardcore fans but scales to broader appeal. “Halo MP is better w. more people playing, by mathematical default,” he noted.

The second option: reinvent Halo entirely. “Make something new, modern that reinvents the game/universe in a surprising but fantastic way,” O’Connor wrote. That could mean a new take on the FPS formula or even an action RPG that leans on strong narrative and IP leverage to build curiosity among players.

The third path applies Activision’s existing playbook—annual or semi-annual releases with progression systems and monetization models proven to work in Call of Duty. “Translate Halo IP and sandbox into the ATVI comfort zone,” he phrased it, though he didn’t endorse any option as obviously correct.

Three Hard Rules

O’Connor’s “pro-tips” were more prescriptive. Do not tie the next Halo to a hardware or service launch cycle. Do not force it into a platform shape it cannot fit. And critically: “Do NOT abandon sandbox.”

The final piece of his advice directly addressed staffing. “Hire Bungie, Halo Studios and other laid off folk who are bursting with talent and ideas that got nerfed or shut down over the years.” That reference carries weight: Sony confirmed “significant” cuts at Bungie earlier this year affecting “most” of Destiny’s team and “some” of the Marathon team, following the end of live support for Destiny 2. Combined with Halo Studios’ downsizing, the shooter space has shed experienced hands.

Why it matters

O’Connor’s post signals friction between what Activision knows how to do and what Halo needs. Halo Infinite launched to live-service struggles and shed players; the franchise’s last major single-player entry was Halo 5 in 2015. Activision’s strength is annual multiplayer spectacle and engagement systems, but O’Connor is warning that forcing Halo into that mold risks erasing what made the series distinct. His emphasis on sandbox—the core design philosophy that let players solve problems creatively in Halo’s multiplayer and campaign—reflects frustration with years of design decisions that tightened that philosophy.

For players, this is a fork in the road. A classic Halo revival would compete directly with modern shooters using 2000s design language. A reinvention could mean anything. An Activision-flavored Halo could mean seasonal battle passes and cosmetics but risks feeling like Call of Duty with a Halo skin. O’Connor’s counsel to hire experienced talent suggests he believes institutional knowledge matters more than raw budget—a statement about why Infinite struggled even with Microsoft’s resources backing it.