Xbox has officially confirmed a change that reshapes one of gaming’s biggest shooter franchises: the next Halo game will be developed by Activision, not by Halo Studios. That ends a 16-year stretch in which the studio served as the lead developer on Halo.
What Xbox actually said
In a statement published on Xbox Wire, Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty confirmed that Activision will lead development of the next Halo game. According to Booty, the project will be handled by “a new, purpose-built team that is separate from ongoing development and plans for Call of Duty.” In other words, this isn’t the Call of Duty teams squeezing Halo in on the side – Activision is spinning up a dedicated group for it.
The statement also confirms earlier reports that Xbox planned to consolidate several of its studios. For Halo Studios, it means officially stepping back from the franchise it was founded to lead. You can read the full statement in the Xbox Wire post.
Another round of layoffs
The announcement came bundled with bad news. Booty confirmed that Halo Studios is affected by another round of layoffs at Xbox, part of the ongoing restructuring under CEO Asha Sharma. In total, 268 roles are being eliminated across “Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the XGS management and central functions layer.” Xbox did not break down how many of those positions sit specifically at Halo Studios versus elsewhere.
Halo Studios is not shutting down. Booty said the developer will “continue supporting the Halo community and games in-market” while Activision concentrates on building a brand-new entry in the series. If you want to keep track of how the situation develops, we collect everything in our Halo news section.
From 343 Industries to Halo Studios
The studio was originally founded as 343 Industries in 2007 to take over the franchise after Bungie’s departure. It started with support work – map packs for Halo: Reach and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary – before shipping its first full game, Halo 4, in 2012. Halo 5: Guardians followed in 2015, and Halo Infinite arrived in 2021.
- 2007 – 343 Industries founded
- 2012 – Halo 4
- 2015 – Halo 5: Guardians
- 2021 – Halo Infinite
- October 2024 – rebrand to Halo Studios
- 2026 – Halo: Campaign Evolved, then the handover to Activision
The 2024 rebrand was pitched as the start of a new era for the series. Judging by this announcement, that era turned out to be a short one.
What it means for you as a player
The most recent release, Halo: Campaign Evolved, landed with solid reviews – it’s available on Xbox, PlayStation and Steam. Importantly, it teased a Halo 2 remake, and before launch there were rumors that the plan was to remake the entire original trilogy.
With the franchise now under Activision’s remit, it’s unclear how much of that roadmap survives. Xbox hasn’t said whether the teased remake continues, gets reassigned, or quietly disappears, so for now the only honest answer is that fans have to wait. What is confirmed: existing Halo games keep their support, and the next full Halo will be a new project from a new team.
If you’re more into collecting than campaigns, we also covered the pricey Master Chief statue from Prime 1 Studio in a separate article.
FAQ
Activision. Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty confirmed that development will be led by a new, purpose-built team that is separate from ongoing Call of Duty development and plans.
No. Booty said Halo Studios will continue supporting the Halo community and the games already on the market, while Activision works on a brand-new entry in the series.
Xbox says 268 roles are being eliminated across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the XGS management and central functions layer. The exact split between Halo Studios and other areas wasn’t disclosed.
That’s unconfirmed. Halo: Campaign Evolved teased a Halo 2 remake, and rumors before its launch pointed to a remake of the whole original trilogy, but with the franchise moving under Activision, Xbox hasn’t said whether those plans stay intact.
Sixteen years. The studio was founded as 343 Industries in 2007, rebranded to Halo Studios in October 2024, and is now stepping back from the lead developer role.