If you asked any fan of the series in the past decade to guess which team would develop the next Halo, Activision probably wouldn’t even rank among the answers. However, that’s exactly what happened when Xbox announced its latest reorganization, reducing Halo Studios to a support studio for existing titles and handing the reins over to the Call of Duty publisher.
Granted, we don’t know much about the next Halo, though rumors indicate it will be a “mainline fully-featured instalment.” A remake appears to be out of the question, despite what Campaign Evolved teased, but Activision could be going beyond a simple sequel. On the recent Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, Tom Henderson said, “From what I understand, the Halo franchise is being rebooted.”
Further details remain elusive; it may even be too early to know if this ends up happening. Some fans may feel incredulous about a reboot, especially considering the extensive lore and world-building beyond the games. However, there’s no denying that the story has taken several disappointing turns since Halo 5: Guardians.
Maybe what’s needed is a complete reinvention, though Activision president Rob Kostich is all about “staying true to what made players love it in the first place.” So maybe don’t expect it to stray too far from its first-person shooter roots, or even feature a protagonist that isn’t Master Chief. Stay tuned for updates, and in the meantime, check out our thoughts on Xbox’s latest moves.
