Longtime Halo Art Director Announces Departure With Cryptic…

Longtime Halo art director Glenn Israel has announced he's no longer working on the franchise while seemingly hinting at larger problems at Halo Studios. News around the groundbreaking shooter series has been largely positive lately, with rumors of a Combat Evolved remake or sequel to Infinite running wild. Amid this excitement, Israel's announcement casts a shadow over the current state of the Halo universe.

Hype has been reaching new heights as a mysterious big announcement inches closer. Halo Studios has confirmed it will share details on future Halo projects on October 24, with many fans expecting the news to be about either a remake or a new game announcement. Whatever it is, the fanbase will learn more soon enough, but now an unexpected announcement of a different kind may temper some people's expectations.

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By Aaron McKinley

Halo Art Director Leaves After 17 Years, Promises More Details to Come

Israel revealed he was leaving Halo in a cryptic LinkedIn post, saying he can't reveal specifics on his decision yet but will do so "when it is absolutely safe." The 17-year series veteran also left a message for others in the industry, encouraging them to avoid trading their health, dignity, ethics, or values in return for money, fame, or success. The comment seems to suggest Israel disagreed with the direction things were going in at Halo Studios, but it's unclear what exactly that means. Earlier in 2025, anonymous Halo devs reported concerns over being replaced by AI, so Israel's departure may have something to do with the controversial technology, but any such guesses are just speculation until the art director himself clarifies things.

Master Chief in Halo 1 version of the Master Chief Collection.

As for when those details will come, Israel said it would be safe for him to do so sometime next year. Current rumors suggest the next Halo game could come out in 2026, as it's the franchise's 25th anniversary, so there's a chance that Israel is waiting for the next title to release before revealing more, possibly because of an NDA or similar contractual obligation. Again, though, the specifics are unclear, so all fans can do to learn more for sure is wait for more information from the source.

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While this announcement and ominous message may come as a surprise to many fans, it's not the first thing to cast a cloud over Halo's future this year. During Microsoft's sweeping mid-year round of layoffs, at least five Halo devs were reportedly let go, and anonymous insiders said morale at Halo Studios was low leading up to the firings. One dev said they "don't think anybody is really happy" with the series' level of quality at the moment, which may also have something to do with whatever situation drove Israel from the company. There may be good news on the horizon for Halo, but it appears not everything is sunny.

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