The next chapter of the Halo franchise is beginning to take shape, and it’s bringing with it some big changes. During the Halo World Championship on Sunday, October 6th, 343 Industries made several announcements that sent waves through the Halo community. Most notably, the studio revealed its official rebranding to “Halo Studios” and confirmed that all future Halo titles will be developed on Unreal Engine 5, leaving behind the Slipspace Engine that powered Halo Infinite.

The announcements came via a seven-minute video presentation shown right before the grand finals of the championship event. The video provided a sneak peek at “Project Foundry” — an experimental effort aimed at demonstrating what a Halo game built on Unreal Engine 5 could look like. While this project is still in its early stages and serves more as a tech demo than anything else, it teases an exciting new direction for the franchise, particularly after the mixed reception of 2021’s Halo Infinite.

This move to Unreal Engine 5 is a monumental shift for the Halo series, especially given how much time and energy was invested in Slipspace, the engine that powered the latest title. Slipspace had its roots in the original Halo engine, with parts of it dating back more than two decades. Unfortunately, this led to significant struggles during the development of Halo Infinite, with some developers at the studio pointing to its outdated technology as a major hurdle.

Chris Matthews, art director at Halo Studios, addressed the decision in an interview with Xbox Wire, saying, “Respectfully, some components of Slipspace are almost 25 years old. While we tried to keep it evolving, there are just some capabilities that Unreal offers that we simply couldn’t replicate in Slipspace without investing a ton of resources.”

Reports from early 2023 indicated that the team at what was then 343 Industries was eager to start fresh after Halo Infinite. Following a shakeup in leadership and a renewed focus on smaller, experimental projects, it seemed like a reset was in the works. Project Foundry appears to be the outcome of these efforts, acting as the studio’s first real foray into Unreal Engine 5 for Halo.

The rebranded Halo Studios is now under the leadership of Pierre Hintze and Elizabeth Van Wyck, both of whom took over key roles following Bonnie Ross’ departure as studio GM in 2022. Series veteran Joseph Staten also left Xbox in 2023, paving the way for new leadership to steer the iconic franchise. This new direction for Halo comes at a time when Xbox is looking ahead to the next generation of consoles, with rumors swirling about the successor to the Xbox Series X|S.

Hintze explained the studio’s shift in priorities: “We had a disproportionate focus on trying to create the conditions to be successful in servicing Halo Infinite. [But switching to Unreal] allows us to put all the focus on making multiple new experiences at the highest quality possible.”

So, what does all this mean for Halo fans? In short, we’re looking at a future where the series may evolve dramatically, with a new engine and new creative energy behind it. While it’s clear that the team at Halo Studios is hard at work on several new projects, they’ve emphasized that these games will be ready “when they’re ready,” ensuring that the next phase of Halo gets the attention and development time it deserves.

For fans, the wait might be agonizing, but with Halo Studios promising to deliver a whole new level of quality, it could be well worth it. Keep an eye out for more news and updates, as the beloved franchise forges ahead in its bold new direction.