It is no secret that Halo Infinite has 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 for Halo 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, Halo has struggled to adapt to the live service formula. Now, certain Halo players are demanding a major change.
For many fans, Halo Infinite has been the last straw, with these players believing that the game is just the latest of 343 Industries’ many failures. The game follows Halo 4, which was criticized for lacking the series’ personality, and Halo 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 are pushing for a new developer to take over on Halo. Though this is extremely unlikely since 343’s name indicates its main focus, and its experience with the franchise ensures it knows the Halo brand better than everyone except Bungie, Activision Blizzard’s Sledgehammer Games might just be a solid alternative.
A New Opportunity For Sledgehammer and Halo
Much like 343 Industries has struggled to win over Halo fans, Sledgehammer Games has been unable to fully satisfy the Call of Duty community. Though players are often split between Treyarch and 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 Warfare ushered 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 for Sledgehammer Games sticking with Call of Duty, there is no harm in Microsoft moving this newly acquired studio elsewhere. With Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 set to be the first two-year Call of Duty game, as Treyarch’s next title is not coming until 2024, Sledgehammer Games’ Call of Duty games 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 through Halo would 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 with Halo’s immense lore, from a gameplay standpoint, the studio is a strong fit. It has been working on major first-person shooters for years, with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare giving the developer experience with a futuristic title and advanced movement that could serve as a starting point for gadgets like Halo: Infinite’s grappling hook. Further, the strong character customization in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is a promising example for how Sledgehammer would handle cosmetics.
Sledgehammer Games also has experience with the live service model Halo Infinite has been attempting to adopt, as it delivered fair battle passes and consistent content through Call of Duty: Vanguard’s post-launch Seasons. New maps, modes, weapons, and more were released at a rate that Halo Infinite fans could only dream of, so it is easy to imagine a scenario where Sledgehammer Games is perfectly prepared for a live service Halo entry.
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 a Call of Duty game while assisting Sledgehammer Games with its transition to Halo. Ultimately, it is highly unlikely that 343 Industries will be removed from Halo, as the studio was formed to work on the IP. If the unexpected were to occur, though, Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard purchase has given it a talented developer that it could use to restore Halo’s tarnished reputation.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.