Though they’re not necessarily the best real time strategy titles out there, the Halo Wars games are solid experiences in their own rights, with well-executed mechanics and a thorough understanding of what makes a Halo game tick (not to mention some pretty important narrative elements for the series’ larger lore here and there). Halo Wars 2 in particular has been a fan-favourite since it launched- but can we expect another game in the not-too-distant future?
Well, unfortunately, it seems like that’s not going to be the case. Writing in a recent update on Halo Waypoint, 343 Industries community manager John Junyszek said that the studio has “no current plans” for Halo Wars 3, or even for new content updates to Halo Wars 2. Though things could obviously change in the future (“never say never,” says Junyszek), right now, 343 is focused elsewhere.
“343 Industries has no current plans for further Halo Wars 2 work including content updates, balance patches, bringing the title to other platforms, or a new game in the series. We will, however, continue to monitor the game and ensure everything is working as expected,” he wrote.
“Yes, we did use the word “currently” because it’s the truth – as of today, there is no plan for the development team to re-engage with Halo Wars 2 and we aren’t working on a new game in the series at this time. But, we’re specifically never going to say never because, well, who knows what the future may bring,” Junyszek added. “If you told me back in the day that the totality of MCC would land on Steam or Halo 3 would get content updates 14 years after launch, I’d never have believed it and yet here we are. We know constantly waiting and wondering is equal parts frustrating and exhausting, so we hope this clarity helps alleviate some of that and we want to set clear expectations that there is no work happening on Halo Wars.”
Junsyszek goes on to explain that 343 Industries is focused on other projects (such as the ongoing The Master Chief Collection and the upcoming Halo Infinite), which means there’s simply no room for more Halo Wars plans right now.
“The next question is surely ‘why?’ and it really boils down to the realities of finite time, resources, and focus for the studio,” he explained. “The 343 Publishing team has no shortage of ideas and inspiration to pursue for MCC and plenty of ongoing work to support the Halo franchise. Meanwhile, the majority of the studio is incredibly focused working towards Halo Infinite’s launch (and you may have also heard, ‘launch is only the beginning’). Given the broader impact initiatives the studio is already committed to, we unfortunately can’t devote the time and attention we’d need to deliver additional updates and content for the Halo Wars franchise.”
That’s a bit of a bummer to hear for sure, but it’s good to know that the door hasn’t been completely shut either. Here’s hoping Halo Wars makes a comeback sooner rather than later.
