According to a report by YouTuber Rebs Gaming, Halo Studios has set up a large playtesting area in its studio, where the games are being playtested on a weekly basis. These playtests, along with being a way to continue development on new projects, is also a method of onboarding new hires with the rest of the team. As part of these playtests, new maps are being developed and tested for a new Halo game.

While playtesting games during development is fairly common practice for studios, the new area for playtesting is noteworthy since it indicates that Halo Studios is taking the design and testing of its next projects more seriously.

343 Industries had announced that it would be rebranding itself as Halo Studios back in October. Studio head Pierre Hintze indicated that this change was made in order to mark a new chapter for the Halo franchise, and in a move away from the series’ time with 343 Industries, Halo Studios now hopes to “change the recipe” of how it makes Halo games.

Halo Studios had confirmed that it had multiple Halo games in the pipeline in October, along with revealing that all future titles in the franchise would be developed using Unreal Engine 5. The studio had also worked on a tech demo for the last couple of years, dubbed Project Foundry. According to Hintze, the switch to Unreal Engine 5 allows the studio to focus on making multiple new experiences at the same time.

While Halo Studios hasn’t officially announced these new projects, previous rumours indicate that one of these projects might be a remaster of Halo: Combat Evolved. Supposedly separate from 2011’s Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition, the remaster is also rumoured to be coming to PlayStation.

Here’s episode 8 of my Halo Development Update series: https://t.co/cM8ddceP5b

Key points:
•As I previously reported, former 343 Industries leadership didn’t participate in playtests and ended up canceling them during Infinite’s development.
•On Linkedin Xbox revealed Halo…

— Rebs Gaming (@Mr_Rebs_) January 10, 2025

I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about the last point from my report which states Halo Studios is playtesting future Halo games on a weekly basis. Since they are this far in development, I expect at least one new Halo game announcement this year. #Halo #Xbox https://t.co/tJj6UUpnzl

— Rebs Gaming (@Mr_Rebs_) January 15, 2025

Isn’t it better to judge a company after their press conference is over? In Microsoft’s case, the struggle that its Xbox brand is having to remain relevant isn’t new nor did it begin a few years ago. The resulting struggle has been going on for a while now, taking roots in the Xbox 360 era up till the introduction of Kinect.

"Cut to 2017 and what is Microsoft best known for? Why, cancelling Scalebound and shutting down Lionhead Studios along with Fable Legends."

In this day and age, the Xbox One is still a fairly popular console. Granted, it won’t ever reach the PlayStation 4’s sales and may even be struggling to hit half that amount. That was becoming incredibly apparent only a year after both consoles launched. It was painfully obvious that Microsoft was lagging behind. It was incredibly sad to see the company’s botched “always online” functions ultimately drag the Xbox One down, even if they were completely reversed before launch.

However, in 2014, the Xbox One was cooking in some pretty cool ways. Titles like Sunset Overdrive, Titanfall (which would also release for Xbox 360), Project Spark and Forza Horizon 2 were cementing it as this place with great games. Well, except for Halo: The Master Chief Collection that is. 2015 would seem to be even better with franchises like Forza Motorsport, Rare Replay, Gears of War Ultimate Edition, Halo and Tomb Raider (albeit in timed exclusive form) sharing space with new franchises like Ori and the Blind Forest and Rivals of Aether.

Of course, it didn’t take long before Microsoft’s old habits began to creep up. Halo 5: Guardians was a huge disappointment at launch, especially with its campaign, and only cemented 343 Industries as a developer that thought it knew what made the Halo games great, and not the fans. Gears of War 4 would release in 2016 and barely carried the franchise forward in any meaningful way. Forza Horizon 3 was pretty incredible but titles like Quantum Break just didn’t rise above our already average expectations. Dead Rising 4 was just awful and ReCore wasn’t the best new IP by a long shot despite the incredible talent involved.

Cut to 2017 and what is Microsoft best known for? Why, cancelling Scalebound and shutting down Lionhead Studios along with Fable Legends. Were both projects going to be amazing? Well, we don’t really know but this was a console that desperately needed exclusives. With Sony firing on all cylinders with its first and third party exclusives in that quarter, Nintendo at the pinnacle of hype with the Switch release and no major exclusives but Halo Wars 2, Microsoft seemed trapped.

"It’s that Microsoft has failed to really foster new ideas within those franchises (or indeed within new franchises) to really excite anyone in recent memory."

This practice of cancelling projects and relegating studios by the wayside wasn’t exactly new either – Microsoft had done the same to Obsidian Entertainment, with the company on the verge of bankruptcy before Pillars of Eternity was fully funded. Similarly, the numerous hoops that it made developer Darkside jump through before taking them off of the Phantom Dust sequel were similarly damning.

It’s not like the latter part of the year helped either. Cuphead was the one shining light in a land of original IPs but Forza Motorsport 7, despite being excellent, felt like more of the same (but with progression seemingly gated behind loot boxes). Tacoma was all well and good (even though, again, it was a timed exclusive) but Microsoft was laser-focused on PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, particularly on its exclusivity to the Xbox One. It was marketed as this huge prize that would see console players flock to the Xbox One. In December 2017, not only was PUBG one of the worst optimized games for either Xbox One X or Xbox One but the base PC version is buckling under the lack of improvements, new content and proper optimization. Granted, things have improved but PUBG’s popularity also took a significant hit with Fornite: Battle Royale’s release.

What is Microsoft’s plan come E3 2018, which will pretty much define its strategies going forward? Will there be much change with Matt Booty as head of Microsoft Studios as of January 2018? Rumours indicate that Halo, Gears of War and Forza will form a major part of Microsoft’s plans (with some Fable thrown in for good measure). Looking back on Microsoft in the Xbox 360 days, it’s incredible how the company seemingly doubles down on these franchises when all else seems lost. The spoiler is that these franchises aren’t advancing the Xbox business as much as Microsoft would think.

You could argue that back when the Xbox 360 was winding down, Kinect was popular and for sure, it did some very good business for Microsoft. However, the crux of the issue is that – unlike Nintendo – Microsoft has struggled to really muster up a compelling first party catalog when motion controls started trending downwards. The one constant isn’t that Microsoft keeps going back to its known franchises to cater to their respective fans. It’s that Microsoft has failed to really foster new ideas within those franchises (or indeed within new franchises) to really excite anyone in recent memory.

"The point isn’t that Sony is pro-consumer. It’s the building of successive franchises with a longer goal in mind rather than going back to the well again and again and again for diminishing returns."

Look at Sony, which pushes new franchises like Horizon: Zero Dawn and new ideas in established franchises. Not every new idea is a slam-dunk hit (see The Order: 1886) and not every idea is incredible out of the gate (Evolution Studios’ DriveClub). However, it’s clear that the studio isn’t looking to just compete with the best that first party competitors have to offer. It’s competing with third party developers, pushing higher production values in offbeat concepts and providing a platform with benefits for third party developers on the PS4. Meanwhile, Microsoft continues to minimize its third party dealings.

I’m not saying that deals with timed exclusive DLC for FIFA or Call of Duty set my world on fire but they were a few of the aces that Microsoft had. This is, again, to say nothing of Microsoft’s dealings with developers like Platinum Games who it completely shafted. We could talk forever about Microsoft’s failure to really employ the creativity seen in the Japanese game development market. But those chickens came home to roost in 2017 itself when all the big names like Nier: Automata, Persona 5, Nioh and so on stuck with the PlayStation 4 at their respective launches (with Nier: Automata only now being confirmed for Xbox One).

The point isn’t that Sony is pro-consumer. It’s the building of successive franchises with a longer goal in mind rather than going back to the well again and again and again for diminishing returns. Yes, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End remains one of the most successful PS4 titles. Re-imaginings/remakes of old classics like Ratchet and Clank and Shadow of the Colossus have also proven successful. However, it’s the franchises like Horizon: Zero Dawn, Until Dawn, Detroit: Become Human, Bloodborne, Nioh, Nier: Automata, Persona 5, Gravity Rush 2, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and so on which it either developed or helped foster (even as some released on other platforms later) that are ultimately building up the console’s brand.

"If Microsoft goes back to the well again with Halo, Gears of War and Forza, it’s shooting itself in the foot a decade later."

On the flip-side, look at the Nintendo Switch. Even if Nintendo does go back to the well with franchises like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, it’s still pushing relatively newer properties like Splatoon 2, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, Snipperclips, Fast RMX, and ARMs. It’s providing a platform for games like Xenoblade Chronicles 2, numerous indie titles which couldn’t break out on other platforms, and so on to achieve success. Even when it does recycle old IPs, it does so in unique ways as the open world of Zelda: Breath of the Wild attests. Furthermore, it’s proving a strong platform for indie developers to really taste success.

Of course, foresight is 20/20. Even if franchises on Nintendo’s less successful Wii U platform didn’t exactly set the charts on fire, like Bayonetta 2, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, it still brings them over to the Switch on short notice at the behest of fans. Furthermore, it uses properties like Bayonetta 2 to help promote upcoming exclusives like Bayonetta 3. It’s almost like Nintendo seems in tune with what the consumer may want and attempts to deliver it to them. What a funny concept, right? That doesn’t dismiss whatever issues people may have with the upcoming online service but again, there are still more incredible games on the Nintendo Switch in its first year then there’s been on the Xbox One in the past two.

At the end of the day, whether it’s Sony, Nintendo or even the various PC-exclusive developers, players around the world are given umpteen reasons to invest their time into these platforms. Those looking to get into a platform won’t just have the future to look forward to – they’ll have a compelling backlog supported by strong names, whether new, old or rising. The Xbox One currently lacks this and if Microsoft goes back to the well again with Halo, Gears of War and Forza, it’s shooting itself in the foot a decade later.

"With Nintendo and Sony doing incredibly well for themselves, Microsoft and the Xbox brand are in danger of not just “third place” but total irrelevance."

The Xbox One doesn’t just need new IPs. It needs IPs that people would fall over themselves to invest time into. State of Decay 2 garnered over one million players in the first two days of release while Sea of Thieves reached over two million its first week. Game Pass user breakdowns aside, both titles have motivated Xbox One users to invest in them. Microsoft is on some kind of right track (even if the above titles were rather average in their critical response) but needs more quality and in larger quantities. It needs its own Bloodborne or Uncharted 4 or Horizon: Zero Dawn. Not in the sense that it needs the exact ideas those games contain but to inspire the same kind of frenzy that those games do.

Microsoft’s E3 2018 presser is on June 10^th. Will we see history repeat itself as the company struggles to relate to a user base that expects more? There are 15 “World Premieres” planned for the show. Will that equate to 140 minutes of just premiering games that will also be coming to other consoles like Battlefield 5? Will it simply cut the prices for the Xbox One, Xbox One X and Xbox One S even further? Announce some free subscriptions? Or will it ignite our excitement like it did in 2014, showcasing a company that doesn’t just want to talk down to its players but offer them exciting things and back up those offers with exciting products?

Time will tell and for better or worse, time seems to be running out for the house that Xbox built. A long time ago, we would push certain companies to be better simply because more competition was good for everyone. With Nintendo and Sony doing incredibly well for themselves, Microsoft and the Xbox brand are in danger of not just “third place” but total irrelevance.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to GamingBolt as an organization.

Dead Horses

"Similarly, if Fortnite is indeed revealed for the Switch, it wouldn’t be too strange for Microsoft to tout crossplay with the hybrid console, PC and mobiles."

Microsoft is usually one to harp on about something long past the point of it being relevant. Though cross play is still an important issue, it’s nowhere near the controversial subject that Sony wanted to avoid last year. Regardless, look for Microsoft to announce more cross play efforts. Paladins will be heading to the Nintendo Switch via Founder’s Pack on June 12th and supports cross play with the Xbox One. Similarly, if Fortnite is indeed revealed for the Switch, it wouldn’t be too strange for Microsoft to tout crossplay with the hybrid console, PC and mobiles.

Speaking of subjects that are still sort of relevant but not all that important in the grand scheme of things, backwards compatibility has been an amazing feature from Microsoft. It’s effectively opened up its supple Xbox 360 library for a new generation of Xbox One players. Now, OG Xbox backwards compatibility? Not so much, though we could see Microsoft touting even more titles from both coming to Xbox One.

Game Pass will likely have its own shoutout as well as Microsoft notes the number of subscribers and the overall success of the program. Don’t be surprised if reveals and announcement, particularly for Xbox One/Windows 10 exclusives, are celebrated as being available at launch for Game Pass. With all that out of the way, let’s look at some of the potential reveals.

Indie Darlings

"It wouldn’t be surprising if The Will of the Wisps was slated to release sometime in August or September."

Frankly, if Microsoft doesn’t provide a release date in the vicinity of “very soon” for Ori and The Will of the Wisps, I’d be stunned. After announcing the game last year, promising a release date of “never” and then staying silent on the same, it seemed like even Microsoft forgot it existed. Given how successful Ori and The Blind Forest had been – and Microsoft’s distinct lack of exclusives – it wouldn’t be surprising if The Will of the Wisps was slated to release sometime in August or September.

On that note, Capybara Games’ Below, started as an interesting little thing for Xbox One…back in 2013. Since then, we’ve heard more about its delays than anything else. 2018 may finally be the year though as it’s likely announced for September (or even December to avoid the rush). Though Capybara Games will also be releasing the game for Steam, it’s very much a Cuphead-style situation – this is one of the few high profile indie games that Microsoft actually has for its console. Hopefully it at least gets a release date announcement trailer instead of being brushed aside for another year.

Halo Infinity

"If Halo Infinity is indeed Halo 6, 343 Industries will likely show off a teaser and maybe tease a release year."

Rumours have been circulating recently about Halo Infinity. What is Halo Infinity? Search me (and I really think you shouldn’t). The name seems to imply some kind of connection with the UNSC Infinity. Perhaps this is the next mainline Halo? As it stands, we know that 343 Industries has been busy working on something. No more rumours about Halo 3 Anniversary and not a ton regarding upcoming Halo 5: Guardians content. If Halo Infinity is anything, it has to be the next big deal for the studio.

This is an age where even the maestros of smoke and mirrors, Bungie, would outright reveal gameplay for its big expansion rather than tease their fans incessantly but I don’t believe Microsoft will learn the same lessons. If Halo Infinity is indeed Halo 6, 343 Industries will likely show off a teaser and maybe tease a release year. It may even promise more information next year. The correct approach would be to bite the bullet and show gameplay footage. If the developer is that far along into development or not remains the real mystery.

Gears of War 5

"If Microsoft has enough time to make such a strong impression with the next Gears of War, it better be time well spent."

Let’s be real – Gears of War 4 was a good game and a good Gears of War game. It didn’t really advance the franchise forward though. In fact, if anything, it showcased a developer playing things a little close to the chest while purportedly expanding the universe. Gears of War 5 is likely in development – Xbox boss Phil Spencer has noted the efforts of The Coalition in recent updates – but the question is where things go from here. I wouldn’t think that a cinematic trailer reveal happens. However, it wouldn’t be all that strange to see a gameplay reveal akin to Gears of War 4 with some kind of tease.

Unlike the rumoured Halo Infinity, Microsoft could have a stronger plan for Gears of War 5. Announcements for a closed beta multiplayer test, followed by open beta down the line, wouldn’t be weird. Over time, the game can stay in the mind of the hardcore while building up enough steam for an eventual launch (which would likely be in 2019, if not early 2020). However, will that be enough? Will we see Horde being changed for the better and ditching the pay-to-win-esque crates? Will multiplayer actually be involving instead of stuck in the same closed quarters shotgun fests that the series has become infamous for?

If Microsoft has enough time to make such a strong impression with the next Gears of War, it better be time well spent. Regardless, it will show something so keep those fingers crossed.

All The Rest

"The relatively good news is that Crackdown 3 will be at the conference. I’m hoping Microsoft uses this opportunity to stick to its new release date while also dating the open multiplayer beta that never happened."

Forza Horizon 4’s announcement seems like a foregone conclusion. Sure, the real surprising thing would be to upstage The Crew 2 and announce an enormous game with several countries to explore, and a large Horizon Festival meta-game. I don’t think that will happen but it’s cool to think about.

What will likely happen is a teaser for Fable 4. Rumours have been rumbling about the fantasy RPG series making a comeback and Playground Games has been making some uncharacteristically big moves in terms of expansion. Again, time will tell but if Microsoft really wanted to fill the void left by Scalebound (which still hurts, by the way), wouldn’t it make sense to fall back on an RPG series it can fully control?

The relatively good news is that Crackdown 3 will be at the conference. I’m hoping Microsoft uses this opportunity to stick to its new release date while also dating the open multiplayer beta that never happened. One could certainly hope, right?

Third Party Developers

"EA Play can be stuffed with all kinds of neat gameplay information on Bioware’s Anthem but it may not likely be enough. So why not feature some footage at Microsoft’s conference as well?"

Third party announcements are a decidedly tougher nut to crack. My money is on the gameplay trailer for Metro Exodus – or whatever 4A Games is planning/rumoured to be showing – debuting during Microsoft’s presser. Heck, slap an “Xbox One X Enhanced” tag on it if necessary. Given how Life is Strange: Before the Storm was announced at last year’s Microsoft presser, it wouldn’t be all that weird to see Life is Strange 2 announced this year. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds will probably have some stat padding but if PUBG Corp skips Microsoft’s presser, that’s all the confirmation we need that it’s going to PS4 in the near future.

Electronic Arts is also in a good position. EA Play can be stuffed with all kinds of neat gameplay information on Bioware’s Anthem but it may not likely be enough. So why not feature some footage at Microsoft’s conference as well? After all, that was the pattern last year – and in fact, Microsoft got the better end of the deal since it actually showcased gameplay. We’ll see how this year pans out for them.

Also, if CD Projekt RED’s participation in Microsoft’s E3 2013 presser is any indication – which is a shoddy reason at best but let’s roll with it – then the first official trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 will likely be at this year’s presser. If Sony’s conference is stuffed to the brim and Microsoft needs games to fill its show time, why not get one of the most anticipated third party RPGs on the format? Finally, it seems that Bohemia Interactive is working on an Xbox One exclusive developed with Unreal Engine. Suffice to say we should be seeing it this Sunday.

Microsoft’s E3 2018 presser takes place on June 10th at 1 PM PST. What do you hope to see? Let us know in the comments below.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to GamingBolt as an organization.

With E3 coming up in short order, then, we figured we would look at each of the Big Three alike and attempt to assess their E3 strategies, and what they need to do and what the results of that might be. Microsoft is the hardest to look at in this regard- purely because while Sony and Nintendo have both shown their hands (Sony is focusing on a handful of first party games primarily, while Nintendo will only show games coming out this year), Microsoft is a bigger question mark. We know they have rented an entire theater as their “showfloor space”, and that they are calling this their biggest E3 ever.

We also know that after successfully rallying on the services and hardware front, Microsoft now needs to make a strong showing and come out swinging with the games. The good news is that they have the momentum and a wave of goodwill they are riding going into E3 this year- as long as they hit the right notes, they will capitalize on that effectively, and continue to ride high in the coming months.

NEW IP ANNOUNCEMENTS

We already know that investing in new IP is something Microsoft is looking at seriously on the first party front. While the company has partnered with studios like Insomniac and Armature to deliver some new IP in the last few years, such as Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break, ReCore, and Ryse: Son of Rome, Microsoft’s own internal in house efforts have continued to focus on Halo, Gears of War, and Forza primarily. Having tentpole franchises to rely on is always great- but Microsoft needs to broaden the palette of its offerings, so that it offers more to its fans than just what they are used to. Thankfully, as mentioned, they are looking into open new studios and investing in new franchises- so hopefully, we get to see some early indications of what kinds of new experiences they are working on delivering at E3 this year.

"While the company has partnered with studios like Insomniac and Armature to deliver some new IP in the last few years, such as Sunset Overdrive, Quantum Break, ReCore, and Ryse: Son of Rome, Microsoft’s own internal in house efforts have continued to focus on Halo, Gears of War, and Forza primarily. Having tentpole franchises to rely on is always great- but Microsoft needs to broaden the palette of its offerings, so that it offers more to its fans than just what they are used to."

BUT ALSO NEW HALO/GEARS/FORZA ANNOUNCEMENTS

I am never going to ask Microsoft to outright abandon Halo, Gears of War, and Forza, however- those are Microsoft’s flagship franchises that have won them millions of fans, and they are popular for a reason. That reason being that they are pretty damn great. And they are all due for new entries soon now. We already know a Forza Horizon 4 is due out this year, and I am sure that it will get a reveal at E3, but Microsoft could also stand to show us teasers for Halo 6 and Gears of War 5– I say teasers because I am aware that they have already said that neither game is coming out soon, and that’s okay. But it’s been years since the last games in either franchise came out, and just showing fans an exciting sneak peak at what lies in the future of both those series is going to get a lot of people excited, I think.

THAT NEW FABLE GAME

Okay, so this is something that has apparently been rumored for a while. Microsoft, wanting a piece of the pie that so far has been hogged by Nintendo and Sony with The Legend of Zelda and Horizon respectively, want in on the action with their own open world action adventure game. And apparently, they are repurposing the beloved Fable franchise to that end- having handed it over to none other than PlayGround Games for this go around. This all sounds absolutely awesome- I just hope we get to see a little sneak peak of it. Again, I understand we’re a ways away from this game coming out- but, again, a little teaser is going to get fans all energized and excited- Xbox could use its fans being energized and positive about the brand right now.

REMOVE THAT PAYWALL FOR F2P GAMES

Microsoft has done an amazing job of making several pro-customer moves in the last few months and years- from backwards compatibility to expanding the scope of Games with Gold, to offering refunds and gifting, to their efforts focused on accessibility, to cross platform play, and cross platform purchases, and beyond, the company hardly resembles the corporation that drive to force an always online system with restrictive DRM and an always on camera on to customers five years ago. But one relic from the era of a less consumer friendly Microsoft still remains- Microsoft locking online play for free to play games behind a paywall. Where on PSN, you can play, say, Fortnite even without PS Plus, on Xbox, you need to have a subscription to Xbox Live, or you can’t play. It’s a bit bizarre- what’s the point of a free to play game if you have to, well, pay for it? Microsoft has done an excellent job of making Xbox Live attractive by addition, rather than by gating essential features behind it- this paywall for F2P games is one of the last relics from when they did not do that. Hopefully, this is one of the things they announce they are reversing at E3 this year.

"Where on PSN, you can play, say, Fortnite even without PS Plus, on Xbox, you need to have a subscription to Xbox Live, or you can’t play. It’s a bit bizarre- what’s the point of a free to play game if you have to, well, pay for it?"

CONTINUE THE AWESOME FOCUS ON SERVICES

I am one of the people who argues that the focus for a game console and game company should always be on games first- and, indeed, I have spent most of this article talking about games Microsoft could show off. But one thing that I think they deserve mad credit on is their sheer good work on the services front. From backwards compatibility, digital continuity, cross platform play, cross platform purchases via Play Anywhere, refunds, gifting, and more, Microsoft has done some amazing work here- and I don’t want them to stop. I want them to keep continuing doing this good work. Keep bringing more backward compatible games. Expand the scope of Play Anywhere. Make gifting and refunds easier. Bring more features and services that we don’t even realize we want to us. Microsoft is doing some great work here, work that will pay off for them in the coming years- I just hope they keep at it.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to GamingBolt as an organization.

Shadows Die Twice

Teased last year during The Game Awards, Shadows Die Twice immediately drew attention for being a From Software game. Given its macabre showing, we all assumed the obvious – Bloodborne 2. And while that’s a rumour that pops up every now and then, including before last year’s E3, one would assume that this is a brand new IP. Either way, rumours indicate that it will have a “big showing” at a presser, though which one is still a mystery.

Those two games sent the biggest shock waves through the first person shooter genre since Doom and Wolfenstein popularized it back in the day, and its  hard to think of any games since that have matched them in terms of cultural impact. The enemies were creative, the story was interesting, and the game play was just accessible enough to get its hooks into young gamers yet intricate enough to keep hardcore players thoroughly amused. On top of being great single player experiences, the franchise also played a major part in popularizing competitive online play and paved the way for other franchises like Call of Duty, Battlefield, and others to carve out their own audiences in that new frontier.

This was an era where online play was certainly doable, and the infrastructure was there with cable internet finally becoming standardized and affordable for most, so Halo came along at the perfect time to really run with it, and run with it Halo did. Major tournaments on college campuses, massive LAN parties that filled apartments and houses with Xboxes and TV’s were a common sight for many years during the reign of Halo and Halo 2. And if you were to tell the 2003 version of me that eventually there would be a Halo game that drove players nuts with how mediocre it was, I’d laugh in your face, but here we are. So what the hell the happened to Halo?

Halo 4 was relatively divisive among long-time followers of Master Chief’s story, with imperfect but still relatively strong showings commercially and critically, but Halo 5 was the final straw for many. 343, actually came out and apologized at one point, admitting that the campaign was full of mistakes and that they would engage in some major course correction in the future.

Lots of complaints were leveled at 343 for the most recent iteration of Halo, From its lack of story substance to complaints about the game play itself being too co-op focused and leaving little room for solo players to also enjoy the game. Terrible AI that reduced non playable characters to lobotomized bullet sponges, unfinished half-baked mechanics and just an overall lack of fun factor all added up very quickly in the eyes of fans and Halo 5 quickly became what is largely regarded as the least favorite among the main-line games. Some of that could also be attributed to out of control hype, which is something lots of games suffer from when their marketing goes too far and fails to paint a realistic picture of what gamers should expect, but ultimately 343 made that bed, and had to lay in it.

However, on the flip side, you could argue that any game 343 would have put out at this point might not have lived up to expectations. 343 was not the original developer of the franchise, and they certainly had their purist detractors for simply making Halo games at all, as we saw from some reviews of Halo 4. On top of that, as I mentioned before, the marketing for Halo 5 had gotten out of hand. This is a problem that can escape developers as they are toiling away on a game, trying to make it good, or at least what they think is good, while the marketing team is in another building, miles away doing their own thing and trying to sell as many copies as possible so they can get more marketing gigs later on.

Both parties are just trying to do a good job, but when there is a “disconnect” as the studio later admitted there was, that can spell disaster for any creative project. Halo was marketed extremely well, and painted a picture of a conflict between the two main protagonists that was sure to make the player see things from angles that, perhaps, they didn’t expect and possibly even make master chief a villain of sorts.

This was intriguing to many and fit right into what a lot of fans wanted at this point, as much of the core Halo audience had gotten older and more mature since the original games, and thus had developed a more refined complex taste in their games. On top of that, Halo 5 was going to be the first real Halo game for the Xbox One, a console that has struggled to deliver quality first party titles up to that point. So the pressure that 343 was under was probably an unfair amount that any developer would have struggled to totally handle. This is not to say that they didn’t drop the ball independently of those factors, as the game that was released ended up being almost nothing like what was implied with the advertising, and left fans feeling lied to, and understandably so, because they kind of were.

So even though the level of scorn that 343 deserved at this point might not’ve been equal to what they ultimately received, they still unquestionably dropped the ball here in many regards. Making a mediocre game is one thing, but when its was advertised as something completely different to a fan-base that has been loyal to the franchise for over 10 years, now you’re really asking for trouble. Add on a bland multiplayer mode with muddy textures, micro-transactions, boring map layouts and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a complete disaster.

This bad combination of failures couldn’t have come at a worse time for Halo 5, either. Fans were clamoring for a return to form after the third and fourth games, which weren’t bad but also weren’t quite the successors that Halo 2 deserved. If there was ever a time that 343 and Microsoft needed to get something right, it was with this game. Any iconic franchise that teeters on the edge of becoming mediocre can be greatly affected by its next installment, for better and for worse.

Unfortunately, when it came down to it, Halo 5 brought the franchise down from what would be described as “an overall good franchise with a couple great games” to “a franchise that used to be good”. Which is a sad place for a series with such high highs to be. Thankfully, 343 does appear to be on the same page as fans now, and its not like they’re a bad developer. 343 certainly wouldn’t have been entrusted with this franchise if they weren’t capable of moving it forward, and now that the bar is where it is, surely the team has the information and direction they need to deliver, at the very least, a totally decent Halo game next time around.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to GamingBolt as an organization.

Look, we already know that a Gears 5 and a Halo 6 are in the works- even if they’re not revealed this year, we know they are coming. But when they do come, will Microsoft use them to cap off the Xbox One era, and maybe to give one final push to its exclusives lineup? Or will they be saved for the next generation Xbox system?

According to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, Halo 6 and Gears of War 5 should both be out on the Xbox One, well before the next Xbox is out. “I think Xbox Two, or whatever they call it, will be a 2020 event, so I will be very surprised if we don’t get Halo and Gears before that,” Pachter said in an exclusive interview with GamingBolt. “If I had to bet, Halo this year, Gears next year. I think Microsoft has been very quiet, but we’re getting them in the next two years. If I’m wrong about what year the next Xbox launches in, then I think one of them will be a launch title. It won’t be exclusive, I think it will be old gen and new gen, like Nintendo did with Breath of the Wild on Wii U and Switch.”

I think it might be a smart idea for Microsoft to hold at least one of those two, if not both, back for the next Xbox launch- they will need to overcome the negative momentum and perception coming from years of the Xbox One at that point, and having the next games in their two biggest series as launch games for their next system makes a statement- just like, how Pachter pointed out, it did for Nintendo.

It has been almost 3 years since the release of the last Halo game and so far, there hasn’t been any word regarding future entries into the series. Now, a new job listing confirms that a new Halo game is in development. The job listing is for ‘Lead Graphics Developer‘  and it seems like one of the main points of focus is 4K graphics.

Since this will be the first Halo game to release in a while, expectations will certainly be high. It looks like 343 Industries is doing their best to ensure that the game will look great. The official description for the job listing is as follows, “343 Industries, the studio developing Halo games, is looking for a Lead Graphics Engineer to join our team working on the next big Halo shooter experience. Be part of a studio that values collaboration, innovative thinking, and especially passion for the player. As the Graphics Lead, you will be leading, managing, and contributing directly on the award-winning graphics team, collaborating closely with the art teams and pushing the visual bar to inconceivable levels on future FPS Halo titles.”

“The ideal candidate will have a passion for game graphics and for directing a team, love getting their hands dirty working directly with the content teams while coding incredible systems. You will drive graphical innovation and produce amazing systems and visuals for our entire future FPS Halo experiences. If stunning 60 Hz 4k graphics gets you excited, this is the right job for you.”

Hopefully, we will receive some official information about the new Halo game soon enough. It’s certainly possible that we may get to see something related to the game at this year’s E3, so keep your eyes and ears open for any new information.

We don’t know much about Halo 6, other than hints by developers 343 Industries to not expect it this year—but now, a new job listing by the studio on LinkedIn may have shed some light on what fans can expect from the eagerly anticipated sixth entry in the series.

The job listing is for Creative Director, and very specifically specifies that 343 Industries is looking at “delivering a new VR experience in the Halo universe”.  The listing seems to cover gameplay and narrative, both, suggesting that this might be a full fledged game, instead of just a VR compatible mode or snippet.

In addition to being the first major hint we have had about Halo 6, this also seems to be the first indication we have had of VR support from Microsoft since before the launch of last year’s Xbox One X- originally, the Xbox One X (then known as Scorpio) had been announced with VR compatibility being one of its headlining features. But emphasis on VR was gradually reduced as the system’s launch neared, with Microsoft ultimately adapting a “wait and see” attitude with the format for now.

Will Halo VR support a proprietary VR headset from Microsoft? HTC Vive and Oculus Rift? Windows Mixed Reality? All of these? Hopefully, an announcement is made soon—but VR might just be the thing that breathes new life back into the series.

[Thanks, Zassimick!]

Call of Duty 2018

A new Call of Duty will be releasing this year. Surprise, surprise. Given how we know Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have had their turn, Activision would confirm that Treyarch is up next. Even more surprises! Now, the rumours that this may be Call of Duty: Black Ops 4? Even less surprising but it would be interesting to see where the franchise goes, especially given the augmented reality/mind-jacking mess that was Black Ops 3.