Halo Studios Switches to Unreal Engine 5 to Make “The Best Possible” Halo Titles

Microsoft has confirmed the development of multiple new Halo games, coinciding with the rebranding of 343 Industries to "Halo Studios."

Halo Studios: A New Chapter for the Halo Franchise

Focusing on Player-Driven Development

Studio Head Pierre Hintze stated, "We're not just improving development efficiency; we're changing the recipe for making Halo games. We're starting a new chapter." This new chapter includes a transition to Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), a powerful engine known for its high-quality visuals and realistic physics. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted, "Epic is honored that Halo Studios chose our tools for their future work!"

Hintze explained the previous focus on supporting Halo Infinite, stating the switch to UE5 allows for higher-quality games. The team's singular focus is now on creating "the best possible Halo games."

COO Elizabeth Van Wyck emphasized player feedback as a key driver: "If we build the games our players want, that's how we'll succeed. This new structure empowers the game developers to make crucial decisions." The studio is actively seeking broader player feedback to guide the franchise's future.

Studio Art Director Chris Matthew highlighted the limitations of the previous engine, Slipspace: "Some components are almost 25 years old. Unreal Engine offers features unavailable in Slipspace, features that would have required immense time and resources to replicate."

The move to UE5 also facilitates faster updates and content delivery. Van Wyck noted, "It's not just about development time, but also about updating the game and adding new content based on player feedback." Halo Studios has begun recruitment for these new projects.