As a seasoned gamer with memories of playing Halo: Combat Evolved on my original Xbox, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and skepticism whenever I hear about the future of this iconic franchise. The latest announcement that Halo Studios will be developing future games using Unreal Engine 5 has me scratching my head, not unlike Master Chief trying to figure out the maze in Halo 2’s Library level.
Have you come across this scenario before? Following the underperformance of the latest Halo game release, Microsoft decides it’s necessary to make significant changes to its iconic series. To start with, they plan to switch the game engine for future Halo games. This engine change is part of an effort by the development team to draw inspiration from the original foundation of the Halo series, as seen in Halo: Combat Evolved. This news excites fans who believe that Halo’s most successful days might still be on the horizon, despite recent setbacks.
343 Industries and Xbox initially followed this specific strategy when unveiling Halo Infinite, which was filled with excitement about the new Slipspace Engine. This engine was presented as a massive and crucial investment that Xbox had ever made in Halo. However, contrary to expectations, the Slipspace Engine caused issues for 343 Industries and became one of the key factors contributing to Halo Infinite’s problematic development process.
343 Industries (now known as Halo Studios) appears to be repeating the same narrative, instead of learning from past mistakes. In their recent video outlining Halo’s future, they have confirmed earlier reports that upcoming Halo games will be developed using Unreal Engine 5. While this may be a beneficial choice for the series, the approach taken to discuss UE5 in relation to Halo seems strikingly similar to how Slipspace was once presented to fans during the unveiling of Infinite in 2018.
Despite Unreal Engine 5’s stunning visuals, it’s quite intriguing to observe Xbox and Halo Studios returning to such an intense hype cycle and promotional phase for their upcoming Halo project. Although the communication appears geared towards potential developers interested in working on Halo, fans have experienced this process before and often find themselves feeling let down. Thus, one cannot help but wonder…
Why Should Fans Trust Halo Studios?
It’s clear that my enthusiasm for Halo Infinite has waned significantly. I was an ardent fan, eagerly advocating for the game during its development phase. Despite a rocky debut and a subsequent year-long delay, I chose to maintain hope for the final version. When it eventually launched, I gave it a glowing review, declaring that “Halo is back.” Little did I know that 343 Industries would quickly lose steam with Infinite, leading to further delays and cancellations of promised features. To add insult to injury, the multiplayer aspect was underdeveloped, crippling the game before it could even find its footing.
Considering the past experiences with Halo, I can no longer be swayed by hollow promises when it comes to Halo. 343 Industries/Halo Studios should demonstrate meaningful improvements in the upcoming months and years to prove that Halo is evolving positively. What insights have been gained from Halo Infinite? And what can we anticipate beyond a new game engine and enhanced visuals? Merely mentioning that earlier installments of the series are serving as inspiration again won’t suffice. This sentiment has been expressed before, often met with skepticism rather than genuine enthusiasm among fans.
To regain its former glory as a pioneer in the first-person shooter genre, Halo Studios needs to fundamentally transform its approach to creating Halo games. A mere rebranding won’t address the underlying problems that have affected previous titles.
For Halo to Thrive, Its Development Has to Change
343 Industries and Microsoft have faced criticism for their extensive use of contract workers during game development, particularly with Halo Infinite. While using contractors isn’t necessarily a problem, it has been reported that relying heavily on these employees negatively impacted the creation of Halo Infinite. This is because new contractors had to first familiarize themselves with the proprietary Slipspace Engine before they could contribute significantly to the project. By the time their contracts ended, they might not have worked as extensively on Halo Infinite as expected, leading to high turnover and inefficiency. This constant influx of new contractors required those in charge at 343 Industries to continuously teach the Slipspace Engine, which strained their resources and productivity.
From my perspective, transitioning to Unreal Engine 5 is nothing short of exhilarating! Being one of the leading engines in game development, it offers a comfortable learning curve for newcomers at Halo Studios. This means we can dive right into our projects without needing too much time to get acquainted with the tools, allowing us to start making progress swiftly.
While Unreal Engine 5 is an exciting advancement, it’s crucial that we significantly reduce the reliance on contractors in the future. A constantly changing workforce doesn’t encourage creativity or innovation whatsoever. I’m confident that those working at Halo Studios, both current and past employees, share this sentiment. Therefore, it’s important for decision-makers within Microsoft to address this issue and learn from the mistakes made with Halo Infinite to prevent recurrence.
At the end of the day, I want to have renewed hope for Halo. It’s one of my favorite video game franchises and is something that I think could thrive in the current market. Instead, mistake after mistake has led to Halo continually failing to meet expectations for over a decade. As a result, I’m not buying into what Halo Studios is selling just yet, especially when what’s being promised is so similar to the initial pitch for Halo Infinite. If what’s next for Halo is truly going to be for the better, then Halo Studios and Microsoft have to prove it with the final product for once. Instead, if what we’re given is another disappointment, then I truly begin to struggle to see how Halo can continue along in the years and decades to come.
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2024-10-07 21:39