Rumors are swirling around a potential new Halo project from 343 Industries, suggesting development began as early as April 2022. Evidence comes from two LinkedIn profiles belonging to key 343 personnel. A few sources seem to add credence, but every rumor should be taken with a grain of salt.
As found by a Redditor Justin Dinges, an Art Director with experience on Halo 4 and 5, lists working on “Halo’s next unannounced release” as Art Director between April 2022 and March 2023. Ian Slutz, a Senior Character Systems Designer at 343 since 2019, mentions building “player systems and assets in Unreal Engine 5” on his profile.
While not explicit confirmation of a new Halo game, these details align with previous reports claiming 343 (Thanks, Insider-Gaming) is transitioning away from Halo Infinite and actively developing the next title in the series. This coincides with Ains, editor-in-chief of gaming podcast SG Bitcast, stating in October 2023 that a team is “building the next generation of Halo on Unreal.”
Halo Infinite was supposed to be a game that lasted forever with consistent updates. Still, the single-player campaign faced criticism for missing features and taking time to reach player expectations. This and Microsoft layoffs affecting 343 in early 2023 made it seem like this Halo wasn’t doing what it should have.
I feel like the biggest issue fans have for Halo is that it’s not the Halo they remember from Bungie. It’s not, and it never will be. To be fair to 343 Industries, they’re not the original creators of Halo, they’re just making their version of it. Baldur’s Gate 3 is different from the previous two, and Fallout 3 is different from Fallout 1 or 2. A lot of the criticism is from players really expecting a Bungie game from a different studio.
Details regarding the project’s nature, platforms, or potential release date remain under wraps. We also have no confirmation from Microsoft or 343 Industries. However, another Halo is likely on the way, so there may be another chance at capturing that magic.
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