Halo 7 Official Announcement Leaves Gamers Seriously Concerned

Published Sep 23, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

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With the news that the Halo franchise is falling under new management, existing fans are worried about what this could mean for the future of the hit sci-fi series, especially regarding the highly anticipated Halo 7.

Yesterday saw Xbox release a further update about the big changes it is planning on making over upcoming years. As well as announcing more mass layoffs, as well as an update on upcoming titles such as Fallout 5, it also spoke about the Halo franchise, and more specifically, how Halo Studios has been dramatically affected by these new changes.

The announcement revealed that, from now on, any future Halo projects will be managed by Activision, who have created "a new purpose-built team" who have plans to take the franchise in a brand-new direction.

This is what Activision president Rob Kostich had to say about the situation: "For Halo, our goal is clear: make the greatest Halo game ever, worthy of its universe and legacy, while staying true to what made players love it in the first place. It is a bold ambition, one that this franchise deserves. We have already begun assembling a purpose-built team, unique in capability and talent, ready and excited to deliver this next chapter with the community."

It is a shocking announcement, especially considering that Halo Studios, previously known as 343 Industries, has been at the forefront of Halo development for two decades, taking over from original developer Bungie and going on to release the likes of Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Infinite, and 2026's Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Whilst Activision has not yet revealed what the next Halo title will be under their brand-new leadership, fans who have been hoping for Halo 7 are now feeling concerned, and took to r/halo to discuss the recent news.

Halo Studios

"What do you think the future of Halo will be now that Activision will be making the next game?" One user asked. "I am a bit worried about it, to be honest. I am quite worried that they will make the next Halo game be too much like COD and have crossover cosmetic packs in multiplayer."

With over a thousand comments, it is safe to say that fellow fans had their own thoughts about Xbox's recent announcement, with the top comment simply reading, "Ridiculously monetized." Another agreed, adding, "If you thought Infinite had problems with microtransactions, OH BOY."

However, another fan was feeling a bit more hopeful, sharing, "It is a different team making Halo, not the same team from COD so that is good. I would much prefer they weren't under the same studio, but at least Activision puts out games frequently. Activision is not great, and I don't think I would've preferred them over Halo Studios. I just really hope that the people who are working on it truly understand and love Halo. The absolute last thing we need is any COD stuff brought over, as you said, and this is what I'm worried about. We could end up with celebrities in Halo now as multiplayer skins."

Another agreed, adding, "They’ll solve the franchise’s biggest problem. Cultural relevance. The games came out too slowly for the quality that was going out. You can’t have an average game every 8 years and expect the player base to grow. Activision will surely increase the cadence and allow the franchise to pivot at a better pace as games evolve. It will bring in new players and keep them around."

It remains to be seen if Halo will flourish under Activision's leadership, but with no confirmation of what and when the next game will be, for now, we can only wait and hope for the best.