: Halo has been a cultural force since 1999. Internally, its vision was being
: shaped by a small team of passionate creators since the mid-90s.

: It saw the transition from one millennia to another. It's had staying power
: over generations. It brought people together in early online forums like
: this one and eventually in online lobbies. It built online social spaces
: as we know them today, pioneering the "virtual couch". Then it
: brought people together through in-person gatherings, from across the
: world, and shaped so many friendships that defined large portions of our
: lives. Halo was a revolutionary new form of artistic expression,
: championing and exemplifying the potential of a new medium for visionary,
: immersive storytelling, both for interactive narratives via campaign and
: emergent narratives via its many-faceted multiplayer iterations.

: Many of the folks who worked at 343 Industries/Halo Studios came from this
: very community, starting their journey as fans, eventually transitioning
: into community leaders of one kind or another before being given the
: opportunity to contribute to Halo professionally, from the inside.

: Mismanagement and bad leadership aside, this feels like the end of an era
: when someone passionate about Halo's potential could grow in their
: capacity to contribute to the franchise, step formally into the developer
: role, and continue to shepherd the story they loved into the future.

: Many HBO community members who were fortunate enough to step into a
: professional career with this franchise have been affected by these
: layoffs. Years of their lives went into this universe that they were so
: passionate about, all to be unceremoniously concluded at the end of a long
: line of poor corporate decisions.

: I can't help but wonder if this isn't the end of Halo's involvement with its
: fan community and the start of a new era defined by less communication and
: respect for the reciprocal nature of art and storytelling between its
: creators and its fans. Can't really say for sure at this point, but it
: definitely feels like a radical shift in the fabric underlying the entire
: history of this franchise, this community, and this universe/narrative.

: I'm hoping for the best for Halo's future as a creative IP. Hoping it can
: return to the potential we all saw in it during the first decade of its
: existence when this medium still felt like it was building towards a
: bigger, brighter future. But more than anything right now, I'm thinking
: back on the 25+ years of history that this little powerhouse of a sci-fi
: game kicked off in November 2001, and the people who've been involved with
: it intimately in those subsequent years.

: Wishing the best for everyone affected by the layoffs, many of whom us old
: timers know personally. More than anything though, I hope that the lessons
: learned and skills gained working from the inside don't come to a dead end
: with the shuttering of Halo Studios. There's so much talent that's pouring
: out into the workforce now, and - despite the sense of loss so many must
: be feeling - I hope it can be funneled towards positive creation and
: brighter, more visionary works of art in the future.

: Fingers crossed for the future of Halo, and much love to everyone who
: dedicated years/decades of their lives to this franchise. Sounds like it's
: been a rough road in recent years, but I think that means only good things
: can come from whatever future gets built from the ashes.

Yeah, it stinks from a franchise standpoint and it stinks because this kind of discontinuity of personnel doesn't bode well for... anything. But we will see.