The future of the Halo series is clearer than it has been in a long time, and while this is good news in some ways, it's also bittersweet. A recent press release on Halo Waypoint not only revealed that Halo will be switching to Unreal Engine, but that developer 343 Industries will be henceforth known as Halo Studios—a seemingly firm indicator of the company's commitment to the franchise.
343 Industries has helmed Halo since Bungie jumped ship following the release of Halo Reach—a game that many fans still consider to be among the best entries in the series. Bungie can be credited with kicking Halo off, inventing its revolutionary shooting mechanics, and penning its compelling sci-fi narrative, but the Destiny developer has been essentially removed from the franchise for over a decade now. While it would be great to say that 343 managed to maintain or even improve the legacy cemented by Bungie, that simply isn't the case; 343 Industries has proven itself to be brimming with talented developers and artists, but for whatever reason, it has struggled to carry the Halo story forward in a meaningful way, leading many longtime fans to feel that Halo's glory days are behind it.
While the multiplayer of modern Halo games has definitely suffered a good bit of criticism, most detractors point to the single-player campaigns of post-Reach games when discussing 343's greatest shortcomings.
Everything We Know About Halo Studios’ Foundry So Far
Halo Studios will begin developing future, upcoming Halo games in Unreal Engine 5 through the experimental initiative of Project Foundry
With the New Rebrand, 343 Industries Probably Won't Make a Non-Halo Game
343 Industries Is a Good Developer, but Maybe Not for Halo
One of the biggest reasons why 343's Halo stories haven't stuck the landing has little to do with the studio's pool of talent or creative vision. When Halo 3 was released, it was meant to be the final chapter in the Master Chief story, more or less closing the book on his and Cortana's saga. Bungie's two subsequent games, Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach, were a spin-off and prequel, respectively, which is a big reason why they still work from a narrative standpoint. But 343 was given the monumental task of reviving Master Chief's story—it was just too popular to fully abandon.
Though 343 has yet to get out of Bungie's shadow, it has showcased a number of strengths as a developer. For instance, Halo 4's story, while not perfect, made some interesting choices that were mostly well-received, and Halo Infinite's gunplay is arguably the best in the entire series—surpassing even the Bungie-developed games. Art design, character animation, and general production value have also been consistently strong in all of 343's Halo games, cementing the studio as having a strong eye for quality. These strengths indicate that, even though 343 Industries might not have been right for Halo, it could have done a great job if unshackled from its contentious legacy.
'Halo Studios' Is the Final Nail in the Coffin for Hopes of 343 Branching Out
Sadly, it doesn't look like audiences will get to see what 343's team can do beyond the Halo license, at least not any time soon. "343 Industries" may have been a reference to the character 343 Guilty Spark, but it's certainly not as obviously Halo-related as "Halo Studios," a name that tethers the developer to the Halo franchise, and the Halo franchise alone.
Maybe the newly-christened Halo Studios will go on to do great things with the Halo series. Upcoming features like Halo Infinite's third-person mode prove that the company isn't afraid of experimentation, even if it's a feature that few are actually asking for, and the aforementioned strengths of the 343-led Halo games should offer at least some hope for the future. But still, it's a shame to learn that 343 Industries will likely never lend its substantial talents to something other than Halo, despite the missed potential that this represents.
Halo Infinite
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 94%
- Released
- December 8, 2021
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- 343 Industries
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
- Slipspace
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience an epic open-world adventure and explore the massive scale of the Halo ring.
With Network Campaign Co-Op and Mission Replay, you can relive your favorite moments, rediscover collectibles and explore the wonders of Zeta Halo on your own or with up to three other fireteam members.
Experience Halo’s celebrated multiplayer reimagined and free-to-play! With over 70 maps in matchmaking, billions of customization configurations, and countless community Forge creations to experience, Halo Infinite is the franchise’s most expansive multiplayer offering to date.
Enjoy an unprecedented variety of gameplay experiences, ranging from fast-paced intense ranked modes to whimsical mayhem in Custom Games, or even co-operative coordination in the wave-based survival mode Firefight: King of the Hill. Assemble your Fireteam and conquer every mode – Halo offers endless opportunities for teamwork, strategy, and unforgettable victories.
- Cross Save
- yes
- Franchise
- Halo
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
- How Long To Beat
- 12 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 90 GB (November 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
