Ryan Payton isn’t “going to waste one more day” working for Microsoft.
OK, it’s not quite as harsh as it sounds. Payton didn’t exactly rip his former employers after walking away from his job as creative director for Halo 4. He simply decided he had better things to do.
Payton had been a part of the project since 2008 as a member of 343 Industries, the in-house Microsoft Studios developer that took over work on the Halo franchise after Bungie’s departure. Eventually, it became clear that his vision for the game wasn’t shared by everyone on the team, and Payton decided it was time to move on.
“There came a point where I wasn’t creatively excited about the project anymore,” Payton told Kotaku. “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.”
The last straw came several months ago, when Payton awoke one morning and found himself utterly “drained,” unwilling to even get out of bed. He was later diagnosed with severe depression.
“That was when I knew I had to do something else,” he said.
Payton’s previous experience includes a stint at Kojima Productions, where he helped in the development of Metal Gear Solid 4. Now, he’s hoping to take what he’s learned working on triple-A titles and apply it to his own fledgling studio, Camouflaj. He says he already has two games in the works.
Whether or not you think he’s crazy for turning his back on one of the most popular FPS franchises of all time, you really have to admire Payton’s desire to blaze his own trail.
“I think time is the most valuable thing we have,” he said, “and I’ve decided that I’m not going to waste one more day working on something that doesn’t speak to my values.”
Source: Kotaku
