It is no secret thatHalo Infinitehas been a major let down for fans of the iconic Xbox franchise. Though the campaign was a return to form, and the multiplayer was quite popular at launch, fan opinions quickly soured on the game. Poor battle pass progression and odd cosmetic limitations bothered players, but a lack of content updates has served as a nail in the coffin forHalo Infinite. With Forge still several weeks away, split-screen co-op scrapped, and only a few new multiplayer maps added across the first two Seasons,Halohas struggled to adapt to the live service formula. Now, certainHaloplayers are demanding a major change.
For many fans,Halo Infinitehas been the last straw, with these players believing that the game is just the latest of 343 Industries’ many failures. The game followsHalo 4, which was criticized for lacking the series’ personality, andHalo 5, which was bashed by fans for its campaign mode. As a result of these controversial games, and more big names leaving the 343 Industries team, some arepushing for a new developer to take over onHalo. Though this is extremely unlikely since 343’s name indicates its main focus, and its experience with the franchise ensures it knows theHalobrand better than everyone except Bungie, Activision Blizzard’s Sledgehammer Games might just be a solid alternative.
RELATED:Halo Group’s First Live Meeting Demonstrates the Series' Power to Build a Community
A New Opportunity For Sledgehammer and Halo
Much like 343 Industries has struggled to win overHalofans, Sledgehammer Games has been unable to fully satisfy theCall of Dutycommunity. Though players are often split betweenTreyarchand Infinity Ward when it comes to their favorite developer, Sledgehammer Games is rarely brought up as the best of the bunch.Call of Duty: Advanced Warfareushered in the series’ controversial exosuit era, while both of the studio’s World War 2 titles took players back to a setting that had been done to death in first-person shooters.
Though there is a case to be made forSledgehammer Games sticking withCall of Duty, there is no harm in Microsoft moving this newly acquired studio elsewhere. WithCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2set to be the first two-yearCall of Dutygame, as Treyarch’s next title is not coming until 2024, Sledgehammer Games’Call of Dutygames will likely not be necessary. Both Treyarch and Infinity Ward can have lengthy development times under the new two-year format, with the two developers going back-and-forth between releases and Sledgehammer moving on to a new IP - or salvaging an existing one with a damaged reputation.
Sledgehammer having its first massive success with fans throughHalowould be fitting, as both the series and the developer could be redeemed at the same time. Though Sledgehammer would surely have work to do to convince fans that it can work withHalo’s immense lore, from a gameplay standpoint, the studio is a strong fit. It has been working on major first-person shooters for years, withCall of Duty: Advanced Warfaregiving the developer experience with a futuristic title and advanced movement that could serve as a starting point for gadgets likeHalo: Infinite’s grappling hook. Further, the strong character customization inCall of Duty: Advanced Warfareis a promising example for how Sledgehammer would handle cosmetics.
Sledgehammer Games also has experience with the live service modelHalo Infinitehas been attempting to adopt, as it delivered fair battle passes and consistent content throughCall of Duty: Vanguard’s post-launch Seasons. New maps, modes, weapons, and more were released at a rate thatHalo Infinitefans could only dream of, so it is easy to imagine a scenario where Sledgehammer Games is perfectly prepared for a live serviceHaloentry.
If disgruntled fans were to get their wish, and 343 Industries were to be replaced with another developer, Sledgehammer Games might just be the perfect choice due to its experience with live service FPS games. The two studios could even swap roles, with 343 Industries taking a shot at aCall of Dutygame while assisting Sledgehammer Games with its transition toHalo. Ultimately, it is highly unlikely that 343 Industries will be removed fromHalo, as the studio was formed to work on the IP. If the unexpected were to occur, though,Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard purchasehas given it a talented developer that it could use to restoreHalo’s tarnished reputation.
Halo Infiniteis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
