Halo Co-Creator Calls Out EA, “Disappointed” Over Missing Battlefield 6 Developer Credits

Game designer Marcus Lehto, co-creator of Halo and former director of Ridgeline Games, has expressed his disappointment over the absence of his and several former teammates’ names in the credits of Battlefield 6, the successful multiplayer shooter from Electronic Arts.

According to Lehto, his team was responsible for “building the foundations of the game” before the studio was shut down in 2024.

Background: The Closure of Ridgeline Games

Ridgeline Games was founded by EA in 2021 to develop the campaign for the new Battlefield, with Lehto serving as creative director.

The studio began hiring staff in 2022 and worked on the project for between one and two and a half years. However, after Lehto left in February 2024, EA closed the studio just a week later, transferring part of its staff to Ripple Effect, the team responsible for the multiplayer mode within Battlefield Studios.

In a message posted on LinkedIn, Lehto wrote (thanks VGC):

I’m disappointed to see that many of my former teammates from Ridgeline Games were not properly credited in the recent release of Battlefield 6. These talented developers worked tirelessly for 1 to 2.5 years, building the foundation of the game, before I left voluntarily and the studio was subsequently shuttered. Despite their significant contributions, most who were laid off were relegated to a “Special Thanks” section at the very end of the credits — and several were omitted entirely, including myself.

The developer also shared a list of names and positions of those he believes should appear in the credits, emphasizing that “game development is a team effort, and every contributor deserves fair acknowledgment.”

The new installment of EA’s shooter was developed by Battlefield Studios, a collaboration between several teams:

• DICE in Stockholm, responsible for the Frostbite engine and core gameplay.
• Ripple Effect Studios in Los Angeles, managing multiplayer and live service support.
• Criterion Games in Guildford, contributing to design, vehicles, and additional content.

Ridgeline Games, originally founded by Marcus Lehto to develop the campaign, was part of this group for a time — though the campaign became one of the most criticized aspects of the final product.