Judge also praised developer Santa Monica Studio for its patience and support while he recovered. While spilling the beans, Judge added he almost quit when Cory Barlog told him he would not direct the sequel. In a heartwarming response, Barlog appeared to confirm Judge’s rehab was indeed a contributing factor. Barlog had previously taken personal responsibility for the delay as the development team received criticism for the decision. The studio’s official position is: “We remain focused on delivering a top-quality game while maintaining the safety and wellbeing of our team, creative partners and families. With this in mind, we’ve made the decision to shift our release window to 2022.”
