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Microsoft announced major news earlier this week - revealing the rebrand of 343 as 'Halo Studios' and that future Halo titles would be developed on Unreal Engine 5 going forward. Now, a new "exclusive" from 'Rebs Gaming' has reportedly shed light on the lead up to this big change and what might have been axed in the process.
Although it might not be a surprise, according to the YouTube channel's source (who is apparently a former employee of 343), the campaign team began developing an Infinite sequel in the studio's Slipspace game engine right after the launch of Halo Infinite.
These plans allegedly changed when new leadership came in September 2022, with a decision supposedly made then and there to swap to Unreal Engine for future Halo games - resulting in the apparent cancellation of Infinite's sequel project on Slipspace.
Although 'Infinite 2' is believed to have been axed on the in-house game engine, it's noted how this doesn't necessarily rule out a UE5 version. It's claimed the source doesn't personally know if a UE5 version of 'Infinite 2' is in the works, because they were laid off before then.
One other interesting bit of information talks about the possibility of the studio outsourcing "campaign content" - with this particular claim backed up by the fact Halo Studios hasn't formed a campaign team for "almost two years" since the original team was laid off.
It's also believed 'Halo Infinite 2' was being developed alongside the cancelled battle royale mode for Infinite - codenamed 'Project Tatanka', which was eventually rebranded as a new Unreal Engine project. Keep in mind, all of this is tagged as a rumour, and (again) - all we really know right now is that Halo Studios is working on "multiple" projects which are running on UE5.
Do you think we'll see a direct sequel to Halo Infinite up and running on Unreal Engine 5 in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
[source youtu.be, via insider-gaming.com]
Comments 14
Good halo infinite was terrible basically was a far cry game in a halo skin worst halo by far!
As someone that does not play anything other than the campaign, it strikes me that that particular mode is becoming increasingly less important to the franchise. I get that the money is to be made from the multiplayer, but unlike Call of Duty where many (maybe the majority) do not bother with the campaign, I believe that the campaign in Halo is played by the vast majority, including those that then spend hundreds of hours invested in the multiplayer. The campaign for Halo is perhaps the main reason why people buy, and play the game in the first place, so to see the campaign seemingly treated as an afterthought is hugely disappointing..
@Fiendish-Beaver
Yep, only play Halo for the campaigns.
I completely disagree, @Ricky-Spanish. The worst campaign (and that is the only mode of which I can speak, as it is the only mode that I ever play) was 5's, probably followed by 4's.
I found Infinite's campaign to be very entertaining, particularly solo on Legendary. I've been through it 4 times, two solo, and two in co-op, doing it on Legendary solo and in co-op, and that is where it sparkles.
Even if you were to argue that Infinite was the worst of the Halo campaigns, it was still a solid 8 or 9...
@Fiendish-Beaver Not for me buddy halo 4 and guardians were the best campaigns for me big set pieces proper old school campaign halo infinite was more like far cry than any halo game huge disappointment halo like gears doesn't need to be an open world game it just waters down the gameplay ang enjoyment for me
@Fiendish-Beaver Thought they were a step down from the Bungie ones I replayed Halo 4 & 5's campaigns multiple times on different difficulties. I felt absolutely no desire with Halo Infinite. I think a part of it was the open world nature made it more dragged out on first playthrough, and imo ruined some of the series magic of going set piece to set piece.
But we all like different things.
I'm not saying that Halo needs to be open world, @Ricky-Spanish & @themightyant . I agree with you there. Just that I enjoyed it more than 4 and 5. I disliked the disjointed feel of 5 in particular, but even then I'd still give the campaign a 7 or 8. None of the campaigns are weak, though my personal favourite is O.D.S.T., which is a flat out 10.
Also, I agree it was unnecessary in Gears 5 too, though I did enjoy traversing the world on the skiff...
They need to try a new structure. I enjoyed Halo 5 but it was too close to Destiny. Infinite was fun but a little too farcry. The grappling hook was brilliant though.
I don't think an open world really works for Halo. Id love to see them tackle the Metroidvania genre. Metroid Prime x Halo 2
Good to see Microsoft’s trademark of horrible naming conventions is being extended to games as well as consoles. Halo Infinite 2 . Sounds like a couple of kids arguing. ‘My bike is better than yours!’ ‘My bike is better than yours, times infinity!’ ‘Yeah, well, my bike is better than yours times infinity, plus two!’
Just focus on campaigns and release them more regular...still think Halo 4 had the best campaign so 343 cant be as bad as everyone makes out
@Balaam_ I doubt it was actually called Infinite 2. It probably had an actual different internal product name. Probably just easier to call infinite 2 for simplicity. Plus Infinite 2 doesn’t make sense given that their plan was to use Halo Infinite as a platform similar to Fortnite that they just regularly update with new story content and DLC.
I have liked them all for most part. Key word, most part.
Halo 4 campaign (not multiplayer which was best halo multiplayer, ever, LOVED it!) I found to be weak when it forced players to read the comics and novels to know what was going on. Example, when Chief said, "it's the didactic". I was like WTF is a diadact? I've never read the novels or the comics, nor do I ever care to.
Really took all the enjoyment of the game at that point.
IDK that "Halo" means much anymore. Halo started as a game. Then they tried to make Halo into the "CoD killer" for online MP. Then they forgot about the game. Then they made Infinite to match the trends of the last gen, but released it mid through this gen. Now it's owned by the CoD company. I'm not sure what they do with Halo from now on.
@Balaam_ That summarizes every single gaming hardware forum thread ever.
I think this Pierre guy in charge knows what he is doing.
I would much rather a return to linear campaigns. The open world Infinite campaign felt far to watered down for me, not that open world didn't introduce some great aspects, it did. But without campaign scoring introduced in 3 it was missing something quintessentially Halo. Along with a lot of other "fun with friends" aspects missing all over Infinite.
As a fan and player of Halo since the OG Xbox and CE, I like what Pierre is saying, but words are words, they're nothing without results to back them up and we've been here many times before and faced bitter disappointment each time since Bungie days.
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