The iconic Halo franchise is on the cusp of a significant evolution. Newly rebranded Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, has announced its decision to leverage Epic Games’ cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5 technology for its upcoming projects.
A New Era for Halo
During the recent Halo World Championship, Halo Studios unveiled its revamped internal structure, culture, and workflow. Alongside its fresh identity, the studio confirmed multiple projects in development, all of which will utilize Unreal Engine 5.
Breaking Away from Slipspace
This shift marks a significant departure from Halo Infinite, which utilized Halo Studios’ custom-built Slipspace Engine. Halo Infinite’s development was plagued by delays and challenges, culminating in a winter 2021 release. The game received mixed reviews, with praise for its open-world solo campaign and criticism for online multiplayer issues, missing features, and contentious monetization strategies.
Revamping Development Approaches
According to Chief Operating Officer Elizabeth van Wyck, Halo Studios is revamping its traditional game development approach. “Our past methods aren’t ideally suited for our future vision,” van Wyck explained. The studio is shifting focus from maintaining proprietary technology to prioritizing game development itself.
Limitations of Slipspace
Studio Art Director Chris Matthews revealed that utilizing the aging Slipspace Engine hindered Halo Infinite’s development. “Some aspects of Slipspace date back nearly 25 years,” Matthews noted. In contrast, Unreal Engine 5 offers advanced features like Nanite and Lumen, rendering and lighting technologies that would have been impractical for 343 to replicate in-house.
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Industry-Wide Adoption
The widespread adoption of Unreal Engine across the gaming industry played a significant role in Halo Studios’ decision. Van Wyck emphasized that many new team members already possess expertise in Unreal Engine, eliminating the need for extensive training. This familiarity is expected to streamline development cycles for upcoming Halo projects.
What’s Next?
As Halo Studios embarks on this new chapter, the true benefits of this shift will become apparent in the quality and cadence of its future releases. With Unreal Engine 5 at its core, the Halo franchise is poised for a revitalized and exciting future.
