Activision’s first Halo project will reportedly be a full-featured mainline installment rather than another remake or smaller spin-off. The Hollywood Reporter says sources familiar with the project described the next game that way following Microsoft’s confirmation that Activision is taking over development of the franchise’s next entry. Microsoft itself has not yet announced the game’s title, release window or specific features.
The distinction adds an important detail to Microsoft’s newly announced Halo restructuring. Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty confirmed on September 22 that Activision will develop the next Halo title through a new purpose-built team that is separate from Call of Duty development. A smaller Halo Studios team will remain in place to support the existing Halo community and games already on the market.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Activision project is expected to be a “full-feature, mainline installment” in the series. That description suggests Microsoft is not simply handing Activision another remake or a limited side project, although the report does not specify whether the game directly continues Halo Infinite’s story or begins a new narrative direction. It also does not confirm whether Master Chief will return as the central playable character.
The wording is notable because Halo’s immediate future had already included remake activity. Halo Studios most recently released Halo: Campaign Evolved, while speculation around additional remakes had circulated before Microsoft announced its latest corporate reorganization. A full new mainline game would therefore represent a more substantial next step for Activision’s newly assembled Halo team.
Activision president Rob Kostich has separately said the company wants to make a Halo game that lives up to the franchise’s history. He said Activision is assembling a purpose-built team specifically for the project rather than simply assigning existing Call of Duty studios to it. Microsoft likewise stressed that development of Halo will remain separate from Activision’s ongoing Call of Duty work.
That separation is significant because Activision operates a large development network built around annual and live-service Call of Duty production. Treyarch, Infinity Ward, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games and several support studios routinely collaborate across the franchise, but Microsoft’s announcement does not indicate that those teams are being redirected into Halo. Instead, the new Halo group is being created as its own development organization within Activision.
The transition comes during one of the largest structural changes in Xbox’s recent history. Microsoft confirmed 268 job cuts across Halo Studios, other first-party developers and Xbox Game Studios management and central functions on September 22. The broader round has also reportedly affected teams including The Coalition, World’s Edge, Treyarch and Raven Software, with employee disclosures providing additional details about the affected studios.
Activision’s responsibilities are expanding beyond Halo as part of the same reorganization. Rare and World’s Edge are also moving under Activision’s management structure, while Obsidian Entertainment is shifting under Bethesda. Playground Games and Turn 10 are being combined into a single organization focused on Fable and Forza, and Microsoft is continuing consultation over the future of several other studios.
The Hollywood Reporter’s description does not clarify which features are included in the term “full-featured.” Multiplayer, Forge, cooperative campaign and other systems traditionally associated with major Halo releases have not been confirmed for the Activision game. Any assumptions about those modes would therefore go beyond what Microsoft or Activision has announced.
There is also no confirmed release date. Microsoft has only said that Activision is developing the next Halo title and that its dedicated team is being assembled, while The Hollywood Reporter adds that the project is intended as a mainline installment. More specific details about its story, multiplayer structure, platforms and development leadership remain unannounced.
For now, the report narrows the direction of Halo’s next major chapter considerably. Microsoft has officially transferred development responsibility to Activision, and The Hollywood Reporter’s sources indicate that the first result will be a full-scale entry in the core series rather than a smaller offshoot.
