Halo Moving to Unreal Engine Lends Credence to a Massive Franchise Rumor

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Halo Moving to Unreal Engine Lends Credence to a Massive Franchise Rumor

As someone who grew up with a controller in hand and “Halo” as my guiding star through countless late-night gaming sessions, it pains me to see this once unbeatable franchise stumble. The shift from Bungie to 343 Industries was rough, but now, the move to Unreal Engine 5 has left me with more questions than answers.

The Halo series has faced challenges since Bungie moved on to other ventures, with Microsoft’s in-house studio, 343 Industries (now known as Halo Studios), finding it difficult to uphold the high standards set by its predecessor. This struggle has led some to question whether Halo still holds the prestigious position in the industry that it once did.

Microsoft’s current situation with Halo isn’t ideal, considering that it was once a crown jewel for the company, symbolizing power, reputation, and innovation in the gaming industry. Given the challenges Microsoft has faced in delivering strong first-party games compared to Nintendo and Sony during the last two console generations, there have been doubts about whether they might transition exclusively to software production in the near future. The recent news that games like Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment – two highly acclaimed Xbox exclusives – will be available on PlayStation and Switch platforms has only intensified these speculations. Moreover, the shift of Halo to Unreal Engine 5 from its proprietary Slipspace and Blam engines could further stoke these rumors about a potential change in strategy.

Halo’s Adoption of Unreal Engine Could Suggest an Eventual Multiplatform Release

Unreal Engine 5 Could Make Future Halo Games Compatible With PlayStation, Nintendo Hardware

In the fresh phase that Halo is embarking upon, it’s possible we might see some unforeseen alterations, and one of these could be a departure from Xbox exclusivity. The transition to Unreal Engine 5 might at first glance appear insignificant – after all, developers like CD Projekt Red have moved from their custom engines to UE5 without causing much fuss. However, this transition carries a startling implication: potential future Halo games could be playable on rival consoles.

Using their own engines such as Slipspace and Blam, the development of Halo games could be focused internally without worrying about compatibility with PlayStation or Nintendo systems. Similarly, Santa Monica Studios doesn’t need to think about Xbox when creating God of War games on its exclusive engine. However, Unreal Engine 5 offers a platform-neutral environment, making it simple for Microsoft to transfer Halo games to various consoles should they decide to do so, given its compatibility with all systems.

Making the switch to Unreal Engine by Halo Studios doesn’t automatically mean they’re planning for multiple platforms, as there could be many other factors influencing their choice. However, eliminating the hurdle of a proprietary game engine is an intriguing aspect worth noting.

Halo Going Multiplatform Would Confirm One of Gaming’s Most Enduring Rumors

As a devoted Halo fan, I’ve often pondered the possibility of this iconic franchise gracing PlayStation or even Nintendo consoles. However, such speculations have typically been dismissed as far-fetched or implausible. Given the historical landscape of console wars, these dismissals seemed warranted. But the tide is shifting now: Xbox is showing signs of easing its exclusivity grip, allowing games from studios like Obsidian Entertainment to find a home on rival platforms – something that would have sounded preposterous in 2021, after Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of Bethesda.

There’s a significant distinction between creating a game like Hi-Fi Rush, even though it’s received great reviews, and porting Halo to non-Xbox consoles. Halo boosts Xbox hardware sales because it was almost single-handedly responsible for establishing Xbox in the early 2000s, breaking Sony and Nintendo’s dominance in the console market. So when people think of “Xbox exclusive,” they usually picture Halo. Therefore, the idea of the franchise leaving Xbox and PC seems highly improbable unless Xbox is planning to completely abandon its hardware aspirations. However, the switch to UE5 keeps a small door open for Halo to transition.

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2024-10-11 14:04