Halo Studios will move under Activision as part of a new Xbox restructuring, with Activision taking responsibility for the franchise and its next title. A purpose-built team separate from Call of Duty’s ongoing development will lead the project, while a smaller Halo Studios group continues supporting Halo games already in market.
Activision president Rob Kostich said in a statement provided to Game File, “For Halo, our goal is clear: make the greatest Halo game ever, worthy of its universe and legacy, while staying true to what made players love it in the first place. It is a bold ambition, one that this franchise deserves. We have already begun assembling a purpose-built team, unique in capability and talent, ready and excited to deliver this next chapter with the community.”
Activision has only begun assembling the group that will make the next Halo title, leaving the project at an early stage. The Hollywood Reporter, citing an unnamed source, described the project as a full-feature, mainline installment in the franchise. Xbox has not announced a release window or shared gameplay, story, or platform details.
Nothing in the available details confirms that Halo: Campaign Evolved has been canceled. The remake launched on July 28 and became the franchise’s first release on PlayStation 5. Its unlockable ending had also prompted speculation that another classic Halo game could receive similar treatment.
A separate remake has not been ruled out, but the reported mainline project could take priority or be developed alongside it. Activision has not confirmed that its next Halo game will follow Campaign Evolved onto Sony’s console, and no platform plans have been announced.
How the New Halo Team Will Be Organized
The new group will be built specifically around the next Halo project rather than being tied to Activision’s Call of Duty work. Separating the teams gives the upcoming game its own development structure, while the remaining Halo Studios staff continue supporting the franchise’s existing games and community.
Halo Studios was formed in October 2024 when 343 Industries adopted its new name. Bungie handled the original series through Halo 3, while 343 Industries developed entries from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary through Halo Infinite before the rebrand. The latest change now places the studio and franchise within a different part of Xbox’s first-party organization, following a difficult period for Halo Infinite and the wider series.
Halo Studios Will Continue Supporting Current Games
The remaining Halo Studios team will continue supporting the games already in the market and their communities. Activision, meanwhile, will handle development of the next title with a separate team built specifically for the project.
Hundreds of Xbox Developers Face Job Losses
The company-wide announcement also includes plans for hundreds of developers at Halo Studios and other first-party studios to lose their jobs. Microsoft previously announced plans to eliminate 3,200 positions during the current fiscal year, with 1,600 of those cuts taking effect immediately, and several Xbox studios have since been reorganized.
The announcement puts earlier reports of job losses at Halo Studios in the context of a wider restructuring, but it does not provide a Halo-specific count for the affected roles. For now, the clearest change for the franchise is its new reporting structure and the creation of a separate team for the next game.
Will Activision’s new structure give Halo the reset it needs, or does the move create more uncertainty around the franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
