Is there a Halo revival on the horizon? It sure looks that way as Halo developer 343 Industries rebrands to Halo Studios and puts out a call for new employees. The rebrand was unveiled earlier today (Monday, Oct. 7) with post across LinkedIn and social media, a relaunched website, and updates across the board.
The biggest change – Halo is switching to Unreal Engine 5, as showcased in a new video entitled A New Dawn | Halo Studios. In the video, several developers explain the decision behind the shift to UE5 and there’s some showcasing of just what a Halo game would look like in the engine.
Beyond this, the company has announced it’s developing “multiple” new games. Hiring for new employees has also started with the company’s LinkedIn stating that “We’re looking for talented teammates to help us bring the next generation of Halo games to life.”
“With Project Foundry, we’re exploiting the creative potential of Halo in Unreal Engine 5… Let’s shape the future of Halo together!”
Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, is the internal Microsoft development studio that was handed the reins of Halo in 2009. After working with Halo originator Bungie on Halo 3: ODST and Reach, widely regarded as some of the pinnacles of the Halo franchise, 343 took the lead for Halo 4 and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
Since then the company has been the lead developers behind Halo 5, Halo Wars 2, numerous spin-offs, and the current live service Halo Infinite game. Halo Infinite is also the game of choice of the HCS Pro Circuit.
Image Credit: Halo Studios
The rebrand and announcement of an engine shift seems to suggest that Halo Studios will be going in a new direction with the Halo Franchise. Halo Infinite had received a mixed reception, with some heralding it as a bold new direction, and others criticizing its lack of content and conventional narrative campaign – something other Halo games excelled at. These days, Halo Infinite is often criticized as a dead game.
Whatever the case, this is definitely a new chapter for the Halo franchise. As one of Xbox and Microsoft’s most iconic game titles, any Halo game has a lot to live up to, and a dedicated and critical fan base behind it.
And if you’re a Halo fan, it might be time to start brushing up on those skills and checking those Halo Infinite Pro Settings to make sure you’re ready for any new games.
