Halo 4 creative director quits 343 Industries

One of the creative directors working on Halo 4 has quit not just the game but also developer 343 Industries.

Ryan Payton, who Kotaku reports has been previously diagnosed with depression, says that despite a great run at Microsoft” that he doesn’t regret, there came a point where I wasn’t creatively excited about the project anymore”.

"TheHaloI wanted to build was fundamentally different and I don’t think I had built enough credibility to see such a crazy endeavour through."

Payton’s former employer before joining 343 was Kojima Productions, where he most recently played a role in the production of Metal Gear Solid 4. His move to the US was in part motivated by the need to return home to look after his sick mother.

He has now founded new development studio Camouflaj, which will focus on smaller, casual-orientated titles.

"Some people say I’m crazy,but I want to make a game that one billion people play at once, and it’s something that hits them harder than a great book or film," Payton added.