Ryan Payton leaves Halo 4, opens new studio

Ryan Payton, one of Halo 4‘s many creative directors, has left 343 Industries. Speaking to Kotaku regarding the leave, Payton expressed his desire to create the games he wants to build, over something that doesn’t speak to his values.

“I had a great run at Microsoft,” said Payton. “I don’t regret one day of it. But after a few years, there came a point where I wasn’t creatively excited about the project anymore.

“The Halo I wanted to build was fundamentally different and I don’t think I had built enough credibility to see such a crazy endeavor through.”

Payton clarified that he doesn’t believe Halo 4 will be a bad game, it’s just not the game he wanted to create.

Payton realized he had to do something else. At friend and game developer Jake Kazdal’s house, watching him work away on Skulls of the Shogun, a game Kazdal left Electronic Arts to create, Payton realized that you can make the games you want to make, and you don’t need millions of dollars in funding to do it.

Thus, Camouflaj, a new studio headed by Ryan Payton, is opened. They developer already two titles in the works.

“I think time is the most valuable thing we have,” said Payton, “and I’ve decided that I’m not going to waste one more day working on something that doesn’t speak to my values.”