If you ask people which three things first come to mind when someone mentions Halo, chances are pretty good that the iconic theme of the game series will be one of them. It was created in 1999 (two years before Halo: Combat Evolved was released) by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori.
Both subsequently contributed to the Halo series' phenomenal music, but in 2014, O'Donnell left developer Bungie after a major dispute involving allegations of non-payment, a lawsuit that O'Donnell eventually won. But since 2019 - when he composed music for Golem - he hasn't been seen in the gaming world, so what has he been up to?
Politics, that's the answer. Those who follow him on social media know that he is interested in politics and has often expressed conservative views. And now he's getting into politics in earnest. VentureBeat reports that Las Vegas resident O'Donnell is now running for Congress in Nevada.
"Politics has always been a kind of hobby. I just don't really like the toxic divisions that are happening in our country. I don't like any of that stuff. And I was sort of reaching out to some local people if there was some way I could help out. I got a bunch of calls from people who asked if I would consider running for Congress."
He hopes his popularity as a gaming celebrity will help him, and doesn't think the fact that he is a newcomer will be a problem, quite the contrary. He is running for the Republican Party and hopes that Trump wins the presidential election this fall, but says he is ready to work with whoever wins:
"I have voted for President Trump twice and will vote for him a third time this fall. But no matter who is elected this November, if I have the privilege to serve, I plan to work with them. That's what voters expect and that's what I'll do."
Whether Martin O'Donnell takes a seat in Congress will be revealed in November.