Dan Ayoub, who worked previously as studio head of 343 Industries, has signed on with indie developer, Certain Affinity. Having already produced several games in the Halo series, including Halo: Reach and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, this career move brings him back to the series after three years, as Certain Affinity is co-developing Halo Infinite alongside 343.
Ayoub will be working as Certain Affinity’s VP of Canadian operations, managing work at the studio’s Toronto base.
This is far from the only personnel change to the Halo Infinite team. The game is now on its third director, with Chris Lee stepping down last October, and creative director Tim Longo and executive producer Mary Olson leaving the project August 2019. Since then, former series lead writer, Joseph Staten, has been brought on as head of creative. Microsoft has hit back against claims that these staff changes are cause for concern, arguing that this turnover rate is a "healthy thing", as the staff that remain are "motivated".
343 Industries brought on Certain Affinity as Halo Infinite was already in development. The partnership was announced after the title had already been hit with its massive delay, pushing it far past its initial Xbox Series X/S launch title window.
Halo Infinite is now slated for a late 2021 launch, although no specific date has been given at this point in time. The return of a series veteran may just give the game the push it needs to see a release this year.
This isn’t Certain Affinity’s first rodeo with the series. A studio made up of ex-Bungie employees, it has a 14 year record of assisting with AAA titles, such as various Halo games, as well as Call of Duty, DOOM and Left 4 Dead titles
Certain Affinity is also working on its own IP, Lost Expedition, however very little is known about this project, and when we can expect it. It will be the studios fourth attempt at an original project, after over a decade of assisting with larger titles.
Source: Certain Affinity