Unlike previous entries in theHalofranchise, 2021’sHalo Infinite, runs on a proprietary engine called Slipspace. This engine, created in-house by 343 Industries, was designed to accommodate the game’s semi-open world level design while still maintaining the classicHalogameplay feel that players have come to know and love. Slipspace was largely able to accomplish what it set out to do, but it caused a lot of trouble duringHalo Infinite’s development. Compared to other contemporary software, the engine was frustratingly difficult to work with, in large part because some of the coding toolsets it utilized were really outdated. 343’s heavy reliance on contract workers didn’t make things any easier, as every new developer assigned to work onInfiniteneeded to be trained in order to use Slipspace.
The difficulties caused by the Slipspace Engine and the constant cycling of contract workers at 343 Industries contributed to major setbacks inHalo Infinite’s content pipeline. Upon its launch, the title was missing various multiplayer features that were a staple of theHaloseries, like split-screen co-op. Some of them were eventually added in subsequent content updates, but the post-launch support forHalo Infinitewas so slow that the player count and overall sentiment towards the title considerably decreased over time. In order to remedy this issue, Microsoft recently announced thatall futureHalogames will be developed on Unreal Engine 5from now on. This shake-up for Xbox’s flagship franchise is significant, and it could be the catalyst for other MS first-party studios to make the shift to UE5 as well.
More Microsoft First-Party Games Could Follow Halo Infinite’s Footsteps By Shifting to Unreal Engine
Many Xbox Games Already Run on Unreal Engine
Microsoft is no stranger to using Unreal Engine for its first-party games. Many of the company’s recent titles are already utilizing Epic Games' popular software.Sea of Thieves,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2,Gears 5, and evenGroundedare all games that run on some form of UE. In addition to both these titles and the nextHalogame, a significant portion of Xbox’s upcoming first-party releases are utilizing Unreal Engine 5, as well.inExile’s steampunk RPGClockwork Revolution, The Initiative’sPerfect Darkreboot, and Compulsion Games' Southern gothic action-adventure titleSouth of Midnightare just a few examples of these.
A Significant Amount of Microsoft’s First-Party Studios Use Proprietary Engines
In spite of the manyUE5 gamesit’s developing, Xbox still utilizes and owns the rights to a handful of proprietary engines. idTech, for instance, is the flagship engine designed by Microsoft subsidiary id Software, and it’s used primarily in games published by Bethesda Softworks, such asDoom Eternaland the upcomingIndiana Jones and the Great Circle.Starfield, Fallout 76, and other Bethesda Game Studios titles, meanwhile, run on Creation Engine, whereas Zenimax Online’sThe Elder Scrolls Onlineuses HeroEngine. Then there’s ForzaTech, which is the namesake engine used in both theForzafranchise and the 2025Fablereboot. Another Microsoft-owned engine worth noting isCall of Duty’s IW engine.
Doubling Down on Unreal Engine 5 Could Be Beneficial for Xbox in Various Ways
An array of engines is utilized across Xbox’s first-party studios, but like withtheHaloseries, it’s possible that Microsoft may want to consolidate them and shift most of its resources to Unreal Engine in order to make development easier. After all, if every developer under MS were to use the same exact engine, it would make it far easier for them to support each other more frequently. That, in turn, could enable Xbox’s first-party games to release at a faster pace.
A broaderpivot to Unreal Enginemay also allow Microsoft to employ contract workers on a more frequent basis, since they are usually familiar with well-documented engines like UE. While it’s unlikely that Xbox would sunset all of its proprietary engines, encouraging its first-party studios to use UE5 could be a way for the company to prevent certain situations, likeHalo Infinite’s troubled development with Slipspace, from happening again.
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.
