Halo’s Future Development Utilizes Unreal Engine 5

Microsoft has decided to shift the development of the Halo franchise to Unreal Engine 5, concluding over a year of speculation about an engine change. This decision follows a leadership overhaul at 343 Industries, layoffs, and other significant changes. In line with this announcement, 343 Industries is rebranding itself as Halo Studios, signifying a new chapter in the history of Halo.

The transition to Unreal Engine 5 represents the initial phase of a comprehensive transformation for Halo Studios, which includes changes in technology, structure, processes, and even studio culture. According to Pierre Hintze, the studio head at Halo Studios, the aim is not only to enhance development efficiency but also to fundamentally change how Halo games are created.

The team responsible for Halo will transition from the proprietary Slipspace Engine, which was developed for Halo Infinite but has become cumbersome and challenging to manage. The Slipspace Engine required extensive resources to maintain, with some components nearly 25 years old.

Chris Matthews, the art director at Halo Studios, highlighted the opportunities presented by this transition, noting that Unreal Engine’s Nanite and Lumen rendering and lighting technologies offer unique opportunities to expand the world of Halo, providing players with more interactive and immersive experiences.

Currently, Halo Studios has not announced any specific release dates or new Halo games but has begun developing demonstrations of Halo using Unreal, under the initiative called Project Foundry. This project serves as a research, development, and training tool, laying the foundation for the studio’s new approach to Halo game development.

Project Foundry has been developed as if it were an actual game release, allowing elements of it to be featured in future Halo games. Pierre Hintze mentioned that most elements showcased in Foundry are expected to appear in forthcoming projects.

Project Foundry includes enhanced landscapes and foliage levels not previously seen in Halo games. There have also been updates to Master Chief’s armor, following the exclusive revelation that Microsoft was considering a Halo: Combat Evolved remaster.

Halo Studios is currently developing multiple Halo games, while the Slipstream Engine will continue to be used for Halo Infinite. Pierre Hintze noted that the switch to Unreal will enable the studio to concentrate on creating multiple high-quality new experiences.

Source link