Microsoft seems to be gearing up for the next steps of theHalofranchise and starting to turn away from 2021’sHalo Infinite. While this last entry in the franchise had plenty of positives, it remains a fairly divisive and peculiar entry in the longstanding and iconic FPS series, which puts a lot of pressure on whatever project will come next.
Very little is currently known about what the next entry to theHalofranchise will entail, although there are a few factors regarding the project’s development that bode quite well for the huge task that the game has ahead of itself. It remains to be seen if the many lessons learned fromHalo Infinitewill play a big role in what the franchise’s next release looks like, but the massive structural changes to 343 Industries and the recent hiring sprees by Microsoft for the title appear to bode quite well for fans.
The Changes to Halo’s Development Process Offer Cause for Optimism About the Next Game
There were high hopes aroundHalo Infinitewhen the game launched in 2021, with many fans resonating with the title’s renewed focus onMaster Chief as the driving force ofHalo’s storyline. It is no secret thatInfinite’s core gameplay was extremely ambitious in terms of how it differentiated from the series' norm, opting for an open-world campaign alongside new movement and combat mechanics like a grappling hook.
This, combined withHalo Infinitelaunching as a day-one Xbox Game Pass release, brought a huge amount of attention to the IP, yet the game’s overall legacy is one of squandered potential and a desire for something that its controversial live-service multiplayer approach struggled to deliver. With close to four years having passed sinceHalo’s last mainline game, it is no wonder that fans are growing restless in the wait for something new. Luckily, there have already been some huge announcements for the future ofHalo.
343 Industries took over theHaloIP from Bungie in 2012, leaving a reputation of mixed success. Then, it was announced in October 2024 that the studio would re-brand to Halo Studios alongside a big shake-up of studio leadership and a focused hiring process. Regardless of the reasoning behind this change, it stands as a clear new era forHaloas a franchise, offering both fresh and veteran developers a clean slate to present the next bigHalogame with fewer historic hang-ups or reservations from some fans.
While nothing is confirmed in terms of a newHaloproject, the recent announcements by Halo Studios seem to point towards a new project being revealed in the near future.
A New Game Engine and a Renewed Development Team Could Define Halo’s Next Steps
The change to Halo Studios also came with the news that the nextHalogame would be developed using Unreal Engine 5as opposed to 343’s very own Slipspace Engine, with this further cementing the notion that the franchise’s next release will be a huge opportunity to move away from its recent history and firmly into a brand-new age. Recent employment listings for Halo Studios concern positions for concept artists, graphical artists, UX designers, and narrative system designers, showing a real big push of new talent is at the forefront ofHalo’s future.
WhileMicrosoft may have wantedHalo Infiniteto have more of a long-lasting competitive impacton the industry, the recent shake-ups to 343 Industries and the creation of Halo Studios put a decidedly positive spin on the franchise’s future prospects. The ethos behind the Halo Studios re-branding seems to put the feel of the franchise’s iconic origins back to the forefront of future development, which is a good sign thatHalo’s next steps may live up to the pressure and high expectations that surround it.
