Activision is said to have made a prototype for a Halo game that was quickly abandoned, but Microsoft is still considering having the Call of Duty company work on a new multiplayer entry, according to rumours.
Activision's potential role in Halo
Since Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the Call of Duty company has focused on its own franchises rather than other Xbox properties. However, that could change, with rumours suggesting Activision may contribute to the Halo series following the launch of Halo: Campaign Evolved, the multiplatform remake of the first Halo game. It is claimed that Activision even made a prototype for a new multiplayer Halo game, though Microsoft decided to pass on it.
The rumours began last month when Windows Central's Jez Corden claimed to have heard that Microsoft was considering putting Halo 'under Activision', though he admitted he thought the rumour was 'crazy' and 'didn't believe it was true.' More recently, Halo insider Rebs Gaming shared a video about how he believes future Halo game development will rely more on outsourcing, citing how Halo: Campaign Evolved's credits list many outside studios that worked on the game alongside lead developer Halo Studios.
Insider claims and prototype details
Rebs Gaming says he heard from a reliable source – one who shared accurate info on Campaign Evolved ahead of its launch – that Microsoft is indeed exploring the possibility of having Activision at least assist Halo Studios on future games. Call Of Duty: Vanguard developer Sledgehammer Games is also named as a choice for developing a new multiplayer game. There was fan speculation in 2024 about Sledgehammer working on something Halo related, but whatever that secret project was has yet to materialise.
Rebs Gaming adds that Activision put together a prototype pitch for a Halo game in June, but it was abandoned in early July. Despite this, he insists that Microsoft is still thinking about having Activision work on Halo; it just hasn't committed to the idea yet.
Historical precedent and uncertain future
The idea may be hard to fathom since Halo has primarily been handled by Bungie or 343 Industries (rebranded to Halo Studios in 2024), but other studios have led Halo projects before. For example, the original Halo: Combat Evolved's PC version was handled by Gearbox Software, while Sega subsidiary Creative Assembly was enlisted for Halo Wars 2 because of its experience with real-time strategy games.
The future of Halo is unclear. Rebs Gaming previously claimed that no new Halo games are currently in development, and if estimated sales figures for Campaign Evolved are any indication, Microsoft's goal of expanding Halo's audience to PlayStation hasn't been particularly successful. The underwhelming PlayStation 5 performance could incentivise Microsoft to keep future Halo games locked to Xbox, which would align with its return to releasing console exclusives. However, sales of the Xbox Series X remain poor, and there's little excitement for the next console, Project Helix, which is expected to be expensive. Xbox's reputation has also suffered after another round of layoffs in June, with more employees set to lose their jobs before next July.
