343 Industries, the developer behind Halo Infinite, just made a big announcement during the Halo World Championships on Sunday. They’re rebranding as Halo Studios and shaking things up in a major way. Alongside this rebrand, the studio revealed it’s moving away from its old Slipspace Engine—the one used for Halo Infinite—and is switching to Unreal Engine, a popular choice among game developers. To support this big transition, Halo Studios plans to grow its team and dive into “multiple projects” that will set the tone for the future of the Halo franchise.

In a blog post titled “A New Dawn,” the newly branded Halo Studios opened up about their future. They declared, “We are Halo Studios, and a new dawn is breaking as the future of Halo is being built with Unreal Engine 5.” They also showed off Project Foundry, which gives a first look at how Halo could look using Unreal. It’s a clear sign that they’re ready for a “fresh beginning” after Halo Infinite in 2021. What’s more, they hinted that they’re already working on a bunch of new projects as part of this “next generation of Halo” built on Unreal Engine.

Switching to Unreal Engine is a big deal, but it’s also understandable. It’s about making development smoother and giving the team more time to work on what matters—creating an amazing gameplay experience. Elizabeth van Wyck, COO of Halo Studios, spoke about this shift in an interview with Xbox Wire. She said, “The way we made Halo games before doesn’t necessarily work as well for the way we want to make games for the future. So part of the conversation we had was about how we help the team focus on making games, versus making the tools and the engines.” Basically, using Unreal means the studio can stop worrying about maintaining in-house tools and start focusing on what Halo fans care about: the game itself.

The decision fits into a larger trend we’re seeing in the industry. More and more studios are moving away from proprietary engines in favor of flexible, well-supported options like Unreal Engine. Take EA, for example—they recently dropped their Frostbite Engine in favor of Unreal for the next Mass Effect game. It’s all about agility and making life easier for developers.

With Halo Infinite getting its final major content update earlier this year, the path is now clear for something new. The cancellation of the live-action Halo TV series a few months back left many fans feeling a little disappointed, so news of fresh game projects is exactly what people were hoping for. While it might still take a bit of time for a formal announcement, the move to Unreal Engine and the promise of new projects has reignited excitement for the future of Halo.

The switch to Unreal is practical as well as strategic. Slipspace had its limitations, which caused some headaches during Halo Infinite’s development, like delays and technical issues. By adopting Unreal Engine, Halo Studios gains access to a larger pool of talent, enhances collaboration between teams, and can avoid some of those previous technical problems—all of which should help deliver a more polished experience.

They also teased Project Foundry, which highlights what Halo could look like in Unreal Engine 5. The graphics look sharper, the environments more detailed, and it gives a glimpse of where the franchise could go. Moving to Unreal will allow the studio to experiment more, prototype faster, and bring new, ambitious ideas to life—all while staying true to what Halo fans have loved for over two decades.

So, as Halo Studios grows and moves forward, the Halo franchise is entering an exciting new phase. Switching to Unreal isn’t just about using a different tool; it’s about redefining the way the games are made. It’s a chance for the team to focus on innovation, creating better experiences, and ensuring that Halo remains at the forefront of the gaming world. There’s a lot to be excited about—the next chapter is just beginning, and it looks like it’s going to be an incredible ride.