Halo: Campaign Evolved Team Hit by Layoffs After Microsoft Restructuring
Microsoft’s restructuring in recent weeks has hit another Halo-related team, after earlier reporting suggested the studio behind Halo: Campaign Evolved would be spared. While the cuts initially appeared targeted at contractor roles rather than full-time staff, employees tied to the project say they were eventually impacted—sparking fresh questions about what the publisher’s plans mean for the studio’s future.
Several weeks ago, layoffs were announced across parts of Microsoft’s gaming organization. At the time, one team that was reportedly protected was Halo Studios, largely because it was still wrapping up work on Halo: Campaign Evolved, which launched just a week earlier. That timing is now being used to explain why the studio wasn’t immediately affected: once the game released, Microsoft moved to reduce headcount in the team responsible for it.
There is still no confirmed breakdown of how many roles were eliminated. Microsoft has not released an official statement about the scope of the Halo Studios changes. Instead, the information surfaced because affected employees began sharing that they had been let go on LinkedIn, providing the clearest public signal so far.
Among the developers who reportedly lost their jobs are producers Nick Treitman and Paul Morris. Additional team members also indicated a break in employment by updating their profiles to show they are looking for new work, including Caleb Lawrence, Daniel Macadangdang, Kaylee Benoit, Chris Hooper-Hammond, and Adam Crockett.
Halo: Campaign Evolved launched on July 28 on PC and on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PlayStation 5. The package includes a cinematic presentation mode and ships with Polish subtitles.
Despite reaching multiple platforms, the game’s launch reception has been lukewarm. On Steam, it holds 63% positive reviews, which Steam’s classification describes as a mixed overall response. Player activity has also been modest: the concurrent Steam peak recorded is 25,376 players.
Financial performance is harder to judge because the title is also available via Game Pass. The service version matters for a key reason: Halo: Campaign Evolved does not include PvP multiplayer, focusing instead on the campaign experience, which can be played in co-op. Meanwhile, the standard retail price for the game is listed as 249 zł, making the subscription route a more straightforward option for players who prefer to try the campaign without a direct purchase.
With Microsoft’s broader restructuring continuing to reshape internal teams, Halo Studios now joins the growing list of organizations and roles affected after the release window closed—an outcome that contradicts earlier expectations that only contract positions would be targeted.
