Following the recent confirmation that Activision is working on a new game in the Halo franchise, a new report, courtesy of leaker RebsGaming, indicates that the company was already working on the project even before its official announcement. In his video, RebsGaming explained that Activision “originally proposed two separate games”, one of which would be a free-to-play multiplayer title while the other one would be a campaign experience.
Going further, the YouTuber believes that Sledgehammer Games – the studio behind Call of Duty titles like WW2, Vanguard, and 2023’s Modern Warfare 3 – had already made a prototype that showcased both of the projects’ gameplay mechanics.
“Please keep in mind that Activision’s Halo project is in early development, so things can change. According to the source who told me that Activision was working on a Halo game before its official announcement, Activision originally proposed two separate games: a free-to-play multiplayer game and a campaign-only game.
“I’m told Sledgehammer Games conceptualized and prototyped basic gameplay mechanics for both the proposed campaign and multiplayer projects, such as player movement.”
Reiterating a report by Insider Gaming from earlier this week, RebsGaming also mentioned that the campaign game would be a “soft reboot” of the Halo franchise that entirely skips the events of Halo Infinite. However, other parts of the Halo series would remain canon, including older games. Ultimately, the company made the decision to scrap the two disparate projects and instead decided to go with a “full package Halo game”. Activision is now seemingly considering a full reboot of the franchise for this singular project.
“My source says it is too early for things to be completely set in stone, but they have heard that Activision is currently considering a full reboot of Halo focusing on Master Chief’s origin story.”
While a reboot of the Halo franchise would be far from the obvious choice, especially after the relatively recent release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, it wouldn’t be as improbable as some might think. The stewardship of the franchise being taken over by Activision would certainly lead to the company wanting to leave its own mark on the franchise and making it its own, and a reboot might offer a way to do so while also introducing the franchise to a massive new audience.
The Halo project at Activision is likely still too early to have any details set in stone, however. The only thing that Activision president Rob Kostich had to say about it for now has been that the company wants to “make the greatest Halo game ever.”
“For Halo, our goal is clear: make the greatest Halo game ever, worthy of its universe and legacy, while staying true to what made players love it in the first place. It is a bold ambition, one that this franchise deserves. We have already begun assembling a purpose-built team, unique in capability and talent, ready and excited to deliver this next chapter with the community.
In the meantime, Halo: Campaign Evolved is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Check out our review for more details.
