A Thank You to Halo Developers from the Matchmaking Forgers

Working with the community forgers was some of the most rewarding work I did while working on Halo Infinite matchmaking. Their talent and passion for Halo is unmatched. Having come from the Forge community myself, I was excited when I was given the chance to begin curating community content and elevating amazing works created by the forgers for everyone to experience in matchmaking. Every new playlist and every refresh were banger after banger.

When I first put together the content curation process it was just me and a group of forgers in Discord polishing off some maps for our first playlist update. It was a bumpy start as we worked out the kinks of quality control, but it let us establish the pipeline to start feeding maps through faster and cleaner. I'm so happy that the team of forgers consisted of both long-time forgers and people brand new to the hobby. Seeing the forgers help each other grow in their skill set and collaborate on new projects was the real icing on the cake. In the end, we had more than 90 forgers help contribute maps and modes to matchmaking.

I really appreciate the patience and feedback we got from the forgers during this process as it could not have been easy at times. Forgers were given a much closer look at the development cycle than one usually would, where the process is rather bumpy and things change quick before they get straightened out. I valued the forgers' collaborative efforts in improving the quality of the process to make the game better. Trying to do right by the forgers and the community was a heavy motivator each and every day of work. I'm happy we were finally able to compensate the forgers for the work they did as well. That said I still don't think we did nearly enough to match the blood, sweat, and tears shed getting this stuff up to quality for matchmaking. I hope that the forgers found this process rewarding, worth their time, and grew on some level from having participated.

Forge has been critical to Halo's identity since Halo 3. It lets forgers breathe new life and bring fresh experiences to the game. I'm proud to have supported them in doing so with Halo Infinite and will continue to advocate for them throughout Halo. Whatever comes next for Halo needs to support user-generated content to allow these talented and passionate fans a way to contribute to the franchise.

It was hard to imagine my luck when joining the fine people at Halo Studios (then 343 Industries) to help launch Halo Infinite years ago. Halo was my favorite gaming franchise, and this group was responsible for crafting it. There are far too many names to mention, but I will always appreciate the shared life experience and passion that drove us all to deliver interesting and fun experiences to the players. For myself, the experience truly Evolved into something unique when I began engaging with the community of forgers. It began with a weekly meeting I scheduled for the Forge Development team to play curated Forge content. It was really special seeing developers play content built with the tools they spent the last five years building. At its most effective, the developers were left surprised and befuddled by the ingenuity shown by the community.

After this phase of development, I sought out ways to engage more. Reading comments on Reddit, Discord, and spending evenings playing in the Custom Game Browser. I began to understand the mechanisms that drive passionate community managers like Unyshek and ske7ch. Working with the community felt good, and only left you wanting to get closer to that feeling each day. It had an addictive quality to it.

I spent the rest of my time with Halo Infinite responding directly to community feedback. Fixing long-standing bugs in Forge, adding features, and helping get new weapons and vehicles out the door. I attended HCS 2024 in Seattle to speak on stage with Uny about our work and talk directly to the community members at the event. It was the most satisfying development experience of my career. And I have both Halo Studios and the Forge Community to thank for that.

Thank you all for your time, sweat, and tears creating Forge maps and modes. It has been an absolute blast playing it all. Please continue to find new ways to stay creative in your life. And remember, the community may splinter and drift apart as time changes us into different people. But the day a new Halo game drops, take solace in the thought that all of your old friends and co-workers are experiencing the game alongside you again.

Max Extra (Prescott)

Prescott lives and breathes for creative areas, whether that be Halo or other projects. Wherever he has been, he gives his all, and has helped countless forgers throughout his career, whether that be before he even joined HS/343 when he worked alongside me and others at ForgeHub and ran his own testing lobbies under Alliance Testing Network; he always pushed himself and others to improve and give their best work. During his time at HS/343 he continued to do that for the community, not only with veteran forgers but new ones being brought into the fold. He, along with others kept the majority of the community feeling like one group from the downtime in Halo 5 all the way through the end of Halo Infinite.

Max, if you ever do read this, I just want you to know how much you have impacted me and others. You are one of the key people that has kept this community cohesive through the years, and I don't think that would've happened without you being here. Your guidance and friendship helped me aspire to do my best when I was at ForgeHub, and collaborate to make some of my best stuff. I can't thank you enough for holding the Forge community together as long as you have.

Unyshek (John)

If there is one thing I can say about John, it's that he loves the community more than anything. From his time being a Halo YouTuber, to when he started as a Community Manager, he always brought people up and attempted to better the community as a whole. I met John for the first time during a Halo 5: Guardians Infection lobby. I was a part of that community and it was the first time we were testing Infection with a dev. Quickly, I noticed after repeated tests that we were testing official settings early, and the maps we were testing were being considered for rotation. I was still relatively new to professional Level Design, but my map John took interest in and immediately after the lobby, hopped in a chat with me, gave me direct feedback, and from there, we chatted with each other and became good friends.

Without John, I wouldn't have ever got Power Installation 484 into matchmaking, and I wouldn't have even attempted to do professional Level Design or compete in Halo. I've seen him do that with other people in the community too when he's able. He is genuinely someone who fosters the community in such a way that I don't think anyone else could. John, honestly without you or your influence, I would not be where I am today. You saw something in me and my projects, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Through you, I met people I would not have met otherwise, and connected with some of the best forgers and Design talent in the industry.

snickerdoodle (Sam)

I haven't known Sam for as long as others, but from the moment you meet Sam, you feel the energy of Halo radiating from her. She and John both are like a dynamic duo in that way. Sam and I have talked about Halo a lot, and she's helped test in lobbies before as well, but the most impactful stuff Sam has done is connecting folks. That might not sound like a ton, but through Sam, a lot of the community feeling between creators and forgers has flourished—she is one of the main reasons I have such good relationships with content creators. Along with this, she has also been a direct source for forgers and content creators to reach out to for any mix-ups that may have occurred, whether that be in blogs or otherwise.

Forge Lord (Michael)

Michael is creative through and through, whether that be with Forge or his Music. Michael being a creative helped him really connect with us as Forgers. Because of that creative experience, Michael gave us not only the best Forge, but also provided feedback and gave us knowledge that really pushed us forward as a community. He actively shared and reshared cool community projects and connected forgers with broader areas of the fanbase. When Michael did interact, he felt like one of us—almost like talking to a good friend.

My fondest memory with Michael was at HCS Worlds 2022. At this point me and Michael had briefly met each other, but typically "just business". During Worlds though, I learned about his previous drummer experience on Death Cab for Cutie and Delta IV, and we chatted for quite a bit about our shared appreciation of Drums, Rock, and passion for level creation. Michael has a passion that few people can really meet, especially people in roles like his.

Longest Con (Connor)

The man with a mission, that mission being to truly push the scripting community and Forge community to its absolute limits. Without Connor, I can confidently say that we would not have gotten the tools we currently have in Forge. During my time that I have known him, he has always been open to questions about the tool and suggestions for it, even from people not as script-savvy. He taught me a lot about the scripting toolset, and whenever I had questions, I could always come to him.

My fondest memory with Connor—other than when he's hopped in some lobbies to hang out with us—was at HCS Worlds 2023. Recently I had left ForgeHub, and he made a point to chat with me about it and other projects I was thinking of building with the new scripting features (of which I didn't end up building, sorry Connor…). We had a really cool brainstorm session, where we came up with sick ideas to try for maps, including what I had gone forward with for my map Decommissioned and some other projects. One of the modes we brainstormed was a dynamically changing temple you entered for the upcoming—at the time—AI Toolkit, where the temple would change enemy layout and interior layout every time you captured a flag (would use the one-flag mode). People like him really help me creatively flesh out ideas, and he gave me some ideas on how to execute that properly script-wise too.

tdubfed1 (Tyler)

The lighting mastermind himself. Tyler went above and beyond for the Forge community, teaching all of us what an OBB or lighting optimization even was. He joined so many Forge parties and game nights—wherever Tyler was, it was not only a good time, but lighting-knowledge intense. At game nights he'd be giving industry-level lighting feedback, teaching new forgers how to use the tools to suit their vision, and just making us all better for it. Without Tyler, a ton of Forgers would not be where they were today from a lighting perspective. Tyler knew his craft better than anyone I've met in the industry, and helped the community and Halo be the best it could be.

Foge (Ryan)

From the day that I met you in Halo 5, we've been good friends. You pushed me in a way that has not only brought me more out of my shell with the community, but in other areas as well. That continued from our time in the Forge Council to when you got officially hired on. Then I saw you turn a new leaf to the extreme when you went all in on creating the best content for the community possible, and accelerated communication between all teams for forgers and the community for playlists. With how much time you put into the community during your "off-time", joining lobbies, providing feedback, and being an absolute beast for the community you made the community and game better for it. I hope you will one day get another chance to be on our favorite franchise.

CommanderColson (Evan)

From the day we first met in Infection lobbies, to you pushing to have more innovative mode and map ideas in matchmaking, you have always wanted what's best for Halo. With your time at the studio, I've seen you push both forger and developer creations to their extreme by being innovative on what us forgers were allowed to push for matchmaking, and creating alongside us on those projects. Just like Foge, you were there and went above and beyond with how much time you put into the community on your "off-time", joining lobbies, providing feedback, and pushing us to our creative extremes on how to solve and brainstorm solutions. I hope you will one day get another chance to be on our favorite franchise.

Ensrude (Tyler)

From the moment we met in Halo 2 Anniversary, your levels and style have been absolutely stunning from a scope and gameplay perspective. I don't get tired of playing your projects—they have similar replayability to me as some of the great maps of old. My fondest memory of your time there was when you took an interview with me for the ForgeHub Creators Spotlight (Parts 1, 2, 3), detailing your rise in the community and your time at the studio. I also appreciated you taking the time out of your day off-the-clock to provide countless hours of feedback to your peers and to new people in testing lobbies. You were an inspiration to me and many others, and we miss you daily.

phannntasia (Phantasia)

At first, we didn't know a ton about you, but as us forgers got to know you and what you did, we realized your importance. Without you, the cadence for matchmaking releases and project scopes would not have been what they were. If Prescott was the vehicle to get us where we needed to go, and the drive to keep us keep going, then you were the navigation system to direct us and keep us and the community on-track for proper support. The last four to five years would not have been the same without you.

Black Picture (Cliff)

Cliff, more than anything, I wish you were still there as a lot of your level magic is what kept the newer dev levels in the game feeling like Halo levels. You understand—more than a lot of us—what makes a Halo level feel the way it needs to feel in order to get that Halo-spice that some levels start to lack. Your tutelage of me and others really helped us flesh out our designs more, and I believe that we have that same feel added to a majority of our designs now—forge or otherwise. Late-night discussions over design elements and understanding always pushed me to question what I thought was right, and I appreciated that, as I believe it made me a better designer. I greatly appreciate all the extra time you put into the community during Infinite, all the late-night game nights, and late-night design discussions helped more people than we know to give you credit for.

Tom French (OG Forge Lord & Olive's Dad)

Tom really got me into professional Level Design with his iteration of Forge back in Halo 5, and he really pushed Infinite to be the best it could be from a multiplayer perspective. I didn't get to interact with Tom a ton during his tenure, but I did get to talk with him about all the old Forge stuff from Halo 5 during HCS Worlds, and also got to riff with him a bit about Rock/Metal Music.

Tom really led the Forge community through a pretty dark time. Back then, after Halo 4, we were somewhat in a rough spot, but with the launch of 5's iteration, that all changed. Even after launch, he continued to interact with us and get feedback from the community to properly improve the tool for us in order to create the best stuff possible. That continued into Infinite even after he handed over the reins to Michael, and Michael took that and blew our socks off. Forge and Halo wouldn't have been as positive as it was without Tom. Hope you're still killing it, Tom!

Whos Blaze (Blaze)

Blaze has been one of my best friends I've met through forge. When I found out he got the job as a Playlist Coordinator back in Halo 5, I was ecstatic for him. He pulled himself up by his bootstraps and turned Halo 5 into a game that only got one to two matchmaking updates a year, into one to two every three months if not quicker. Without Blaze, Halo 5 probably would've died shortly after the final update. He constantly sat in after-work sessions with us testing content for matchmaking and also content we were just thinking about pursuing.

Mythic Slayer was one of those things the community fostered through Blaze and other members doing that collaboration. Even after Blaze has left, he continuously tries to get me and other people in the community noticed, and for that I am forever grateful. His levels that he put in himself were also some of the best put into matchmaking at the time. Without him, a lot of our levels would not be the same. Blaze, you're amazing and any Level Design or Sustain Team would be lucky to have you.

I grew up playing Halo, and when Forge came out, I was instantly addicted. I always kept to myself throughout the years, and kept my creations close to my chest, but I watched the community closely. Infinite was the first game that I tried to branch out and actually interact with everyone, and I was very quickly brought into the broader community by a ton of friendly names—a lot of which I already recognized. Then I ended up being invited to join a space with the developers and it blew me away that a lot of the people I was so nervous to meet were just like me, forgers.

Ever since I started forging all the way back in 2007, just even moving weapons around on Valhalla, I knew I wanted to contribute to Halo and the team that worked on Halo Infinite made my dreams come true, more than once. From the initial invitation from Phantasia, to Max Extra thanking us collectively for everything we did to help the game, I have been nothing but grateful for being given the chance to work with all of these amazing people.

Every single interaction the last few years has been nothing but amazing. Easily one of my favorite moments was Forge Lord sharing one of his previous works from Unreal Tournament 2004 with the group in a conversation, and I had imported it into Forge from Blender before the conversation was over, posting screenshots for him. Seeing how excited it got him felt awesome, and it was amazing to see how passionate he was. Although he ended up getting promoted very soon after and we never got a chance to work together on seeing that map into Infinite properly.

The team wasn't always able to help us with everything that we wanted or asked for, but it became very clear over time that they were fighting tooth and nail to try and make sure that we had as much as possible to enjoy using Forge in Infinite. They were all devoted to making this game as awesome as it could be, regardless of the issues that it started out with. Which is why it was so painful that the game ended up getting sunset earlier than intended, but because of the efforts of everyone on the team, it ended up in a way better place than it started.

I have nothing but love for every single developer that I've met and it pains me that things ended up this way. I hope that this setback is temporary, and that everyone finds a new home in the industry that will be lucky to have them. Everyone on that team was there because they are a Halo fan, and I hope that we can all continue to be Halo fans together in its future as well.

Huge shoutout to Phantasia, she was the first person from Halo Studios (343 at the time) to reach out about putting our content into Matchmaking. I have nothing but good things to say about her: she cared about forgers' work, knew what forgers wanted, and communicated incredibly well, so you never felt like you were just talking into a void.

Forge Lord too: he was there from the start for us, even in the early days. I vividly remember asking him about any file size limit or budget increases, which he later looked into and I imagine he made happen, given that it released in the following weeks, and that's just one example of many. He was always helpful when it came to questions about forge, and I always got the vibe that he really did care about forgers and their work.

Foge is an absolute legend. There'd be many, many nights where I'd just jump in a call with him in DMs on Discord—even on Saturdays and Sundays (out of work hours)—and just talk over stuff for hours, regardless of whether it was about matchmaking-related content, in regards to our work, or just general discussion. It was always fun to talk/work with Foge in regards to matchmaking content—it's why we even invited him onto the Forge panel we did at HCS Worlds 2024 (which he sadly couldn't make). Just an incredible guy to work/talk with.

Speaking of the Forge panel, that brings me to ske7ch. he reached out to me in DMs on X sometime in August that year about doing a Forge Panel for Worlds. After going over some details on topics for the panel, people on the panel and sections etc., we took it over to a Discord group chat, and we got everyone in there that was taking part in the panel, and those that were making the panel art (Outlet, an absolute GOAT). And honestly just from start to finish when the panel finally happened at Worlds, the communication, setup and planning for that panel is probably my biggest highlight working with Halo Studios. And ske7ch is to thank for that—it was an amazing experience.

I really do hope these four people are hired at whatever new studio Activision ends up making. They all care about Halo, the community, and most importantly in my case, the forgers. Never a bad time working with them or talking to them, which is why it was such a shame we only worked with them for a small amount of time over the course of our time working on matchmaking content.

I think the community support team from 343 happened to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Trying to cater to forgers who were so passionate for this IP, but couldn't actually do anything or have final say in tough topics.

All of them were wonderful to work with, but at the end of the day 343/Halo Studios failed, in my eyes, due to neglecting community-driven content. Post-launch of a Halo game, it often has fallen to the community to supply new, fresh content to a dying player base, and the ingesting process for new maps always felt cumbersome and difficult. Even following their guides and standards, old community maps still in active pools did not receive any updates. I tried for two years to add more modes to my map and every month I kept asking for an update and got told "ah not this time".

Forge should have been a massive success for Infinite, with its impressive tools and options for a console-based editor.

The final straw for me was the releasing of "rights" to maps in matchmaking. It felt like a "never meet your heroes" moment. To say you got a map into Halo was one of the best feelings—I felt immense pride. But to sign over all creative control felt like it's no longer yours, at that point, why bother… why forge? This seemed like a stupid decision for a problem that never existed, and to me was a sign to step away. If things like this were "a problem" for this AAA studio, they were doomed in my eyes.

It's never the goal to get a map into the game, and it's not an expectation. It just felt sad to be let in a little bit into their world and then be sort of held back at arm's length after all this time. Especially since we made these maps for free, with love, and passion for the Halo community.

I wish nothing but the best for those who lost their jobs, and feel nothing but anger and resentment for those in charge who are ultimately responsible for how Halo Infinite died. They will forever in my eyes be known as #numbercompany….

Let me begin by saying that I'd like to express my utmost sympathies and gratitude to those affected by the layoffs. Between the holidays approaching and the recent release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, I can only imagine how devastating and stressful this must be. You have my complete thanks for building and contributing to my favorite gaming franchise—making Halo such a special experience. Saying that each and every developer made way for very special memories and friendships to grow would be an understatement.

Halo has long been the gaming franchise most dear to my heart. In every chapter of my life, there was a Halo title to sink hours upon hours into. Halo was an escape from the storms of life, a place to connect with friends and family, and a fantastical world with a story that seemed endless. Halo Infinite was no exception. From the moment that I played in the first Halo Insider Tech Demo, to launch, and to the present, I have had a blast.

With Halo Infinite's Forge, a long-time dream of mine was achieved—a map of mine having a spot in matchmaking. I'd like to extend a special thank you to Max Extra and Foge for their incredible kindness behind their professionalism, as well as the other devs that I interacted with along the way. Something that I once thought could never be, was made reality by those on the team. Thank you all so very much for your inclusion of my map Ecotone, and the efforts to work with the Halo community.

Hoping and praying that this dreadful turbulence in your lives is only temporary, and that those affected will bounce back better than before. I truly believe Halo will never quite be the same without your contributions. I will forever remember the very special experience I had during the Halo Infinite era, the friends I made along the way, and cannot fully express how special these past few years of Halo have felt. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for everything.

It's hard to look back at everything Halo has meant to me over the years and not feel incredibly grateful. What started as playing the games, and eventually spending countless hours creating in Forge, somehow grew into opportunities I never imagined. So, I want to take a moment to celebrate everyone at Halo Studios who was part of that journey.

The games they created gave us worlds, tools, and experiences where we could play together, create our own ideas, and make memories with friends. That relationship between the people who built Halo and the community that built on top of it has always felt special to me. I'm incredibly grateful to have contributed to Halo Infinite and Halo Campaign Evolved, and to have served as a Cartographer, helping curate matchmaking playlists alongside some amazing people.

A very personal thank you to Unyshek—one of the first people to believe in me and my work, and who continued supporting my name as a creator both within the studio and beyond it. And to Michael Schorr, who came into my journey later but taught me so much along the way. I'm genuinely grateful for everything I learned from both of you. And kudos to the Sustain team, especially Prescott and Phantasia, for making the collaboration such a great experience. Their professionalism, guidance, and feedback helped us do our work better and enjoy the process along the way.

Halo has been part of my life for so many years. I've played it, created in it, shared it with friends, and had the chance to give something back. I'm just grateful I got to be a small part of it. Here's to the maps, playlists, Forge creations, friendships, and memories that came from it. ❤️

I would like to extend my deepest thanks and gratitude to the Halo Studios Forge Team members that I have had the great honor to work with over the last three years. To Max Extra, Phantasia, Foge, Randy, Sam, CommanderColson, Forge Lord, and anyone else I might be missing, thank you.

I also want to express my deepest sympathies to all of you and your families for the situation you have been placed in. It is not fair. I know based on my personal experience, that every person I mentioned above loves and cares about Halo and its community. I know for a fact that every decision that this team made over the last three years has been made for the greater good of the game and done within the immense constraints that were placed upon them.

This team is the sole reason that Halo Infinite had as long of a life as it did. They worked around the clock making new maps and modes for the community. While it is not ideal to have the UGC team being the sole content provider of a live service game, this team kicked ass. The forgers kicked ass too, of course, (for free) but we could not have done it without this team supporting us, our creations, and continually updating Forge to make it the best level editor that the franchise has seen.

It was my dream since I was 15 to make a map for matchmaking, and this team fulfilled that dream. Thank you for the hours of fun with our playtests, endless advice, making me a better forger, always being honest and most importantly: caring about forgers and caring about Halo.

Thank you, from Scrubulba.

I've made a lot of things in the Halo community over the years; be it maps or friendships. I'm grateful for all the wonderful experiences I've had through gaming and Halo. I've always enjoyed Halo ever since I was young. My great journey (ha ha) with the series began with Halo CE at the age of five, and I've grown up alongside the series, meeting so many good and kind people. Ever since I was young, I've enjoyed being creative, so when Halo 3 came out with forge, I naturally enjoyed it and dived into it, making all kinds of stuff. It was so sweet getting to share those maps and modes with my friends.

I continued to make maps and enjoy others' creations across all the other games, and when Halo 5 came out, I got even more into the forge community—getting to meet dear friends that I have known for years now that I count as family, and also other very creative artists and designers that also enjoy Forge. Throughout Halo 5, I was able to help and co-Forge on my friends' Forge maps that would go on to get into matchmaking. I did also get to make my very own map that went into the Action Sack playlist—it was a wonderful experience getting to share Forge maps with the overall halo community.

I appreciate getting to collaborate with the other artists and designers in the forge community and with 343 employees. Some of the forgers I knew would go on to join 343 later on, and I was so glad for them. They showed what was possible in the Forge community going from forgers to developers. With Halo Infinite, I was able to share even more of those experiences with my friends and other new and old skilled forgers from the community, as well as members of 343. I'm always grateful and I appreciate the opportunities I've gotten being able to work on and help test Forge maps for the overall Forge community to enjoy. Gaming means so much to me, so if I'm able to share that with others and give back, I'm grateful for that

A few people I wanted to personally thank for all they've done over the years. First would be Tyler (tdubfed1). He was always ready to teach others about lighting techniques and how to improve. You would write a small message, and he would reply with a huge in-depth tutorial on what to do. He never asked for anything in return and always had a positive attitude when it came to helping. Thanks for everything over the years. I learned a lot from him and will carry that knowledge into my future endeavors.

The other two I wanted to thank were Foge and Phantasia. Foge for always helping with QA and insight into maps. He was always down to walk around, talk about designs, and how to improve them. Thank you for all the insight and funny conversions. Phantasia was always ready to check out new content. Over the years I've sent her many maps to check out and she was always excited to see them. Thank you for all you've done as well for the playlists and content you've helped get into the game.

All in all, it was a fun experience, and getting to work with these individuals helped me along to learn and get better at Level Design. Forge is still an amazing tool to learn Level Design on, and these individuals helped push those boundaries. I hope they get to continue to work on other projects as I know they would be valued members of any team. Thanks again for all you've done for us! It's been a fun and crazy journey! Hopefully we can work together in the future on other titles!

I've truthfully got nothing but nice things to say about the members of the Forge team I got the opportunity to speak to. My 'initiation' on the Forge side came along with the Husky Raid playlist. I'd been planning a project with SgtAvel for quite some time which was initially going to be a remake of Edge from Halo Online/Halo 3 MCC. This pivoted when they announced they were looking for Husky Raid stuff. Avel mostly carried the brunt of the forging, with myself assisting in some planning for the layout and theme, as well as building out the background, Easter eggs and promotion.

We finished the project and waited a while until I got a random DM on Xbox while playing Fortnite. I was asked if I had worked on Diminished, and without knowing who it was, I had a hunch and immediately got excited. From there the process was pretty simple and the team were super friendly. From there onwards I definitely wasn't as active as most others in the Forge community, however I would still check in from time to time, it was always nice just seeing developer insight and seeing what the team had planned, alongside the devs communicating and helping forgers on projects. There'd always be someone there talking to the gang and answering questions, and even if I wasn't always the one forging, it was something I really appreciated.

Being part of the community surrounding Halo Infinite and Forge gave me the opportunity to fulfill a dream that began all the way back with the original Halo: Combat Evolved. I grew up loving this universe, so being able to eventually contribute my own artistic expression to it through Forge was an experience I'll never forget. Working on maps and seeing many of them eventually become something the wider Halo community could actually play in matchmaking was surreal. I have nothing but respect and appreciation for the team we worked alongside to help bring those creations into the game.

I especially want to thank Max Extra for giving me the opportunity to work alongside him, as well as the many people I came to consider brothers and sisters through all the projects we created together. From serious matchmaking projects, to things we made simply because they were fun, to occasionally getting meetings called because I decided to put something from another IP into a map—every part of the experience was unforgettable.

To everyone who played something we helped create: it was an absolute pleasure to have even a small part in your Halo experience. And to the people I had the privilege of building alongside, I sincerely hope we get the opportunity to do it all again in a future title.

Wake me, when you need me.

At Halo Outpost Discovery 2019 in Anaheim, I had the unique privilege to be a panelist on the Forge-themed panel. Alongside me were reputable forgers as well as the Forge Lord himself, Michael Schorr, who was hard at work on the—at the time secretive—upcoming Halo Infinite.

After the panel, a few of us stuck around with Michael in the convention center's lobby. He told us that he had forgotten to mention some key information during the panel—the first solid information about Halo Infinite since its reveal. I asked him a few basic questions and got his blessing to publish this info on ForgeHub, where I was the Community Coordinator at the time. The reveal was pretty minor today: just a few new functions and planned additions to Forge in Halo Infinite, but being the person to reveal that first glimpse—regardless of how minor—was magical for me. Everyone I met from 343/HS showed real passion and love for their franchise—passion that rivaled my own as a lifelong fan.

Personally, I don't think that anyone carried more water for us at the studio level than Max Extra. He seemed to be the main person that would actively go find an answer if he didn't have one, rather than simply saying that there "wasn't information at the time" or "that isn't a priority currently". He would take the time to actually explain something if we didn't understand it. He was also the main reason why Isolation was granted the rare privilege of a full art rework passing through QA and hitting the live game. I know part of it was wanting to show off maps using the new forge objects we got, but I don't think Isolation 2.0 would've happened without Max working at the studio.

He was also super approachable at HCS Worlds, and an all-around good dude. I really hope he lands on his feet. I can't think of anyone better to hire if you want your game to have a good UGC process.

It has been an honor and a privilege to work with the Forge dev team and friends over these recent years. Having maps that I've worked on being put into the live game for thousands of people to play on and enjoy has been a dream of mine since Forge was first released in Halo 3. Many of those same devs are old friends of mine from the Forge community of the old days of Halo. This community has inspired me greatly and helped me improve myself as both an artist and a forger. I will always be grateful for my time with them, and very much appreciate the friends I've made along this journey.

My heart sincerely goes out to those affected by the changes and the layoffs, and I wish them the absolute best in their future endeavors. I remain hopeful and optimistic for Halo's future. As long as we have a community and a willingness to create, Halo will live on.

It's hard to believe that a moment of curiosity clicking on "Forge" would turn into a full-time passion for game development—a series of fulfilling collaborations, and a sense of belonging in an inspiring community of builders around the world. I am humbled by the incredible opportunity to contribute to the Halo universe I love, and none of it would have been possible without the tireless efforts of the many dedicated and passionate people at Halo Studios.

My heart is heavy for everyone disrupted by the recent news, but I know each and every one of you will go on to even greater endeavors. For every light bake improvement, every new script node, every bug fixed, every question answered, every map celebrated, every sandwich hidden, truly, thank you! We appreciate you, and we look forward to forging a new path with you in your next chapter. The missions change, they always do, but your work will forever have a profound impact on my life.

Being able to work with 343/Halo Studios over the past few years on helping bring Forge maps to matchmaking has been a dream. Meeting and talking with all the devs, the playtesting, feedback sessions, and bug fixing. There's been so many devs over time that I've had great conversations with: Max Extra, Foge, CommanderColson, Randy 355, snickerdoodle, Longest Con, phannntasia, and so many others—the list goes on.

I was also fortunate enough to be able to work with the HCS team on a few maps, and having in depth talks during the process. Working on the SnD map was a fun project, and figuring out the gameplay loop for the mode, while supporting Halo's gameplay within that formula. I want to thank Tashi, Heinz, and the rest of the HCS team for being great to work with along the way.

Overall, I'm glad I got the opportunity to meet and work with everyone involved, and I'll cherish these memories.

Man, where do I begin? Halo has been an integral part of my life, but I never fully got involved with the community until Halo Infinite released. The first big thing I remember was creating a Husky Raid map—Diminished—with Magpie Leon and a few others, and having our map selected for the matchmaking track. The dev support team during that process were super supportive and fun to interact with, which extended online via Instagram and X.

Being able to actually get a foot in the door to see how the devs and Community Managers actually viewed this franchise, its players, and community at large was so refreshing. They made it feel like a family, and never let anyone feel excluded. I really hope this isn't the last we hear from these incredible people. I am forever thankful for them and their contributions. Thank you for making the last few years an amazing time to be involved with Halo.

I was able to work with many developers within 343/Halo Studios, but two I certainly would love to shout out would be Foge and ske7ch.

It's very common and understandable that working with anyone can feel extremely formal, professional and perhaps intimidating, but the time I was able to speak with these two genuinely felt more like hanging out with friends talking about something we all like. Every time Foge worked directly with our team (The Forge Falcons), it very much felt more akin to the times I socialize with friends. The same applies to ske7ch, who I was expecting to be extremely intimidated by when I had the chance to be a part of a panel with him for HCS Worlds 2024.

Both of these people I can genuinely call friends, and I am forever grateful for the contributions they gave to not only the forging community, but to Halo as a whole.

Just wanted to say thank you to all the people at Halo Studios who I've known over the years. Max Extra, Foge, CommanderColson, Phantasia, Randy, Tyler—you all made something special with the Forge work you did, and helping build and test maps was some of the most fun I've ever had. Loved every single playtest, and being able to give feedback was great. Helping contribute to Halo itself was immensely gratifying to me—never would have imagined that happening when I picked up my first Halo book.

I'll be hanging out in the HaloFunTime server for the future, but I'll miss the old servers. From the Forge Council, the Pilots, and the Sentinels—we'll all miss you guys, and hopefully we meet again someday. You're all incredibly talented, so I'm hoping you're able to land on your feet quick.

Thank you for being you,

• DarkMaiming / Mark

Hi everyone in the Halo community, Distorted Jakal here. With everything going on and what feels like the end of an era for Halo, I just wanted to take a moment to show my appreciation to all the developers and everyone behind the scenes who put countless hours into this franchise and created so many incredible things for the game I grew up with and love.

To everyone who gave me the opportunity to have my maps put into matchmaking, thank you. Seeing something I created become an actual part of Halo was honestly a lil dream come true for me, and it's something I'll always be grateful for. And a lil thank you to all the forgers I've met along the way. So many of you have poured ridiculous amounts of time, passion, and creativity into adding new experiences to Halo and keeping this community going. I've met some genuinely amazing people through Forge, and I'm incredibly grateful for that too.

To everyone moving on to whatever comes next, I hope you all go on to do incredible things. Thank you for everything you've given to Halo and to this community over the years. Much love to you all, Jakal out 🫡

I never thought a couple of years ago that I would ever get any of my maps into matchmaking. Since last year, I was able to work with the Halo team, Unyshek, Heinz, Scott and other former employees at Halo Studios. Without them, I don't know where I would be with my love and passion with Halo. Without them, I wouldn't have met many other forgers who also got their maps into matchmaking. The forge community became like one big family; everyone's passion for what they do brought us all together. Even though things are changing, the foundation they built for us in Forge will always remain. Thank you, Unyshek, Heinz, Scott, and everyone else who poured their heart into making our creations part of the game we love.

As someone who has been a part of forging for a long time, I have seen the ups and downs of halo. Saw it at its peak and at its low points. I have been opinionated when it came to the many things that happened, but in the hope, we could find common ground and work for a better future.

The constant that remained was the people on the matchmaking team, their constant support and effort to build something with the community. Plus, all the forgers who have come and gone. I hope in this new and uncertain chapter we can work together once more regardless if you work on Halo or not. I hope your next adventure is a fulfilling one.

The Forge community was an amazing spark. As someone who grew up loving Halo and wanting to do more in these worlds, getting to not just be a part of it, but meet this massive community of people who cared so much about Halo was a dream come true. I cannot thank everyone at 343 and HS enough who fought to give us the keys to the Banshee and let us run wild in their sandboxes. The sheer variety, the games, the maps, the art—Forge is something unlike anything else, and nothing will recreate the fun of getting to work on all of it. Cheers for all of the years—thanks for all of the fun times on Fridays. 🪐

Phantasia onboarded our team (The Forge Falcons), and was always excellent with communication. Her passion for Halo showed through in everything she did. Foge was consistently responsive and would jump in to check out our other modes, even the ones that weren't being adopted by 343/HS for matchmaking. Both of them were genuinely kind and helpful. They took the time to provide feedback, actually tried to understand what we needed as forgers, and pushed for improvements on the studio side to make the experience better for us. That kind of support was a highlight of working with HS and has continued to drive how I think about working as a team even today.

I had a wonderful experience with the Forge and matchmaking teams at 343 and Halo Studios. Early on in Infinite's lifespan, Max Extra brought me on to help me add one of my maps—Absolution—into matchmaking along with some other forgers. He, phannntasia, Forge Lord, snickerdoodle, Randy 355, Foge, CommanderColson, and many others contributed a lot in making Halo Infinite and many previous titles great games by working with us, community members, and I am deeply saddened to hear that they were let go this past week. I wish them the best on their search for their next chapters, and want to thank them deeply for all of their hard work.

I'd like to say that my experience working with 343/Halo Studios was a really positive one. I got really excited the first time I got a message from Heinz saying they were testing Interference, and that interaction evolved meaningfully over time. Heinz and the 343 Pro Team were always respectful and supportive towards me and my work. They're amazing professionals: I know they worked really hard and stood their ground in tough moments. But most importantly, they're really good people. I wish them the best for the future.

I am deeply grateful to the entire team at 343/Halo Studios for their dedication and passion. I was extremely fortunate to work directly with some of the developers as we fine-tuned our maps for matchmaking, and their professionalism and experience were clearly evident.

I wish them the best of luck. I'm confident that such a talented team will have no trouble getting back into the swing of things quickly, and I look forward to seeing what they work on next!

Meeting Phantasia, Foge, and ske7ch was a great experience. Phantasia was really perceptive and wanted to get things done. Foge felt like he was a part of TFF, and knew what it took for an indie studio to work on stuff. My personal favorite interaction was with ske7ch, getting a chance for the onstage interview felt like a dream come true—the dude was pretty funny.

I just want to thank all of the Forgers and devs I've worked with over the years—there are so many. Many of you shaped my Forge career, and I've been so fortunate to be a part of many projects with the community and internally. I hope there is a road ahead where we cross paths again.

I don't have anything specific personal to share but it was a really great experience to collaborate with all the "343ers" that helped make Forge and the matchmaking playlists possible. Their thankless efforts helped us all get to make something cool in Halo and that has been a great honor and a wonderful memory.

The biggest thing for me was how patient and communicative the developers were in the map process. The fact that they reached out for my map was crazy enough. You never expect a map done for fun to be put into an official game. Everyone I talked with was always so kind.

I miss late night Foge sessions. That's not a typo.

I enjoyed working with you all, and I have many fond memories of our times hanging out at the HCS events. I hope y'all go on to create more great things, everyone I worked with from the community was wildly talented and capable.