Highlights
- The next Halo game could be released on non-Xbox platforms, according to a recently posted job ad from 343 Industries.
- The listing describes a position that would help ensure the upcoming game delivers a “cohesive experience” across “all platforms.”
- The timing of the ad’s appearance coincides with a rising number of reports suggesting Xbox is soon set to abandon its console exclusive strategy in favor of platform-inclusive third-party publishing.
The next Halo game could be coming to non-Xbox platforms. The evidence pointing to that possibility emerged online independently of the recent reports claiming “all” Xbox games could soon be going multi-platform.
The Halo series has been synonymous with the Xbox ecosystem for over two decades, going back to the first entry in the franchise, Halo: Combat Evolved, which debuted in November 2001 as one of the select few launch titles for the original Xbox. The latest mainline installment, Halo Infinite, was released for PC and the last two Xbox console generations in December 2021.
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The Next Halo Game Might Come To ‘All Platforms’
In contrast, its follow-up might end up launching beyond Microsoft’s gaming ecosystem, according to a recently emerged job ad for a Lead Game Systems Designer at 343 Industries. The listing, first spotted by Twitter user Zuby_Tech, states that the chosen candidate will be responsible for managing the studio’s systems design team on its quest to create a “cohesive experience for all players, on all platforms.” That latter clause has already given rise to rampant fan speculation that the next entry in the franchise could be a multi-platform release.
That interpretation of the listing tracks with a recent claim from Microsoft insider Jez Corden, who said he reckons Halo will eventually reach PlayStation. Although his statement was framed as a mere prediction, it arrived just as numerous reports of Xbox exclusives such as Starfield possibly coming to the PS5 started emerging online. The Gears of War franchise and Bethesda’s upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are also rumored to currently be under consideration for multi-platform releases.
The newly surfaced job listing, posted in late January, was spotted mere months after one insider report already suggested that 343 Industries is working on a new Halo single-player campaign. Regardless of the game’s list of target platforms, it is important to note that the ad does not outright state that the title in question will be a mainline installment, called Halo 7 or otherwise. Another thing to keep in mind is that the wording of the late January listing is vague enough for its mention of “all platforms” to be interpreted as “all platforms on which the next Halo game will arrive” instead of literally every possible major gaming system, which would include both PlayStation and Nintendo hardware.
But given the currently rising number of reports that Xbox is considering a pivot to platform-inclusive third-party publishing, the timing of this curiously worded job description has unsurprisingly inspired speculation that the next series entry could mark Halo‘s first-ever expansion to non-Microsoft systems. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has already responded to the ongoing Xbox multiplatform drama by announcing an event that will detail “the future of Xbox” on the week of February 12.
Halo
Halo is a science fiction first person shooter and part of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios. The franchise development originated with Bungie, but has since transferred to 343 Industries. The series centers on a conflict between humanity and various alien species over installations called Halos, superweapons created by a mysterious race known as Forerunners. Launching in 2001 with Halo: Combat Evolved, the franchise has also spun off into books, comics, animated films, live action TV, and much more.
