As a lifelong Halo fan, this news has me absolutely thrilled! After decades of following the Master Chief’s adventures, it feels like we’re finally stepping into a new era for the franchise. The shift to Unreal Engine 5 and the rebranding of 343 Industries to Halo Studios signals a commitment to innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in video game development.
343 Industries, the developer behind Halo, revealed at the end of the 2024 Halo World Championships that not only are several new Halo games in development, but they will be created (as has been speculated) using Unreal Engine 5 instead of the Slipstream Engine used in Halo Infinite. Interestingly, 343 Industries is also undergoing a significant transformation, changing its name to Halo Studios.
It seems that the release of several upcoming Halo games isn’t imminent. However, an Xbox blog assures us this announcement signifies the start of a new chapter, not the end. Interestingly, Halo Studios is undergoing a transformation to allow for multiple projects to be developed concurrently, as opposed to focusing on a single project like before.
That’s not to say Halo Studios didn’t have anything to show as part of its big announcement. To highlight what the move to Unreal Engine 5 will look like, Halo Studios has been working on a non-game called Project Foundry. Footage and images from Project Foundry show numerous Halo-esque locales, from the Pacific Northwest-inspired vistas that have become synonymous with Halo to a Flood infested world, all meant to show the power of the engine and what will be possible. It wouldn’t be a glimpse at the future of Halo without a look at the man in green himself, and Halo Studios showed that off too, with a highly-detailed look at a Halo: Combat Evolved-era Master Chief battling against an Elite made in Unreal Engine 5.
According to Chris Matthews, the art director at Halo Studios, Project Foundry isn’t a fresh game nor merely a technical demonstration. Instead, it is being constructed according to the requirements that would be essential for future Halo games. The content developed for this project may potentially be utilized in other projects as well.
Matthews stated, “Every creation we’ve developed adheres to the quality standards we envision for our future games. We were cautious not to stray into tech demonstration territory. Instead, we created elements that we genuinely believe in, and a significant portion of this content may be transportable within our games in the future should we choose to do so.
One reason for transitioning to Unreal Engine 5 is to better cater to player expectations, as previously a substantial part of Halo Studios was dedicated solely to developing and maintaining the engines for their Halo games. This limited the ability of 343 Industries to provide content at the desired pace by players. The switch to Unreal will not only allow more of the studio to focus on tasks outside engine development, but also speed up the development process itself, as stated by Halo Studios COO Elizabeth Van Wyck.
Van Wyck emphasized that the time it takes to release a game isn’t the only factor; it’s also crucial to consider how quickly updates can be rolled out, new content introduced, and adjustments made based on player feedback. This involves not just the development process but also recruitment efforts, as it takes time for newly hired team members to become fully capable of producing assets that appear in the game.
Although discussions around transitioning to Unreal Engine 5 and Project Foundry primarily revolve around visual aspects, Halo Studios emphasizes through their Xbox blog post that Halo encompasses much more than just its appearance (even though aesthetics play a significant role as well).
As a dedicated fan, I wholeheartedly agree with Matthews when he emphasizes that the essence of Halo transcends its aesthetics. It’s not just about the lore or the physics; it’s the immersive experience of being Master Chief, the towering yet agile soldier, and the way he moves and interacts within this intricate universe. We, the developers, are deeply passionate about what makes Halo special for its players. We’re always tuned in to their feedback, making it the driving force behind initiatives like Foundry and shaping our future plans as a studio.
While Halo Infinite continues to be managed using its current Slipspace Engine, Halo Studios has shared that they’re working on additional Operations and updates for the Forge mode. Although a brand new Halo video game might still be a few years off, there is indeed a new Halo experience coming up – the tabletop wargame titled Halo: Flashpoint, which can now be pre-ordered and will hit stores on October 25th.
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2024-10-07 15:39