Microsoft Cancels Future Halo Game Amid Studio Shakeup
Microsoft's recent studio shakeup has left Halo Studios without a future mainline game in development, as reported by The Verge. According to sources, the next game from Halo Studios was still years away from launch when Microsoft decided to cancel it.
This move comes after multiple projects were canceled at Halo Studios in recent years. The last mainline Halo game, Halo Infinite, launched nearly five years ago in December 2021. Microsoft acquired Bungie, the original developer of Halo, back in 2000 and set up 343 Industries to take over Halo development in 2012.
Halo Studios was renamed from 343 Industries in 2024, with plans to develop multiple new Halo games using Epic's Unreal Engine. However, it seems that these plans have been put on hold after Microsoft handed the Halo franchise over to Activision. The company has set up a new team to build the next mainline Halo game.
Activision president Rob Kostich expressed his excitement about welcoming Halo and its developers to the company, stating that their goal is to make the greatest Halo game ever while staying true to what made players love it in the first place. However, questions remain over what this means for the future of the series.
New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma aims to double down on big franchises like Fallout and Minecraft, releasing new games more frequently. With Activision's reputation for annual Call of Duty releases, there is speculation about whether Halo will follow a similar schedule or undergo a reboot.