It’s no secret thatHalo Infinitedidn’t quite go as well as 343 Industries may have planned. Though it isn’t without its good qualities,Halo Infinite’s lackluster approach to the live-service model, a weak customization system, and the removal of some stapleHalogame modes left it being yet another disappointment in 343 Industries' time with the once-beloved Sci-Fi franchise. And withHalo Infinitenot quite hitting the mark, the future of the franchise is in jeopardy once again.
On one hand, 343 Industries could have yet another go at a mainlineHalosequel, after all,Halo Infinite’s campaignwasn’t all bad, and with a little refinement it could end up being a genuinely great entry in the series. But on the other hand, it might be best to give theHalofranchise a bit of time to breathe. In the meantime, if Microsoft still wanted a newHalogame, it could always take a page out ofCall of Duty’s playbook.
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It’s Time for More Halo Campaign Remasters
Back in 2016, Activision releasedCall of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered. As the name suggests, this title was a full remaster of the original 2007 classic,Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, complete with its iconic campaign, and beloved multiplayer mode. Though it drew a lot of criticism at the time due to it being locked behind an incredibly expensivespecial edition ofCall of Duty: Infinite Warfare, the actual remaster was highly praised by critics and fans alike, with all of its subtle tweaks modernizing the game perfectly while retaining the essence of the original. In 2020, Activision tried to repeat the same formula for success, this time withCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, though only its campaign mode was included.
Generally speaking, theseCall of Dutyremastersperformed extremely well, withModern Warfare Remasteredcertainly contributing heavily to the overall sales ofInfinite WarfareandModern Warfare 2 Remasteredselling over three million copies within its first few weeks. These remasters likely didn’t take too much effort on the developer’s part - at least when compared to developing a newCall of Dutyfrom the ground up - and the payoff for Activision was high. But not only did Activision benefit, fans did as well, with aModern Warfareremaster being something fans directly petitioned for just a few years prior. It might be a smart move for theHalofranchise to borrow a similar play.
If there’s one surefire way to getHalofans back on 343 Industries' side afterHalo Infinite, it’s to give them something nostalgic. There’s no better way to achieve that than by simply remastering the originalHalogames for modern hardware. However, theHalofranchise has already seen a fair few remasters in its time. Back in 2011,Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversaryreleased for Xbox 360. This remaster was met with a mixed reception, with some praising the game’s technical features but criticizing some of the sound and art choices in the game, stating that they didn’t really live up to the original designs.Halo 2received its own remastered anniversary edition in 2014, being one of the main selling points of theMaster Chief Collection. Though theMCChad some infamous issues,Halo 2 Anniversarywas actually a really excellent remaster, giving the game and its iconic cinematics a complete overhaul while retaining the feel of the original.
ThoughHaloandHalo 2have already been remastered, there’s still a few classicHalogames that could use the remaster, or even the full remake treatment. The obvious pick isHalo 3, the only entry in the original trilogy that didn’t receive an anniversary remaster. ThoughHalo 3still holds up today remarkably well, certain technical elements of the game are starting to show their age, and when playing through the trilogy onThe Master Chief Collection, it does feel a little odd to go fromHalo 2 Anniversary’s impressive visuals and framerate toHalo 3’s 2007-era gameplay. A full remaster ofHalo 3would be an easy way to get fans back on board with 343 Industries.
Halo Infiniteis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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