Microsoft is reportedly considering having Activision, the studio behind Call Of Duty, assist with future Halo games, following a prototype pitch that was ultimately abandoned. According to Halo insider Rebs Gaming, Activision put together a prototype for a new multiplayer Halo game in June, but it was dropped in early July. Despite this, Microsoft is still exploring the possibility of Activision contributing to the series, though no commitment has been made.
Rumours of Activision's Involvement in Halo
The speculation began last month when Windows Central's Jez Corden claimed to have heard that Microsoft was considering putting Halo 'under Activision,' though Corden admitted he thought the rumour was 'crazy' and 'didn't believe it was true.' More recently, Rebs Gaming shared a video detailing his belief that future Halo development will rely more on outsourcing, citing how Halo: Campaign Evolved's credits list numerous outside studios that worked on the game alongside lead developer Halo Studios.
Rebs Gaming also mentioned that he has heard from a reliable source—one who provided accurate information about Campaign Evolved before its launch—that Microsoft is indeed exploring having Activision at least assist Halo Studios on future projects. Sledgehammer Games, the developer behind Call Of Duty: Vanguard, has also been named as a potential candidate for developing a new multiplayer Halo game. Fan speculation about Sledgehammer working on a Halo-related project surfaced in 2024, but no such project has materialised.
Historical Precedents for Outsourced Halo Development
While the Halo series has primarily been developed by Bungie or 343 Industries (rebranded as Halo Studios in 2024), other studios have taken the lead on Halo projects before. For instance, the PC version of the original Halo: Combat Evolved was handled by Gearbox Software, known for Borderlands, while Sega subsidiary Creative Assembly was enlisted for Halo Wars 2 due to its expertise in real-time strategy games.
This history suggests that outsourcing is not unprecedented for the franchise, which could make Activision's involvement more plausible. However, the future of Halo remains unclear, as Rebs Gaming previously claimed that no new Halo games are currently in development.
Sales Concerns and Xbox's Struggles
The potential shift in development strategy comes amid concerns about Halo's performance on PlayStation. Estimated sales figures for Halo: Campaign Evolved suggest that Microsoft's goal of expanding the audience to PlayStation has not been particularly successful. The underwhelming PlayStation 5 performance could incentivise Microsoft to keep future Halo games exclusive to Xbox, aligning with its recent return to console exclusives.
However, sales of the Xbox Series X remain poor, and excitement for the next console, Project Helix, is low. Project Helix is expected to be expensive, and Xbox's reputation has suffered after another round of layoffs in June, with more employees set to lose their jobs before next July. These factors could influence Microsoft's decision on whether to involve Activision in Halo's future.
