Halo is a fan-favorite video game franchise. The gaming fandom has always expressed its gratitude to Microsoft and 343 Industries for bringing such an amazing game to life. But coming into 2023, it is like people have forgotten about game franchise and are much more focused on Xbox’s latest exclusive, Starfield. Bethesda Game Studios has worked hard for Starfield, and rightfully, it received great reviews.
The four most popular games that Xbox has been known for are Halo, Forza, Gears, and Fable. Now, these four are in the history books. The 2023 Xbox Games Showcase only featured Forza out of the four. The fans are worried and have been asking whether Microsoft has abandoned Halo after Starfield or not. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer cleared everyone’s doubt by answering the problem.
Has Starfield‘s Massive Popularity Led Microsoft To Abandoned Halo?
Halo is a $6 Billion franchise and the most profitable Microsoft and Xbox exclusive game. But the last game of the franchise was released on 8 December 2021. Since then, there has been no mention of a new game. The only announcement surrounding the gaming franchise at the 2023 Xbox Game Showcase was that Season 4 was coming to Halo Infinite.
The fans were worried since the greatest Xbox game missed the show. But later, during an interview with The Guardian, Phil Spencer said that Halo developer 343 Industries is working on a new plan. He does not want to force them to do something in a hurry. He wants to minimize the pressure and let them work until they are ready to deliver.
Xbox CEO Phil Spencer said,” I wouldn’t say Halo is of lesser importance, but we have over 20 studios now,” Spencer said. “I’ll go back to the years where I had basically four games — Fable, Forza, Halo, Gears, the four horseman of the apocalypse. We have a lot more games now. We’ve been pretty public about the leadership change at 343.”
Spencer added,” You can kind of see that in some of the social things [the studio has] been doing around seasons, but I don’t wanna force them to talk about their longer-term vision until they’re ready. I think you’ll see some pretty cool things coming.”
More News On The $6 Billion Gaming Franchise
Halo will come in the future, but there is no specific time when it will come. The 343 Industries are going through a transition phase. Matt Booty, Xbox Games Studios Head, said that the members of 343 who gave so many memorable Halo video games will not be the team that takes the franchise forward.
Booty said,” The team that got us here is probably not the same team that’s going to take us forward.” When asked about the future of the franchise, Matt Booty recited Spencer’s words and said that 343 is still working on the series. The transition period started with 10,000 people getting fired from Microsoft. The Director of the franchise, Frank O’Connor, and the Creative Head, Joseph Staten, also left the company.
The only good news surrounding the game is that Pierre Hintze is the Head of 343. Hintze was the mastermind behind the improvement of the disastrous Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Another good news is that Halo Infinite season 4 will bring back the infection game mode and several new features, including two new maps.
Source: Windows Central
