Halo Co-Creator Jason Jones Launches New Studio Stone Kite

Ever wonder what a legendary game creator does after leaving the studio he co-founded? Jason Jones, the man behind Halo and Destiny, has just announced his next big move: a brand-new studio called Stone Kite.

Jones co-founded Bungie back in 1991 and stayed with the company until his position as Chief Vision Officer was reportedly part of the widespread layoffs enacted by Sony earlier this year. Today's announcement seems to confirm that departure. But instead of slowing down, Jones is diving into a new venture that spans multiple entertainment mediums.

Stone Kite is based in Los Angeles and is a partnership with Margaret Stohl, a Bungie veteran who has written 14 books, numerous games, and Marvel Comics. She's serving as CEO. "I've spent my career creating books, games, comics, film and television, and I've seen how often the medium that tells the first story ends up defining everything that comes after it," Stohl said. "Stone Kite is about breaking down those old media silos. Instead of starting in one medium and adapting outward, we bring the best global creators from different disciplines into the room from day one to shape the world together. We change the conversation. We never say that's how it's traditionally done. We build communities, and we listen to them. That's how we're creating worlds that people can explore for decades, in whatever ways they want."

For Jones, this is also a personal dream come true. "I've spent my whole life making games, but I've always wanted to write," he said. "I used to bike fifteen miles along Lake Michigan to the used bookstores in North Chicago, and bike home again with a backpack full of sci-fi paperbacks. Margie was the first person to believe I could write a book of my own, the first person to read it, and the one person I trusted to help me develop it into epic entertainment that leaves the world a better place."

The first Stone Kite release is One Zero One, a four-part limited comic series about an impending face-off between humans and a rogue army of AI-driven robots. Part 1 is available now in digital form on the Stone Kite website, where you can also preorder a physical copy.

Jones is regarded as a visionary game designer and rarely gives interviews. His career-spanning interview with IGN in 2013 was his first in over a decade at the time, and he's rarely spoken publicly since. Meanwhile, Bungie, which had officially ended support for Destiny 2 earlier this year, announced last week that it is in fact not finished yet.

What do you think of Jones's new direction? Will you be checking out One Zero One? Let us know in the comments!