Two years after leaving the franchise he shepherded for nearly two decades, Frank O’Connor has broken his silence on Halo’s future — and the picture he paints is neither optimistic nor pessimistic. It is honest. The former Halo Studios franchise creative director sees three possible paths for the series under Activision, and he is careful to emphasise that none of them come with guarantees.
O’Connor, who joined Bungie during Halo 2’s development after a stint at Official Xbox Magazine, spent almost 20 years as the public face of the franchise at what was then 343 Industries. He departed in 2023. His comments came in response to a LinkedIn post by former Xbox Social Media Manager Genevieve Harrison, who had been discussing how Activision might approach its newest franchise.
Path One: Return to Classic Halo
The first path O’Connor outlines is the most straightforward. Make a classic Halo experience — movement, sandbox, shooter — tailored specifically to the core audience. Scale it to succeed with that base while remaining attractive enough to grow beyond it.
He notes an almost mathematical truth: Halo’s multiplayer is inherently better with more people playing. A game built for the core but designed to draw in a broader audience has the best chance of achieving the player counts that make the multiplayer ecosystem thrive.
This path bets on nostalgia and proven formula. It acknowledges that the franchise’s identity lives in its sandbox combat and arena multiplayer, and that trying to chase broader trends has not always served the series well.
Path Two: Reinvent the Universe
The second option is the most ambitious. Create something fundamentally new — a modern reinvention of the game and its universe that surprises players while remaining recognisably Halo. O’Connor suggests it could be a new take on the first-person shooter, an action RPG, or something else entirely, but it must be different in a way that feels fantastic rather than merely novel.
“There are 3 paths — any one of which COULD be successful. None of these are easy, guaranteed or necessarily viable.” — Frank O’Connor
This path would rely on strong storytelling, creative use of the IP, and the initial burst of curiosity or loyalty that a bold reinvention generates. It is the highest-risk, highest-reward option — and the one most likely to divide the fanbase in the short term.
Path Three: The Activision Treatment
The third path translates Halo’s IP and sandbox into Activision’s comfort zone. Use the player models, progression systems and business models that have proven successful with Call of Duty. Craft a big annual or semi-annual spectacle with constant content updates.
O’Connor offers specific warnings for this approach. Do not tie the game to hardware or service launch cycles. Do not force it into a shape or onto an ageing platform that cannot accommodate it. And above all, do not abandon the sandbox that makes Halo feel like Halo.
O’Connor’s “Pro-Pro-Tip”: Hire Bungie, Halo Studios and other laid-off talent who are “bursting with talent and ideas” but have been diminished or cut in recent years.
That final piece of advice may be the most telling. Across the industry, hundreds of experienced developers have been laid off in the past two years. Many of them worked on the very games that built Halo’s reputation. Reassembling that talent pool could be faster and more effective than building from scratch.
What Happens Next
The structural reality is already set. Xbox confirmed in September that Activision will develop the next Halo game with a purpose-built team separate from Call of Duty development. Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, will continue supporting existing games and the community but is not working on the next mainline entry.
Activision president Rob Kostich has stated the goal is to make “the greatest Halo game ever,” and that a team is already being assembled. Halo: Campaign Evolved, the Unreal Engine remake of the original, shipped earlier this year as Halo Studios’ first project on the new engine.
How long until we see the result? Forbes analyst Paul Tassi estimates four to five years of development, given that Activision is effectively starting from scratch. That puts a realistic window around 2030 or 2031 — assuming the chosen path avoids the pitfalls O’Connor has identified.
For fans who have waited five years since Halo Infinite, the wait continues. But at least now there is a framework for understanding what Activision might attempt — and what could go wrong.
