Summary
It’s no secret that theHalofranchise has been going through a rough patch lately. Recent entries in the game series have been met with reactions that range from underwhelming to negative. Though 343 Industries has continued to provide support forHalo Infinitesince launch, canceled content and an overabundance of microtransactions have caused enthusiasm for the title to plateau.
343 Industries needs to take a new approach for upcomingHaloinstallments, and this year has provided an unanticipated source for inspiration. While theGears of Warfranchise has similarly struggled in recent years, it caught everyone by surprise with the announcement ofGears of War: E-Dayat the most recent Xbox Showcase. If 343 wants to rebuild excitement forfutureHalogames, following in the recent steps of a fellow Microsoft series could do just that.
Gears of War is Going Back to Its Roots — Halo Should Too
Rumors were circulating about a newGears of Warentry ahead of the Xbox Showcase this year, but fans were treated to an unexpected reveal when the showcase actually came around. While aGearsgame did get announced, it wasn’t another sequel following Kait Diaz. Instead, it was a prequel set before the originalGears of Warthat follows Marcus Phoenix and Dom Santiago at the outbreak of humanity’s war against the Locust Horde.
Reactions to this reveal were overwhelmingly positive. Not only were fans relieved to see that The Coalition was pressing pause on the unpopular plot established in the newestGearsgames, butGears of War: E-Day’sannouncement trailerspoke to the nostalgia of longtime players. Familiar faces, a return to the dark and gritty visuals of the original games, and an instrumental take on the iconic “Mad World” bought the game’s reveal an abundance of goodwill.
What Halo Can Learn From Gears of War: E-Day
Halofans have long asked for aHalo: Reach-like entry from 343 Industries, and the success ofE-Day’s announcement is giving more and more weight to those demands. This isn’t to say that 343 should abandon Master Chief’s ongoing story, but fans of the series need to feel like their feedback is being heard. Releasing a game that follows a self-sustaining narrative and harks back toHalo’s glory days could rebuild player excitement while buying the series some much-needed breathing room.
Potential Directions for a Halo Prequel
Halo: Reachhas already provided a solid blueprint for what a newHalospin-off could look like: bring players to a part of the Human-Covenant War timeline that they’ve never experienced before and give them control over a new protagonist. This style of game would still capture the true essence ofHalo, but it would also give the studio and players alike some distance from controversial additions to canon that recent games in the series made. TheHalonovelshave showcased plenty of interesting conflicts throughout the franchise’s timeline that the games have yet to touch upon.
343 could also adopt theHalo 3: ODSTapproach and make a prequel set between two other games — or a “pre-sequel” asBorderlandswould call it. One obvious route would be to fill the gap betweenHalo 5andInfinite. The timeline between these two entries in the series is muddled and can only really be parsed throughaudio logs inHalo Infinite. Giving players a clearer look at how the AI rebellion led to Atriox attacking the Infinity could clean up the storyline while makingInfinite’s time jump more palatable. Additionally, this would give 343 the option to again follow inE-Day’s footsteps by bringing back a fan favorite character to lead this game: Edward Buck.
Regardless of which route the series takes, 343 should take notes fromGears of War: E-Day. Neither of these franchises have succeeded with their recent attempts at experimentation, butpositive reactions toGears of War: E-Dayand its trailer chart a promising path for other Xbox franchises. While it isn’t the most creative approach, rewinding the clock and bringing back fan-favorite characters would allowHaloto capitalize on nostalgia and rebuild excitement that has been sorely lacking within the community.
Halo Infinite
WHERE TO PLAY
When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience an epic open-world adventure and explore the massive scale of the Halo ring.With Network Campaign Co-Op and Mission Replay, you can relive your favorite moments, rediscover collectibles and explore the wonders of Zeta Halo on your own or with up to three other fireteam members.Experience Halo’s celebrated multiplayer reimagined and free-to-play! With over 70 maps in matchmaking, billions of customization configurations, and countless community Forge creations to experience, Halo Infinite is the franchise’s most expansive multiplayer offering to date.Enjoy an unprecedented variety of gameplay experiences, ranging from fast-paced intense ranked modes to whimsical mayhem in Custom Games, or even co-operative coordination in the wave-based survival mode Firefight: King of the Hill. Assemble your Fireteam and conquer every mode – Halo offers endless opportunities for teamwork, strategy, and unforgettable victories.
