The future of Halo is taking shape in a big way. During Sunday’s Halo World Championships, the newly rebranded Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) announced a major shift in direction, including a new name, multiple new game projects, and a move to Unreal Engine for all future titles.
Halo Studios Embraces a New Era
In a seven-minute video revealed before the grand finals of the Halo World Championships, Halo Studios showcased the results of Project Foundry — an experimental project demonstrating a Halo game built using Unreal Engine. While Project Foundry is still more of a tech demo than a full game, it marks the beginning of a significant change for Xbox’s flagship franchise as it moves beyond the Slipspace Engine used in Halo Infinite.
The decision to switch to Unreal Engine is a big shift for the series, especially considering the massive investment into Slipspace over the years. Slipspace had been intended to be the core technology for the franchise, but development challenges and outdated tools from the early 2000s slowed its progress.
The Struggles with Slipspace
Chris Matthews, the art director at Halo Studios, explained the need for change in an interview with Xbox Wire, stating, “Respectfully, some components of Slipspace are almost 25 years old. Although 343 were developing it continuously, there are aspects of Unreal that Epic has been developing for some time, which are unavailable to us in Slipspace – and would have taken huge amounts of time and resources to try and replicate.”
The shift to Unreal Engine opens new opportunities for Halo Studios to create higher-quality games with fewer technical hurdles, something that the development team struggled with in the past.
New Leadership and Ambitions for the Future
The leadership team at Halo Studios, now led by Pierre Hintze and Elizabeth Van Wyck, is steering the franchise into uncharted territory. The two took on key roles after studio GM Bonnie Ross departed in 2022 and series veteran Joseph Staten left Xbox in 2023. The focus for the team is clear: create multiple new Halo games that can deliver fresh experiences to fans.
“We had a disproportionate focus on trying to create the conditions to be successful in servicing Halo Infinite,” said Hintze. “[But switching to Unreal] allows us to put all the focus on making multiple new experiences at the highest quality possible.”
What’s Next for Halo?
- New Engine: All upcoming Halo projects will be developed on Unreal Engine.
- Project Foundry: A tech demo that offers a sneak peek at Halo’s potential future.
- New Leadership: With Pierre Hintze and Elizabeth Van Wyck at the helm, expect a fresh vision for the franchise.
- Multiple Games in Development: Halo Studios is actively working on several new game titles.
The future of Halo is brighter than ever, with the promise of innovative gameplay experiences powered by Unreal Engine. The transition signifies a new era for the iconic series, one that could redefine its place in the gaming world.
For more details on these developments, make sure to tune in to our next episode of the Geek Freaks podcast, where we’ll discuss this news and what it means for the future of Halo!
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