Kotaku and Shacknews are reporting — each through their own anonymous source — that following his August departure from Kojima Productions, Metal Gear Solid 4 producer Ryan Payton has found a new job at Microsoft Game Studios, where he will serve as creative director of the new Halo collaboration with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.
Though we aren’t questioning the veracity of these two distinct reports, we do find it interesting that the game would find its creative director only just now. When Peter Jackson first introduced the collaboration at X06, two years ago, he told attending media that the game had already been in development for about a year.
Then again, looking at the bigger picture of Halo hires, it seems Microsoft is staffing up for something tremendous this time round, involving new game engines and perhaps even a new game console. We suppose the concept alone might have needed three years in the think tank.
Two weeks ago, Payton spoke with Kotaku about Japanese developers’ seeming reluctance to work with Western technology, highlighting the Xbox 360 in particular. Asked about his next career move, Payton answered “I’ll go wherever we can make a big massive game.” Was he perhaps foreshadowing this move?
We’ve reached out to Payton and Microsoft Game Studios for confirmation, and hope to hear back soon.
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