Longtime Halo director Frank O'Connor leaves the franchise after 20 years

Microsoft has confirmed that Frank O'Connor, a longtime director for the Halo franchise, has departed after two decades with the series. His departure comes after rumors surfaced that he was no longer with the company, and fans noticed an update to his LinkedIn profile.

O'Connor began his career as a content manager for Bungie in 2003 and joined Microsoft Studios in 2008. He was a familiar figure among Halo fans, co-authoring Halo: Evolutions and serving as a spokesperson for the franchise. He most recently served as development director on Halo 5 and Halo Infinite.

His departure follows that of Joseph Staten, who left Halo Infinite in 2020 to join Netflix Games as a development lead. With both O'Connor and Staten departing, it remains to be seen where the Halo franchise will go from here.