 Following the release of Halo 3, Bungie announced it was splitting off from Microsoft and becoming an independent limited liability company. While Bungie remained involved in the Halo series by developing games such as ODST and Reach, the rights to Halo remain with Microsoft. To oversee everything Halo, Microsoft created an internal division, 343 Industries, serving as "stewards" for the franchise. Frank O 'Connor, formerly a Bungie employee, now serves as 343's creative director.
