Halo Studios Revealed: A New Era Begins with Unreal Engine Shift

Revamping the Veterans: Introducing Halo Studios

During the 2024 Halo World Championship finals, viewers were treated to a visually stunning and entirely new addition from the Halo universe. The unexpected teaser video offered glimpses of the iconic Master Chief in familiar yet unfamiliar worlds, landscapes reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest and even a location consumed by The Flood. This wasn't a retroactive glance but a futuristic peek into the fresh direction that the beloved franchise is taking. 343 Industries, the company that has been steering the Halo franchise for years, has adopted a new name - Halo Studios. The company stands on the threshold of a new era as they shift from the proprietary Slipspace Engine to Unreal Engine 5 for creating upcoming Halo projects. The change also reflects a shift in the studio's culture and workflow and will make room for future titles. Studio Head Pierre Hintze describes this transition as the beginning of a new chapter for Halo rather than a complete break from the past. This evolution comes in response to the gaming community's appetite for fresh content, inspiring Halo Studios to change the formula of how they create Halo games.

Building the Future: The Recipe for Change

The first significant step towards the future involves switching to Unreal Engine 5 from the custom-developed Slipspace Engine. It aims to free up resources previously dedicated to engine development and maintenance and focus on game creation, consequently speeding up the delivery of new content to gamers. The transition to Unreal Engine conveys another advantage - a more streamlined onboarding process for new talent due to its widespread usage in the gaming industry. This change will also facilitate faster game updates and allow the series to expand quicker and more naturally. The series' newfound approach was evident in the experimental project known as Project Foundry. Not quite a game, not simply a tech demo, Foundry was the creation of three different biomes designed as a deep study of the capabilities of the Unreal Engine and its potential for creating a new Halo game. Despite it being strictly a visual project, maintaining the essence of what fans love about Halo remained central, according to the studio. “It’s the lore. It’s the physics. Playing as the Chief, you’re this huge tank of a soldier – it’s the way that he moves, he feels. We’re all really obsessed about what our players love about Halo," said Studio Art Director, Chris Matthews.

A New Chapter: What’s Next for Halo

While Halo Infinite will continue to receive support through the Slipspace Engine with more Operations and updates to its Forge mode, the focus has shifted to what lies ahead. Though it is too early to provide specifics, multiple game projects are currently in development. The entire fabric of the newly christened Halo Studios has been restructured to align with their main goal - making newer, better games that align with the wants and anticipations of the players. “We want a singular focus. Everyone is in this place here to make the best possible Halo games,” says Pierre Hintze, underlining the main idea driving Halo Studios. By putting the fans at the heart of their creativity, they aim to not just match the expectations of the audience but also exceed them. Plus, they plan on keeping the information flow open and include the fans in the process. In essence, Halo Studios is gearing up to redefine their legacy and usher in a new era for Halo, ensuring the focus remains solely on delivering premium gaming experiences.