Microsoft is poised to make a significant announcement concerning the future trajectory of the Halo franchise. Halo Studios, the development team behind the iconic series, has reaffirmed its commitment, initially disclosed in June, to reveal its ongoing projects at the forthcoming Halo World Championships event this October.
In a recent blog post, Halo Studios confirmed that key team members would take to the main stage to elaborate on these plans. The event will also feature an “in-depth panel session” which the studio promises will be an essential watch for fans.
Both presentations are scheduled to occur on Friday, October 24. Microsoft has deliberately kept additional details under wraps, refraining from specifying whether the announcements will focus on entirely new game titles or encompass other strategic initiatives for the series.
Irrespective of the specifics, Microsoft has previously confirmed that multiple new Halo projects are currently in active development.
It was at the 2024 Halo World Championships that Microsoft first teased the “A New Dawn” trailer, offering glimpses into concepts for various new Halo endeavors, notably “Project Foundry,” all of which are being developed using the Unreal Engine. This event also marked a pivotal moment for the development team, as 343 Industries officially underwent a rebranding to become Halo Studios.
Halo Infinite, which launched in 2021, represents the most recent mainline installment in the beloved science fiction saga. Since its release, Microsoft has initiated substantial internal changes, including the installation of a new executive leadership team and a strategic shift to alternative game engines for future projects. This acknowledgment comes with the recognition that Halo Infinite, in certain respects, did not fully meet the high expectations set for the franchise. Xbox head Matt Booty candidly compared Halo Infinite`s launch experience to that of a runner stumbling just before reaching the finish line.
Studio head Pierre Hintze reflected on the shift: “Halo Infinite represented the final vestige of our traditional approach to making Halo games. That was our formula. What we are doing now is fundamentally altering that formula.”
Reports are circulating that Microsoft harbors ambitions to bring the Halo franchise to PlayStation 5 and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, with a potential release as early as this year. Specifically, there`s talk of a remaster project for the original Halo: Combat Evolved. With 2026 marking the 25th anniversary of both the Xbox brand and the Halo series, Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Gaming, has previously hinted at the possibility of a new Halo project arriving next year, alongside new installments in the Fable and Gears of War franchises.
Additionally, the article originally featured a gallery showcasing various in-progress images related to the future of Halo, offering visual insights into the new development direction.
Another section highlighted a ranked list of the best Halo FPS games, celebrating the legacy and impact of the series` past entries.