Halo co-creator and Battlefield dev Marcus Lehto leaves EA to take 'time away from games'

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A parting of ways

An armoured car driving along a dirt road in Battlefield 2042
Battlefield 2042 (Image credit: DICE)

Marcus Lehto, Battlefield game director, and renowned Halo co-creator, has announced his decision to part ways with developer and publisher EA of his "own accord." 

In a post on Twitter / X, Lehto outlined his thinking behind the move and his plans for the future. 

"Yes, I left EA on my own accord," began Lehto. "This was [a very] tough decision for me to make. I want to thank the Battlefield community for allowing me to listen to you while I was able. Your feedback will help make Battlefield stronger. I wish the teams at EA all the best moving forward." 

Lehto elaborated on his plans for the future in a comment on the post. "In the meantime, I will be taking time away from games to see what, if anything, I want to do next." 

Lehto is renowned for his work as art director on the Halo series. His work on Halo: Combat Evolved and the subsequent Halo titles helped give the series its distinctive futuristic-yet-grounded aesthetic. Lehto would go on to contribute to every other Halo game made by developer Bungie.

Before departing Bungie in 2012, Lehto would also act as the creative director on Halo: Reach - the studio's final Halo offering before the baton was passed to 343 Industries.

Lehto would then found his own studio, V1 Interactive. Unfortunately, V1 would shut down in 2021 after its experimental sci-fi shooter Disintegration wasn't able to find an audience. Following this setback, Lheto was brought in as Battlefield's game director at EA in 2021. However, after three years in this position, it looks as though the industry veteran has decided to move on.

Credited for designing iconic Halo protagonist Master Chief, Lehto has left an indelible mark upon the games industry, especially when it comes to first-person shooters. It'll be fascinating to see what he does next.

Looking for more fantastic titles? Check out our lists of the best Xbox Series X games and the best PS5 games.

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Cat Bussell
Cat Bussell
Freelance contributor

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

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