End of litigation between Halo composers and Microsoft


It’s certain Twitter that Marty O’Donnell announced this outcome in the form of a compromise by explaining that “Microsoft and O’Donnell/Salvatori, Inc. are pleased to have resolved their differences amicably“. Today aged 66, the former resident composer of Bungie has worked on most of the studio’s games, from 1997’s Myth to the most recent Destiny, including of course Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3 : ODST and Halo: Reach, in collaboration with Michael Salvatori.

After years of trying to get an explanation from Microsoft, O’Donnell and Salvatori ended up filing a lawsuit in June 2020 claiming that Microsoft still owed them money for the use of their music in various titles and Halo products, including the series’ iconic main theme. The disagreement stemmed from the fact that the composers said they worked on behalf of Bungie and not Microsoft. The latter replied that the work of the duo was considered to be commissioned work (work for hire) making the conglomerate the rightful Halo music rights holder.

There’s never been any custom work“, O’Donnell had defended himself. “It was still a license agreement. The first Halo music was written and recorded in 1999 for the first time. It was licensed for Bungie. Bungie wasn’t acquired by Microsoft for over a year“, argued the composer in a file signed Eurogamer which goes into more detail in the circumstances of the dispute. The affair had resurfaced at the beginning of the year, when O’Donnell and Salvatori requested an injunction to prevent the broadcast of TV adaptation of Halo by Paramount.

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