In a shocking move, Bungie has let go of their longtime in-house composer Marty O’Donnell.
O’Donnell achieved individual fame in the games industry, a rarity, as his scores for the Halo franchise helped bring in fans. He’s responsible for the iconic “chanting monks” theme for Halo, and won awards for his work on Combat Evolved and Halo 2.
O’Donnell had been with Bungie for fourteen years, since just before Microsoft acquired the studio, and remained with them when the studio left Microsoft. He had been working on Bungie’s highly anticipated next title, Destiny. O’Donnell himself broke the news on Twitter last night:
I'm saddened to say that Bungie's board of directors terminated me without cause on April 11, 2014.
— Marty O'Donnell (@MartyTheElder) April 16, 2014
Bungie also released an official statement shortly thereafter
For more than a decade, Marty O’Donnell filled our worlds with unforgettable sounds and soundtracks, and left an indelible mark on our fans. Today, as friends, we say goodbye. We know that wherever his journey takes him, he will always have a bright and hopeful future.
We wish him luck in all his future endeavors.
