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343 Industries Rebrands as Halo Studios and Officially Switches to Unreal Engine for Future Projects

Earlier this year, rumors circulated about 343 Industries potentially moving from their proprietary Slipspace engine to Unreal Engine. While Microsoft didn’t initially confirm the reports, it’s now official. With a new six-and-a-half-minute video showcasing Unreal Engine’s capabilities, 343 Industries has not only made the switch but also undergone a major rebranding. The studio will now operate under the name Halo Studios for its future projects.

The transition away from the Slipspace engine marks a significant shift for the studio. Slipspace’s aging code had reportedly posed challenges during the development of Halo Infinite, prompting internal discussions about a change. The decision to move to Unreal was made to keep up with modern game development standards and to take advantage of Unreal Engine’s robust tools.

“Halo Infinite was the last remnants of how we made Halo games in the past,” explained Pierre Hintze, Vice President and head of the newly renamed Halo Studios. “That was our recipe, and what we’re doing now is changing the recipe.”

To demonstrate the new potential Unreal Engine offers, Halo Studios showcased three stunning landscapes from Project Foundry, a research initiative that explores Unreal Engine 5’s limits. Lead FX artist Daniel Henley emphasized the significance of these visuals: “The original Halo franchise was a graphics showcase; it was best-in-class. That’s what Halo was when it first released, and that’s what Halo needs to be again.”

Reports had also surfaced earlier in the year that at least 95 staff members were laid off amidst internal disagreements over whether to adopt Unreal or stick with Slipspace. Now, with the engine decision firmly made, Halo Studios is looking to expand its team. They have posted several job openings, including roles for a creative director, lead game systems designer, senior technical designer, hard surface artist, technical artist, and senior UX designer.

With the switch to Unreal and a fresh identity as Halo Studios, the team is poised to breathe new life into the beloved Halo franchise, aiming to recapture its position as a cutting-edge graphics and gameplay experience.