Microsoft announced a new direction for the Halo series, including changing the name of its main development studio from 343 Industries to Halo Studios. This move was revealed just before the final match of the Halo World Championship tournament held in Seattle. Pierre Hintze will remain as the studio head, and the rebranding marks the beginning of a new chapter for the beloved franchise.
Halo Studios announced that they will be moving away from their proprietary Slipspace software engine in favor of using Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 for future Halo games. This decision was made in part because some components of Slipspace are nearly 25 years old, while Unreal offers advanced tools that were previously unavailable to them. By using Unreal, new employees will also be able to bring their previous experience with the engine to the studio.
The gameplay footage shown in the announcement video was created using Unreal Engine 5, as part of a project internally codenamed Project Foundry. While future Halo projects using Unreal are in the works, the studio has been tight-lipped about what these projects might entail. The next season of the professional esports circuit for Halo Infinite, which is still supported by the Slipspace engine, has already been announced.
The decision to rebrand 343 Industries to Halo Studios is a significant one, as it marks a new beginning for the franchise under a different engine. This move follows news from the previous year that 343 Industries had undergone internal reorganization and layoffs due to Microsoft’s restructuring efforts. Halo continues to be a crucial franchise for Microsoft’s gaming division, having initially launched with the original Xbox in 2001.
Criticism has been directed at 343 Industries’ approach to the Halo series since taking over from Bungie in 2007. The setting and story have faced particular scrutiny, leading to a mixed reception among fans. With the rebranding and shift to Unreal Engine, Halo is aiming to refresh the franchise and create a new chapter in its storied history. The announcement has generated excitement and curiosity among fans eager to see what the future holds for the Halo series.
