A new Halo game is reportedly in development at 343 Industries, built on Unreal Engine and currently codenamed "Tatanka".
A report from Bloomberg (paywalled) suggests that with its recent layoffs and leadership changes, Halo developer 343 Industries is "all but starting from scratch" as it looks to build the future of the Halo series.
One major source of development headaches during Halo Infinite's production was the use of the Slipspace engine, an aging set of tools with roots that were decades old. Bloomberg's sources suggest that even now, finished multiplayer modes based on popular options like Extraction and Assault have gone unreleased partly because of engine issues.
Now, 343 is reportedly moving to Unreal Engine for a new game codenamed "Tatanka", developed in partnership with support studio Certain Affinity, which "started off as a battle royale but may evolve in different directions", according to Bloomberg's sources. The report suggests that further Halo games may also be developed on Unreal, though there are concerns within the studio that the switch may poorly affect the series' gameplay.
The name Tatanka has been rumbling around in connection to Halo with various leaks and rumors for years, and up until now had been understood as a battle royale game mode for Halo Infinite. Certain Affinity CEO Max Hoberman said last year that "we’re doing something unannounced, and we’re doing lead development on that unannounced thing, from conception and design. It’s something big and new for the franchise." Hoberman said the project had already been in development for "more than two years" even then.
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