Halo Infinite Art Director Has Left 343 Industries
Halo Infinite has lost yet another key member of its development team. Nicolas Bouvier, the Art Director for the franchise, has confirmed on social media that his time with 343 Industries is over.
“All good things come to an end,” he wrote. “After close to 14 years on Halo, I have decided to pursue other opportunities outside Microsoft and 343 Industries.”
The gaming public is not new to announcements of devs leaving a certain studio. However, it does somewhat put them on alert whenever several high profile staff leave within the same year—one after the other.
Halo Infinite’s Head of Design Jerry Hook left the studio just this May. Before Hook, Lead Mutiplayer Designer Andrew Witts and Lead Narrative Designer Aaron Linde also announced their departure. This pattern of departures have been disheartening for many fans.
Interestingly, Bouvier’s departure brought out kindhearted responses compared to his former peers. He announced his decision to leave alongside concept art that encapsulates his work on the Halo Infinite franchise. Fans replied with other artful examples that were crafted under Bouvier’s direction.
“It has been a hell of a ride, loved every minute of it,” he continued. “Wishing the absolute best to 343, you guys are and always will be amazing.”
As expected, Halo Infinite will continue without Bouvier’s input. In fact, fans can already download the co-op campaign network test flight right now.
It remains unclear precisely what “other opportunities” Bouvier was referring to. However, many fans are speculating that he might follow Hook in a new studio, Jar of Sparks. The studio’s goal is “to create a new generation of narrative-driven action games with immersive worlds that will be filled with moments that gamers will want to share with each other.”
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