Highlights

  • The Halo franchise needs more variety, as Halo Infinite has been its core source of content for three years.
  • Recent sources revealed that 343 Industries once passed on a Helldivers-like ODST pitch that deserves another shot.
  • Helldivers 2's successful formula could be a perfect fit for a Halo spinoff, playing into the lore and war stories of ODST.

More so than ever before, the Halo franchise could do with a bit of variety. It's been almost three years since Halo Infinite came out, and in that time players have largely been playing through the same set of maps and modes over and over again, with 343 Industries really taking its time to release new content. Many of those who have stuck around with Halo Infinite for the long haul are feeling a little tired of the same old scenery and gameplay, so it's about time the Halo franchise got a little more experimental.

Despite being one of the biggest gaming franchises around, Halo has only received a handful of spinoffs over the years, and only a few are considered genuinely good games. But apparently, this low number of spinoffs isn't for a lack of trying. Very recently, a former lead designer at 343 Industries took to Twitter to tease a few past Halo pitches, and there's one rejected pitch that deserves another shot, especially in the wake of Helldivers 2.

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Helldivers 2 Could Revive Halo's Rejected ODST Game

Halo's Helldivers-Like ODST Pitch Explained

A former 343 Industries lead designer, Kevin Schmitt, took to social media about a week ago to shed a bit of light on some of the developer's many rejected Halo pitches over the years. In a fairly vague but surprisingly insightful X post, Schmitt stated that 343 "pitched 20-30 game ideas over the 12 years [he] was there," including "Many SP & MP ODST themed ones."

While this post alone doesn't mention a Helldivers-themed Halo pitch, it was made in response to a thread made by The Photoshop Guy, who initially stated, "Just learned that some ex 343 devs pitched an ODST game that was almost exactly like Helldivers." With that in mind, Schmitt's direct reference to Halo's fan-favorite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, and a further line about a "galaxy-spanning" pitch, it seems fairly safe to say that at some point, a Helldivers-themed Halo game was pitched by 343 Industries, and it's a pitch that 343 should consider resurrecting.

Helldivers 2's Formula Would Fit Halo's Universe Perfectly

While Sony's marketing campaign ensured that its name was well-known in the lead-up to release, Helldivers 2's immense success is still something of a surprise. A third-person multiplayer sequel to a 2015 PS Vita and PS4 top-down shooter, Helldivers 2 has sold around three million copies in its first three weeks, which is an incredibly impressive feat. A live-service gameplay loop that revolves around players trying to defend and take back the galaxy from various sci-fi threats, Helldivers 2 has managed to strike gold, offering excellent combat mechanics, superb multiplayer integration, and a core live-service loop that keeps players wanting more.

Naturally, where there's success in the gaming world, there are others who want to copy it, and while there are plenty of video game franchises that could successfully adopt Helldivers 2's formula, Halo would be an obvious first pick, especially considering 343 Industries' past pitch. Helldivers 2's formula would fit Halo like a glove, with players taking on the role of an ODST as they're deployed across the galaxy against overwhelming Covenant odds. Though it may not be able to translate the satirical, tongue-in-cheek humor, a Helldivers-like Halo spinoff would be able to capture the same melodramatic moments of war that are currently flooding Twitter and TikTok.