Microsoft Halo Infinite - Information Thread, update (01/15/24): Certain Affinity's battle royale project reportedly cancelled, UE5-based campaign project in development since 2022

[TwinIon]

As someone who loved the Infinite campaign, I've been continuously disappointed in how the game has been handled. I'm sympathetic to the seemingly endless initial delays, but I really hoped that once the game was out they'd be able to iterate quickly and put out more content at a steady pace. Instead it took nearly a year to even release co-op for the existing campaign, with no other single player content in sight.

 

I really think Infinite has as great gameplay foundation and I'd happy spend more time playing if the content was there.

[legend]

I was not really a fan of Halo 4 and wasn't interested in 5, but I really like Infinite and it feels deserving of the Halo name, which is not a statement I make lightly because Halo holds a special place in my heart and memories.

 

So it's only fitting that MS screws them up and then fires a sizeable chunk of them when they finally are onto something good (despite leadership apparently).

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Rumors from a source that has apparently been very reliable in the past:

 

 

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• 343 seems to have lost around 1/3 of its workforce (internal + contractors)
• 2023 plans seem unchanged by this major reshape: focus was and still is on MP for this year (Forge MM, new Seasons/BP, New maps and probably Tatanka)
• Before Bonnie Ross quit, Joseph Staten with a small team was preparing to ship multiple contained Campaign DLC to expand its narrative over the months or even years. This plan was stopped when Pierre Hintze and the new key roles came in after Ross as they've seen too much complexity in creating new contents for Campaign + was not enough profitable for them to sustain, so they decided to completely halt them in favor on focusing on MP only for the time being (this may have led to Staten deciding to leave too)
• Halo Infinite largely missed its financial and overall goals and led to Microsoft decision to halt 343 "active development" transforming (or regress?) them into "franchise coordinators"
• This means that other than supporting Halo Infinite MP (which is already largely externalized to Certain Affinity, Spearsoft and others), their role will be limited to make sure different external studios will create further Halo projects (direct sequels to Infinite story or spin-offs of different genre) respecting all the established lore and fundamentals for the IP
• Slipspace Engine is still in place along with its internal engineers, but it will be opened up to learn and use also to all external studios working with the IP (if they want)
• In this sense, 343 together with Microsoft Game Publishing started contacting (and contracting) with external studios to create "future Halo experiences" together since 2020, also with the aim to reduce/optimize costs/budget

 

[JPDunks4]

Id guess part of the shift to completely focus on Multiplayer and Live Service is that is still at a standstill.  Even their in game shop hasn't had new content in months really, other than the few events they run.

 

If Tatanka is releasing this year sometime, last time I saw it was rumored for potentially the summer, then they'd need that part of the game in a much better spot.  A good BR or newer more unique game mode would get people to come back to at least try the game, and if the multiplayer and progression systems are still in the shape they are in when thats almost ready, then it won't help keep long term players regardless of how good the mode is.

 

Layoffs always suck, but I'd have to guess in the next year we are going to be seeing a lot of this across many industries.  It's only January.

[silentbob]

I would love to see them go back to the Halo:ODST FireFight mode. They changed it up in 4/5, but ODST was harder and required more strategic cooperation from teammates. Give me a giant thing like that and I would be be happy. Although it seems like the public is better at putting out new game modes/maps then the actual team itself with Forge. I still need to finish the campaign, but my friends didn’t buy the game. It is easily the best campaign or at least the most fun I’ve had playing, since Halo 3/Reach. Grapple hook is also the best fucking thing they’ve given the series in some time. It better not disappear in whatever next instalment we get in the series 

[Stickey]

Leadership must be some really nice people, because they should have been fired after MCC. 

[EternallDarkness]

dang. I enjoyed the heck out of the game. Played the campaign a couple of times, sucks we aren't getting any more single player stuff  

[crispy4000]

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In this sense, 343 together with Microsoft Game Publishing started contacting (and contracting) with external studios to create "future Halo experiences" together since 2020, also with the aim to reduce/optimize costs/budget

 

If I were them, I'd give id a crack at it.  They've helped with projects outside of their own IP before, and are already under Microsoft's wing.

[silentbob]

 

[SoberChef]

That content actually looks pretty solid. Love that bedroom map, reminds me of the bedroom from Twisted Metal 3 w/ Rob Zombie playing in the background!!

[silentbob]

Finally played some multiplayer last night and really enjoyed my game time. The new DMR weapon has some kick but deadly with the headshots. The new cover dome ability is odd but handy in land grabs. Not really visible into area(obviously) but really not visible looking out either, unless they’re real close to the dome. Went on a mad killing spree with the hammer though and surprisingly the Skewer. Plus melee combat seemed to be much improved, as my melee attacks actually connected/killed people (for a change) Don’t think I played any of the 343 studio new maps, but some double sided 2 tier hallway/open centre area for a Fiesta match. Maybe I’ll be back to play this more often

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Joseph Staten Is Leaving Xbox, Microsoft Has Confirmed - IGN

WWW.IGN.COM

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Joseph Staten, head of creative on Halo Infinite and cinematic director on the first three Halo games, is leaving Microsoft, the company has confirmed to IGN.

 

 

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Joseph Staten, head of creative on Halo Infinite and cinematic director on the first three Halo games, is leaving Microsoft, the company has confirmed to IGN. In its message, Microsoft did not say where Staten was headed next, nor the reason he was leaving Microsoft after nine years.

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

I'm somewhat amused that this was announced a few hours after the announcement for that "other" trailer 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

THE COLOR SCHEME AND FONTS ARE NEARLY IDENTICAL - THERE IS NO WAY THIS ISN'T DELIBERATE 

 

[best3444]

So lame...

[stepee]

Single player content or gtfo

[silentbob]

Weren’t there rumours of them trying to do their own Warzone like gameplay event, wonder if that will be it or the announcement of FireFight. Husky Raids have been either a fucking blast or a pain in the ass playing, and I love it. Best new mode they created and releases recently 6 Halo 3 maps made in Forge, and pretty were great too. Me and my buddies started to play better when we jumped to those maps

[Biggie]

3 hours ago, silentbob said:

Weren’t there rumours of them trying to do their own Warzone like gameplay event, wonder if that will be it or the announcement of FireFight. Husky Raids have been either a fucking blast or a pain in the ass playing, and I love it. Best new mode they created and releases recently 6 Halo 3 maps made in Forge, and pretty were great too. Me and my buddies started to play better when we jumped to those maps

I love playing Halo Infinite 

[Biggie]

3 hours ago, stepee said:

Single player content or gtfo

Bruh multiplayer is sooooooo fun

[stepee]

7 minutes ago, Biggie said:

Bruh multiplayer is sooooooo fun

 

Im just not a multiplayer guy but for multiplayer it was a lot of fun - my favorite recent multiplayer is probably Exoprimal though lol

[Biggie]

10 minutes ago, stepee said:

 

Im just not a multiplayer guy but for multiplayer it was a lot of fun - my favorite recent multiplayer is probably Exoprimal though lol

I’m the exact opposite. I’ve never played a CoD campaign, Gears of War story, any of the Halo’s, all just the multiplayer online. 
 

[Keyser_Soze]

5 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

THE COLOR SCHEME AND FONTS ARE NEARLY IDENTICAL - THERE IS NO WAY THIS ISN'T DELIBERATE 

 

It's called a meme, welcome to the internet.

[silentbob]

 

it’s a massive 92-94GB update, but Firefight should be lots of fun. Too bad it happen on my night off  I would of done Spider-Man 2 but I needed simple fun, no story moments which I would of lost/not enjoyed because I’m too tired

[Keyser_Soze]

RIP BR mode?

 

Halo battle royale reportedly cancelled after years of work

WWW.EUROGAMER.NET

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The mysterious, long-rumoured Halo battle royale project from series co-developer Certain Affinity is no longer in deve…

 

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The mysterious, long-rumoured Halo battle royale project from series co-developer Certain Affinity is no longer in development, a new report has claimed.

 

Speaking on the XboxEra podcast, reliable insider Shpeshal_Nick said the game, codenamed Project Tatanka, had seemingly been cancelled.

 

While officially unannounced by Microsoft itself, Certain Affinity had discussed the project publicly in broad terms several times, and said in late 2022 that it had been in the works for more than two years, with nearly 100 people then working on it.

 

 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Also, a UE5-based Halo project has been in development since 2022:

 

343 Industries Has Reportedly Been Working On A New Halo Since 2022

WWW.THEGAMER.COM

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343 Industries has reportedly been developing a new Halo game in UE5 since 2022.

 

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According to art director Justin Dinges' LinkedIn page, 343 Industries began work on a new Halo game in 2022, only a few months after Infinite shipped. We don't know anything about it yet, but senior character system designer Ian Slutz's page may give us some insight, as he is "Building player systems and assets in Unreal Engine 5", pointing to a new direction for the series.

 

As reported by Wccftech, this backs up reports from October of last year that 343 Industries is developing a new Halo campaign in UE5. According to Seasoned Gaming's editor-in-chief Ainsley Bowden, "It is part of that restructuring that is building the next generation of Halo".

 

 

[best3444]

Nice. UE5 and Halo =