A recent report from Rebs Gaming suggests that Activision, now overseeing the Halo franchise, is considering a significant reboot centered on Master Chief's origin story. This potential new direction could explore John-117's abduction by the United Nations Space Command and his formative years as a child soldier, should the project receive a greenlight.
This origin story concept is one of several avenues Activision is reportedly exploring. Another possibility is a soft reboot that would move away from the narrative threads established in recent Halo games by 343 Industries. An anonymous former Halo developer quoted in the report expressed a hope that Activision would learn from past mistakes, emphasizing the need to "show, don't tell," avoid requiring engagement with expanded lore for comprehension, and to listen to both fans and developers.
Before the official announcement of Activision's involvement, the report claims Sledgehammer Games prototyped two Halo game concepts in Infinity Ward's engine. One was a free-to-play multiplayer title, and the other a single-player experience. For comparison, Halo Infinite was developed using Halo Studios's Slipspace Engine, while Halo: Campaign Evolved utilized Unreal Engine 5.
A New Direction for Halo
The Halo series has seen considerable shifts since Bungie's departure from Microsoft in 2007. While titles like Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians achieved strong sales, 343 Industries faced challenges. Active development on Halo Infinite concluded last year following issues with player retention and player feedback regarding its live service elements. More recently, Halo: Campaign Evolved sold just over 1 million copies, according to Alinea Analytics.
Prior to the transfer of Halo development to Activision, 343 Industries was reportedly working on a canceled multiplayer Halo game. Rebs also reported that while the next mainline Halo title is still years away, 343 Industries had been planning for Halo 7, remakes of Halo 2 and 3, and various spin-off campaigns.