Halo Studios Announces New Era for the Franchise with Several Projects in Development

A Halo Studios—formerly known as 343 Industries—has announced a new phase in the Halo series, introducing several initiatives and changes in direction for the future of the franchise. During the Halo World Championship Series 2024, the team revealed that they will start using the Unreal Engine 5, leaving behind the Slipspace Engine. This move aims to streamline development and expand the creative possibilities of the studio.

The head of Halo Studios, Pierre Hintze, stated: “If we look at the history of Halo, we have two distinct chapters: Chapter 1, Bungie, and Chapter 2, 343 Industries. We believe that the audience expects a new approach.” According to Hintze, this engine change will allow the studio to focus exclusively on game development, without the technical challenges of maintaining proprietary technology.

One of the main initiatives of this phase is the Project Foundry. In a preview of the scenarios, various biomes were presented, ranging from dense forests to areas infected by the Flood, always staying true to the Halo style. Art Director Chris Matthews emphasized that these assets were developed to be used in upcoming titles of the series: “We have created assets that can be integrated into future games.” Additionally, classic models of Master Chief and Elites were shown, leading to speculation about a possible remake of Halo: Combat Evolved.

In addition to the visual overhaul, the switch to Unreal Engine 5 promises to speed up the development cycle, allowing the studio to focus solely on creating content. This third chapter marks an effort to revisit and modernize the Halo series with projects that aim to meet the expectations of its fans.