Halo fans need to brace for some big changes. The team behind the biggest space marine saga ever is getting a major makeover. What used to be 343 Industries is now officially Halo Studios, and this is not the only change that Xbox’s Joe Skrebels announced in a recent post on the company’s blog. As it turns out, the studio is ditching its homegrown Slipspace engine for Unreal Engine 5.
Why the switch? The Unreal Engine is practically deemed to be the best in the gaming world, with unmatched flexibility and graphics. This move could mean smoother development and potentially more frequent game releases. Despite the big change, Skrebels assures us that the devs are not meddling with Halo’s winning formula.
The studio shake-up doesn’t just end with the name and engine. There’s new leadership at the studio, aiming to steer Halo back to its glory days. Xbox’s Editor-in-Chief further mentioned multiple new games in the works that will hopefully make up for Halo Infinite’s horrible game play.
Despite the great news, some fans are worried that faster game production might mean lower quality. Additionally, there are fears that the Unreal Engine could make Halo look too much like other games. The freshly baked Halo Studios will need to find the right balance.
The franchise has been a cornerstone of Xbox and console gaming for over 20 years. It changed how we play first-person shooters on consoles and set the bar for online multiplayer. Can Halo follow its own path once more after these changes?
In the past years, plenty of game studios decided to move away from their own engines to save time and money. For a series as iconic as Halo, keeping its unique identity while using a widely used engine will be crucial. The risk is not too high though, as there are numerous success stories in the gaming business that started with a switch to Unreal Engine.
Fans are now holding their breath to see if Halo Studios can recapture the magic that made the original games so beloved. In a few months, we will see if the franchise can get back to its glory days.