Bungie's Frank O'Connor leaves for Microsoft, teases new Halo game

Content Manager details reasons for leaving the house that Master Chief built, offering a tease as to the franchise's "next big thing."

Mister Chief makes a tearful goodbye.

Mister Chief makes a tearful goodbye.

In a lengthy letter posted on Bungie's official website, Content Manager Frank O'Connor has announced his departure from the company to accept a position with Microsoft. O'Connor explains the move as a way of working more closely with the Halo franchise which Microsoft owns, even going so far as to hint at a new game currently in development.

"I am off to work more closely with Microsoft on the Halo franchise," proclaimed O'Connor Friday evening. As though to validate his decision, he continues, "I was busy working on a story for one of our next games, an experience that is destined to surprise, amaze and entertain like nothing we've ever made before."

O'Connor's move to Microsoft comes after the company recently announced that is actively seeking developers for Halo Chronicles. The Peter Jackson-helmed project, which was announced nearly two years ago, supposedly promises episodic gameplay set within the earliest years of the Halo timeline.

It's entirely reasonable to conclude that O'Connor has left to join that project's team; however, his reference to penning the story for one of the company's next games could refer to an entirely different project. Rumors of a prequel entitled Halo Forerunner have quietly been circulating ever since the release of Halo 2. Another possibility is that Halo Chronicles and Halo Forerunner are one and the same.

Whatever project O'Connor has joined Microsoft for, it'll be awhile longer before any details come out. E3 might offer some insight, but in the meantime we can look forward to Halo Wars coming out later this year.

Comments [41]

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TheEliteOfWar

Good news for Halo but bad news for bungie I wonder what impact will this have on bungie after losing frankie. So far bungie has been a one trick pony with halo They need to show they dont need the chief and frankie to sell games

Sire

Okay, I guess this is good news? Having someone that close to the franchise staying with Halo is important, . . but not as important as having all that new blood flowing through the game. I actually think that this next Halo is gonna be pretty sick. What role Peter Jackson has I don't know, but I am sure it will be much more cinematic, which is always good, and every few games I think it's important to reinvent yourself, or you wind up with a tired franchise that looks better, but is pretty much the same game, just like that June blockbuster that is coming out that looks incredible, but hasn't grown as a series since the first game........but also in that games defense, it's much more of a hardcore fanboy game and if you tinker too much, the babies will have a cow. Halo on the other hand is bought by fanboys and casual gamers alike, so there is much more room to branch out.

MasterGamer666

TheEliteOfWar Posted at: 05/18/08 at 5:18 PM PST Good news for Halo but bad news for bungie I wonder what impact will this have on bungie after losing frankie. So far bungie has been a one trick pony with halo They need to show they dont need the chief and frankie to sell games
I agree Bungie need to make something else or else they will lose all credibility, because all they have is Halo

Sire

MGS4FINISHTHEFIGHT Posted at: 05/18/08 at 5:38 PM PST HALO IS A LETDOWN!!! and FIRST!!!!!!
Jesus, always something negative to say out of this boys mouth. Oh I forgot, it has nothing to do with Sony, so a negative is a given. . . . enjoy Haze man.

GOBLOXXX187

Yeah, it's silly how he bashes Halo3 & praises MGS4 , all the while his "finish the fight" tag line is an overt plagiarist act. Everyone knows Bungie coined it first for Halo 3.

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