Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries recently announced that the game’s planned splitscreen co-op would not ship. However, a fan has discovered a workaround that’s quite easy to navigate.
A Halo fan on Twitter released a video demonstrating how any player can enable splitscreen co-op in Halo Infinite. Using a relatively straightforward menu glitch, players are able to jump into a local coop session with a friend.
Most surprising is how effective the glitch is. The creator claims that they have not experienced crashes during cutscenes nor any issues with AI. Other players on Reddit were able to confirm its effectiveness. Additionally, players have been able to manipulate the glitch to get a full party of four into a single campaign coop session.
As of right now, the menu glitch appears to only work on Xbox Series X/S consoles. Unfortunately, PC players aren’t able to take advantage of this as of now.
If you’ve been eager for 343 Industries to release splitscreen co-op and were let down by the studio’s news, there’s some good news. Halo fan account Halo Creation has posted an online tutorial.
Follow-up on this, here's a quick tutorial on how to play #HaloInfinite Splitscreen Coop using a menu glitch found by @Zeny_IC!
In order to jump in, you must select and load a campaign save file. As it loads, you must take the controller’s View Button to bring up the ‘Social’ menu and navigate to the ‘Friends’ tab. From here, you must have an online friend idling in the game’s menu. You must select to join their Fireteam and once you have, you must select to leave. From there, you are required to select the ‘Server’ setting and set the server to ‘Local Offline’. Finally, all you need to do is connect additional controllers and assign profiles to them prior to selecting ‘Play.’
Unfortunately, seeing as though this is an unofficial workaround, we don’t expect the glitch to last forever. It’s likely that a future patch will iron this glitch out. So, take advantage of it while it lasts.
While Halo Infinite’s splitscreen co-op has been scrapped by 343 Industries, the studio is still determined to launch an online campaign co-op in the near future. As part of its Winer Update, marked between November 8th and March 7th, 2023, online co-op will roll out. Currently, the feature is being tested in beta form.
Twitch streamer JerValiN has accomplished something many people thought was impossible for the past 18 years: a complete “LASO” run of Halo 2 on Legendary difficulty with all skulls enabled (except for the Active Camouflage Envy Skull, because that would make things too easy).
This means that JerValiN took home the $20,000 USD ($25,731 CAD) bounty offered up by Twitch streamer MoistCr1TiKal. The bounty was initially set at $5,000 USD ($6,432 CAD) in late June but was then raised to $20,000 in July.
He did it! Halo 2 LASO, deathless. Congratulations, @Jervalin 🏆
In total, the run took six hours, 29 minutes and 44.17 seconds. It involved the use of several glitches and what is best described as a slow, very methodical approach to Halo 2’s campaign. Some of the skull effects include giving enemies permanent cloaks, limited ammo, removed HUD elements and more, making Halo 2’s campaign on ‘Legendary’ far more difficult than it would typically be.
It’s important to note that to qualify for the $20,000 USD bounty, JerValiN also needed to finish the entire game without dying once. Almost 50,000 people watched as the streamer accomplished what at one point seemed entirely impossible.
MoistCr1TiKal is reportedly preparing a new ‘Goliath’ task tied to Halo 2’s campaign that requires the player to finish the game’s campaign “without shooting.”
Sometimes it almost feels like Halo Infinite’s anticipated online co-op mode will never release, but that will soon change (I hope).
After delaying the feature several times, 343 Industries has announced its plans to test Halo Infinite’s co-op mode in July 2022 ahead of its scheduled August release. This means that select ‘Halo Insiders’ will be able to test out the game’s online co-op mode on Xbox and PC before its wider launch.
To join the Halo Insider Program for a chance to test out the beta, follow this link.
With #HaloInfinite campaign network co-op arriving later this year, we're planning to flight it to Halo Insiders in July. Register and make sure your Halo Insider profile is up to date for a chance to participate!
Back in late April, 343 Industries shared Halo Infinite’s roadmap for the rest of 2022. Following co-op, the following major features to hit the beleaguered title are Forge and split-screen co-op during Season 3 in November 2022.
Halo Infinite’s second season got off to a rocky start thanks to a gun-jamming glitch and the removal of skill jumps/slides. Still, to 343 Industries’ credit, the studio listened to the game’s often overly vocal community and solved the majority of Lone Wolve’s issues.
As Halo Infinite Season 2: Lone Wolves is about to kick off, 343 Industries has finally provided a roadmap for what’s to come to the game for the rest of the year.
By in large, the Halo Infinite roadmap covers what Lone Wolves provides. 343 Industries has confirmed that Season 2 runs for a total of six months. The season begins on May 3rd and concludes a week prior to the one-year anniversary of the multiplayer’s release on November 7th.
It’s already been reported that Halo Infinite’s Season 2 offers a brand new Battle Pass, featuring 100 tiers. The Catalyst and Breaker maps also debut this season. Additionally, 343 Industries is rolling out three new modes including King of the Hill, Land Grab, and Last Spartan Standing. Though, there are a few new tidbits to cover in the Halo Infinite roadmap.
Two narrative events are scheduled this season. ‘Interference’ runs on May 3rd and wraps up on May 16th. The second, dubbed ‘Alpha Pack,’ runs from July 19 to August 1st. The first week of Season 2’s Fracture: Entrenched event runs from May 24th to May 30th.
On top of that, the Halo Infinite roadmap promises to deliver some long-awaited updates to the core game. 343 Industries states that the online co-op for the campaign mode has a “late August target.” Additionally, campaign mission replay is also targeting a similar late August window. An open beta for Halo Infinite’s Forge mode is scheduled for September as well.
343 Industries has briefly outlined what Season 3 will offer. Starting on November 8th, Season 3 brings the now-standard element of new maps, modes, narrative events, and a Fracture event. Aside from what’s expected the Forge open beta will continue during Season 3. Local split-screen co-op is also said to arrive. Though the timing is still to be determined.
The Halo Infinite roadmap has understandably left the community divided on the length of Season 2 as well as the amount of content awaiting the game. We know we need to deliver more content and more features more quickly, Halo Infinite’s head of creative Joseph Staten says in a Halo Waypoint blog post. “Staying true to priority zero means that sometimes we need to slow down in order to stay healthy and move faster later. But we’re also aggressively looking at ways to accelerate.”
343 Industries is hosting a livestream on April 27th at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT. The team is showcasing the narrative events and new content on Twitch and YouTube.
Ahead of its May 3rd debut, Halo Infinite developers 343 Industries share a look at the Season 2 maps. Dubbed Catalyst and Breaker, the two maps join the roster alongside the preexisting 10 maps.
In a short video lapsing under three minutes, 343 Industries shows us Catalyst, an abandoned Forerunner map. The studio describes it as a “symmetrical arena map nested high up inside of an expansive, tunnel-like Forerunner structure.” We see some of its verticality in its different levels. Catalyst features a light bridge running down the middle portion. While there are visible exterior potions, Catalyst is an interior map.
The second map that Halo Infinite Season 2 introduces is Breaker. As opposed to Catalyst, Breaker is practically all exterior. Its location is a Banished ship-breaking facility. 343 Industries states Breaker is a “pseudo symmetric BTB map set in a Banished scrapyard where each team’s base is a huge chunk of ship debris.” There are multiple dynamic aspects at play as shown in the preview. Hop-ups and ledges raise and lower. The middle of the map is split by a deadly moving plasma beam.
On the Halo Waypoint blog, the team discusses that Catalyst is meant to expand the game’s Capture the Flag suite. Though, its design and internal popularity made the team shift ideas. Upon Season 2, Catalyst will host many different modes including the new Land Grab mode.
343 Industries claims Breaker is one of the team’s “most ambitious BTB maps ever.” Once again, many design elements revolve around its use as a Capture the Flag map. “The central feature of this map is the middle, which divides the spaces with ramps over a death pit which has given way to some pretty memorable vehicle runs.”
Along with new maps, Halo Infinite Season 2, dubbed Lone Wolves, also introduces a brand new Battle Pass for players to purchase. New modes include Land Grab and Last Spartan Standing. Additionally, Season 2 sees weapons updated and balanced.
Note that Halo Infinite’s co-op will arrive during Season 2. Though, it won’t be available at launch. No specific date is known at this point, however.
Certain Affinity, a video game studio with offices in Austin and Toronto, has revealed that it’s “deepening” its relationship with 343 Industries and Halo Infinite.
Windows Centralpreviously reported that the studio is working on a new Infinite mode codenamed “Tanaka.”
This latest announcement from 343 Industries is likely tied to the still unknown Halo Infinite game mode. Certain Affinity is also reportedly supporting the development of the new Perfect Dark and is working on an original Monster Hunter-like game called Suerete, according to Windows Central.
We’ve been part of the @Halo franchise for more than 15 years and we’re honored to say we are deepening our relationship with 343 and have been entrusted with further evolving Halo Infinite in some new and exciting ways. Join us on our journey. https://t.co/fApGobYZS3pic.twitter.com/XSuS7EtLcq
Tanaka is believed to be a battle royale-like mode for Halo Infinite that involves a shrinking arena and beat-em-all gameplay.
Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is available for free on Xbox consoles and PC. Season 2 Lone Wolves of Halo infinite launches on May 3rd. The much-needed update to the beleaguered game features two new maps, new game modes and tweaks to weapons (RIP to the Mangler).
I’ve spent countless hours playing Halo Infinite over the last few months, but even I’ve dropped off playing the game consistently lately. There just isn’t enough new content hitting the title, but hopefully, whatever Certain Affinity is working on injects some much-needed life into the Infinite.
The season, called Lone Wolves, features a fresh Battle Pass, additional maps and new gametypes.
The new maps include traditional-looking arena map ‘Catalyst’ and Big Team Battle map ‘Breaker,’ which features a lava pit separating the map’s different areas. The new modes are a free-for-all elimination gametype called ‘Last Spartan Standing’ and ‘Land Grab,’ a spin on ‘King of the Hill.’
343 Industries has posted several extensive blogs on Halo Waypoint over the last few weeks where the developer outlines its future plans for the beleaguered game, including Battle Pass Progression and additional customization options. Other changes include weapon balancing fixes like nerfing the Mangler considerably 🥲.
In its most recent blog post, 343 Industries said that players will be able to earn Halo Infinite’s paid in-game currency, ‘CR,’ by levelling up their Season 2 Battle Pass.
It’s worth noting that Halo Infinite’s co-op campaign mode isn’t launching alongside season 2. Several weeks ago, the developer revealed that it’s coming at some point during the season but hasn’t revealed a specific date yet, pushing the anticipated mode’s release back even further.
I really like Halo Infinite and have spent countless hours playing the game over the last few months. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say that it’s my favourite Halo title ever as far as multiplayer is concerned. That said, issues with ranked progression feeling punishing and unfair, the lack of meaningful progression after completing the Battle Pass and no new game modes/maps have made even me ditch the title for the time being.
However, Season 2 Lone Wolves seems promising at the outset and an answer to many of my issues with Season 1, so hopefully, it lives up to expectations and pulls me back into the game again.
Halo Infinite is a stellar game in desperate need of new content.
Though the game suffers from issues like desync, ranked not feeling rewarding (the reset didn’t help) and other technical problems, Halo Infinite’s most significant problem is a lack of new content. For a free-to-play multiplayer designed to be a “live service,” there just isn’t much life to the game.
Thankfully, that’s set to change to an extent. When Season of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer mode launches on May 3rd, eager fans will get a new arena and Big Team Battle maps’ Catalyst’ and ‘Breaker,’ as well as the return of ‘King of the Hill’ mode. Two other new game modes are also coming, ‘Land Grab’ and ‘Last Spartan,’ with the latter being described as a “free-for-all elimination.”
All this sounds like good news, right? Unfortunately, the release of four-player campaign co-op has been pushed back once again.
Joseph Staten, the head of Halo Infinite says 343 aims to “deliver Campaign network co-op later in Season 2.”
“It’s going to take more time to land a high-quality, full-featured 4-player network co-op experience in the massive, wide-open world of Halo Infinite.”
Staten goes on to mention that 343 Industries plans to bring a 2-player split-screen co-op experience to Xbox and that the title’s anticipated ‘Forge mode’ is still set for a season 3 release.
As someone who at one point was really into Halo Infinite’s multiplayer mode but has fallen off playing it recently, I’m excited for new maps and game modes to hit the game, but the wait between now and the beginning of Season 2 Lone Wolves feels positively barren. All we know that’s coming to the game is ‘Tactical Ops,’ a new limited-time event focused on the ‘Team Tactical’ playlist.
Halo Infinite launched back in December without co-op and Forge mode, two features the series has become known for. While Infinite’s initial reception was resoundingly positive, 343 has been heavily criticized for the lack of new content hitting the title over the last few months following season 1’s extension to May.
The console arms race only heightens by the day. Over the past couple of years, Xbox and PlayStation have done everything to gobble up as many first-party studios in an effort to outdo the other.
While in generations past it may have seemed like Sony and company had been winning the exclusive game; however, the team at Microsoft has assembled quite the stable of in-house studios themselves. Acquisitions like Double Fine, Obsidian, and of course all of Bethesda’s amalgam of development teams have headlined an age of big spending from the Washington-based console giant.
Sure, the fruits of Xbox Game Studios’ recent efforts are only just starting to show, but the future is bright for games rocking a Series X/S in their entertainment centre. So without further ado, here is everything we know about what each first-party Xbox team is currently working on:
343 Industries
Location: Redmond, Washington Last game: Halo Wars 2
One of Microsoft’s crown jewels, 343 Industries is a pretty easy studio to guess when it comes to the type of projects it is currently working on. The Redmond-based team was initially assembled to take the torch on the Halo franchise from Bungie after it broke away from Xbox, and it’s followed Master Cheif and co. ever since.
As for what the team is currently working on, it’s Halo Infinite, of course! Infinite is set to launch on December 8th and will mark just the beginning of this title. 343 has made it known that Halo Infinite is going to be a living organism of a game, with series staples like co-op campaign and forge mode coming sometime in the new year.
Master Chief’s latest adventure is sure to keep 343 Industries busy for a long time with the potential for expansions and new modes (like a battle royale, perhaps?), so predicting what comes after is a moot point. Yes, it would be nice to nice to see the team venture away from the world of Spartans and Elites, but at this point, that seems highly unlikely.
Alpha Dog Games
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Last Game: Mighty Doom (mobile)
Alpha Dog Games is one of the lesser-known studios at Xbox. The team was a part of the Bethesda/Microsoft deal and focuses entirely on mobile experiences. The studio’s last project, Mighty DOOM, launched earlier this year on iOS and Android, offering a top-down touch screen take on the iconic id Software shooter.
Being such a small studio, nothing has leaked from or been said about Alpha Dog’s next game. However, having been brought into the ZeniMax family in 2019 to bring Bethesda IP to smartphones, the team’s next project will likely be related to a name we already know.
Arkane
Location: Lyon, France Last game: Deathloop
Arkane is currently coming off the high of putting out one of the best games of the year in Deathloop. However, with its most recent outing being a timed PS5 exclusive, Microsoft is sure to make sure the French team puts it in the rearview as fast as they can.
Arkane’s stock is on the rise. Over the past decade and change, the studio has put out hit after hit, perfecting a style of gameplay known as the “immersive-sim.” And earlier this year, we got a tease of what the Dishonored studio has coming down the pipeline.
Announced as a part of the Xbox/Bethesda E3 showcase this past June, Redfall is next in Arkane’s sights. Not much has been said about the urban vampire action game other than to expect it next summer, but judging from its brief reveal trailer, it has Arkane’s signature blend of stealth, combat, and player agency written all over it.
Bethesda Game Studios
Location: Rockville, Maryland (main location, also has three other wings, including one in Montreal) Last game: The Elder Scrolls: Blades (mobile)
While there are plenty of prize pumpkins among the Bethesda/Zenimax group of studios that Xbox purchased back in fall 2020, Bethesda Game Studios (BGS) would be considered by many to be the cream of the crop. BGS is the team that the majority of people think of when they hear Bethesda. These are the folks behind mega-hits like Skyrim and Fallout 3. To put it bluntly: when Bethesda Game Studios puts out a new game, heads turn.
And 2022 will be one of those head-turning years, as the team steps away from familiar names like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout and puts out something completely new. Interplanetary RPG Starfield is set to launch on November 11th, 2022 and will usher in a new era for BGS, running on a new engine, and being the first from the studio to come out exclusively on Xbox.
It doesn’t stop there. After the luster of Starfield has worn off and gamers move on to play whatever comes next, Bethesda has another card up their sleeve in The Elder Scrolls VI. However, according to Todd Howard, the game’s director Todd Howard, it’s still “a very long way off” and is “something that’s going to take a lot of time.”
The Coalition
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Last game: Gears 5
While The Coalition has been mostly known for recent entries in the Gears of War series, something new could be on the horizon for the Canadian studio. The Vancouver-based development house most recently put out the stellar Gears 5 back in 2019, but in the time since has been very quiet about what’s up next.
Other than helping support 343 on Halo Infinite, The Coalition’s two other teams are apparently hard at work on something Gears-related, as well as something brand new. If this new Gears of War title is in fact in development, fans could expect to see it as soon as next year. A three-year development pattern has emerged since The Coalition took over the Gears franchise, so it would only make sense that a sixth game in the mainline series launch in 2022.
Taking a look at the potential brand-new project being worked on by the studio’s third team, it really could be anything. Back in May, known gaming insider Jeff Grubb revealed the team could be tackling a galaxy far, far away, saying “it could be a Star Wars thing.. but [he hasn’t] been able to confirm that.” However, mere days later when chatting about the studio’s move to Unreal Engine 5, Coalition senior community manager TC Shauny took to Reddit, clarifying the team is “not working on any such title” and that it has “nothing else to announce at this time.”
Yes, the above remark is coming right from the mouth of the developer, saying it has nothing to do with a digital dive into the Lucasian lore; but if a Coalition Star Wars project were to be announced, it would not be the first time a studio has lied about what it’s working on. It’s also worth noting that EA is losing its exclusive hold on the Star Wars gaming license in 2023, which would open it up to studios like The Coalition.
Compulsion Games
Location: Montreal, Quebec Last game: We Happy Few
Compulsion Games is one of the lesser-known studios in the fold at Xbox, but there is no reason to think that it couldn’t achieve great things in the near future. The French-Canadian team was acquired by Microsoft back in 2018 and has been pretty much radio silent since. Other than a few remarks praising Xbox Game Pass, the We Happy Few developer has kept things pretty quiet.
Earlier this year, rumours were swirling that a new Compulsion game announcement was imminent; however, nothing has happened yet. The team has been seen hiring for a Brand Manager responsible for “all… marketing initiatives in the studio and liaise with [the] Microsoft marketing team.” Could that mean a marketing plan is coming together for as a We Happy Few follow-up? It’s entirely possible.
In a September 2021 interview with French site XboxSquad, it was mentioned that the studio’s next title would be third-person, utilize Unreal Engine, and is about halfway done. So, a first tease and reveal is likely just around the corner.
Double Fine Productions
Location: San Francisco, California Last game: Psychonauts 2
Of course Double Fine is going to be difficult to dissect in an article such as this simply because it just released a long-awaited title in Psychonauts 2. Founder Tim Schafer’s development house has become one of the most beloved in gaming. Double Fine has honed this out-there, yet very emotionally real brand of storytelling, all wrapped in some incredibly colourful and bombastic packages.
Though it has barely been two months since their last game shipped, the team is already looking on the horizon at what is next. When speaking to GamesIndustry while promoting the Psychonauts sequel, Double Fine founder Tim Schafer let slip that their next endeavour would be “something new and original and surprising.”
In most cases, it’s hard to glean anything from nebulous adjectives like “new,” “original,” and “surprising.” That effort becomes herculean when dealing with the enigma that is Tim Schafer. With a studio that has tackled everything from platforming through people’s psyches to Jack Black-led adventures into the world of heavy metal, this next Double Fine game could be anything.
id Software
Location: Richardson, Texas Last game: Doom Eternal
Another of the megatons that came in the Bethesda/Xbox deal was id Software. The studio that practically invented the first-person shooter has not stopped churning out pulse-pounding action games for more than twenty years. id has recently been on a roll, reviving the Doom franchise with Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal.
As for where the team goes next, it might not be where you expect. According to rumours, the team is currently hard at work on a revival of another groundbreaking FPS, Quake. The Quake reboot supposedly will feature a new female protagonist and will offer both multiplayer and single-player modes.
Nothing of this potential Quake title has been confirmed; however, Xbox’s Phil Spencer has mentioned that he has seen id’s three-year road map and it looks “fun.” Does this mean the Quake revival — if real — could be seen in the next 36 months? That looks to be the case. For now, though, all fans can do is wait with bated breath for another white-knuckled adventure from the id Software team.
The Initiative
Location: Santa Monica, California Last game: N/A
The Initiative has been one of the biggest news stories in the gaming world for quite some time. Announced as the first-ever “AAAA” studio, the Santa Monica team was assembled by Microsoft with the sole purpose of taking on the likes of Naughty Dog and Guerilla at Sony. This studio has been the beacon of hope for Xbox gamers, as it will potentially offer the big-budget, prestige exclusives that Microsoft’s console competition has seemingly had on lock in recent years.
Back in December 2020, nearly three years after its inception, it was announced that the team would be reviving the Perfect Dark franchise. Now, not too much is known about the upcoming return of Joanna Dark, but it has been described as a “reinvention of the series” with an “eco sci-fi” backdrop.
Perfect Dark has been fairly quiet since its unveiling back at last year’s Game Awards. The Initiative team has let out a tidbit here and a nugget there about the project. Most recently, it was announced that Crystal Dynamics (known for its work on the Tomb Raider reboot and Marvel’s Avengers) would be brought on to help with the project, but other than that, news on The Initiative has been lacking as of late.
inXiles Entertainment
Location: Tustin, California Last game: Wasteland 3
inXile joins the likes of Obsidian and Bethesda Game Studios as the RPG music makers of the Xbox first-party. For some reason in Microsoft’s acquisition spree, the tech giant has leaned into picking up some of the best role-playing-based studios out there, and inXile is no exception.
Taking a peek at what the team is working on, inXile is coming hot off the heels of launching the classic Fallout spiritual sequel Wasteland 3 in the latter half of 2020. Just because the studio has only recently put something out, though, does not mean that it’s not working hard on its next title for Microsoft.
Speaking on a podcast in August 2021, Windows Central’s Jez Corden said the Wasteland studio is currently plunking away on a “steampunk RPG” known as “Project Cobalt.” The game is rumoured to be coming out sometime in 2023 and if a pair of recent job listings are to be believed, it could be first-person instead of the classic isometric view the studio’s titles are known for.
Machine Games
Location: Uppsala, Sweden Last game: Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot
Another of the development houses acquired in the blockbuster Zenimax/Xbox deal, MachineGames has garnered quite the reputation for its FPS titles. Similar to sister studio id Software, MachineGames has spent recent years breathing life into a classic shooter franchise. Where it was Doom with id, here it is Wolfenstein. Both of the mainline games in the MachineGames Wolfenstein reboot have received mostly positive reviews. Though some of the subsequent spin-offs have not fared as well, the Swedish studio does not look like it’s going to slow down.
The next announced project for MachineGames is Indiana Jones, though not much has come out on Indy’s next adventure. Fans have seen a brief teaser trailer and heard confirmation from Zenimax that it will be an “original, standalone tale set at the height of the career of the famed adventurer.” As for when gamers can expect to see Indiana Jones, Bethesda’s Pete Hines said at E3 2021 that the title is still in the “very, very, very early stages of development,” so it will likely be years before it sees the light of day.
And a look at Harrison Ford’s famed adventurer is not the only thing MachineGames has cooking up. It has been more than four years since the conclusion of the team’s Wolfenstein trilogy was teased by the studio. Though no concrete details are known and no trailer has been released, Bethesda’s Pete Hines has mentioned that Wolfenstein 3 is “absolutely” something they would want to release. Hines also commented that “You can put [him] at the head of the list of people who want to see another Wolfenstein game.” So a Wolfenstein 3 is bound to happen, it’s just a matter of when.
Mojang Studios
Location: Stockholm, Sweden Last game: Minecraft Dungeons
Monetarily speaking, Mojang may be the biggest studio at Xbox Game Studios. Minecraft continues to be a monster hit for the developer, transcending video games and becoming one of the biggest brands in pop culture. Since Minecraft launched in 2011, the team has released plenty of updates to the title, a couple of standalone digital card/strategy games, and last year debuted the Diablo-esque Minecraft Dungeons.
Now, “Minecraft 2” is probably not coming for a while longer, but that doesn’t mean the Stolkholm-based team is not working on something new and exciting. According to Windows Central, “two all-new projects that aren’t Minecraft or Minecraft Dungeons” are on the way from Mojang.
As of late, teases of a 2D Terraria-looking project have surfaced on the official Minecraft Instagram. This could simply be the studio’s social team showcasing art inspired by its digital block-building empire, or it could be hinting that an announcement may be imminent.
Ninja Theory
Location: Cambridge, England Last game: Bleeding Edge
Ninja Theory is primed and ready to break through into the mainstream with its next project. The team released Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice in 2017 to rave reviews, with many critics praising the game’s harrowing first-hand account of someone dealing with severe mental illness. Since then, the studio stumbled a bit with multiplayer brawler Bleeding Edge. The team’s first Xbox-exclusive title failed to capture the audience needed to sustain an online game like that and was shut down less than a year after release.
But Bleeding Edge is in the rearview and the future looks bright for Ninja Theory.Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is the most imminent project for the English developer. Though no release date has been announced for the title, it is rumoured to be coming sometime in 2022.
Aside from the Hellblade sequel, Ninja Theory is also working away at two more things. The first, Project: Mara, has received a brief proof-of-concept video and looks to be some sort of modern sci-fi horror game. The second, known as The Insight Project, doesn’t look to be a game at all and has been described by the studio as ‘an ambitious combination of technology, game design, and clinical neuroscience brought together with the aim of treating mental suffering.” It’s unclear when either might release.
Obsidian Entertainment
Location: Irvine, California Last game: Grounded
Acquired back in 2018 and kicking off this era of acquisitions for Xbox, Obsidian Entertainment has specialized in the western RPG for decades. The team behind hits such as Pillars of Eternity, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and Fallout: New Vegas has already put out a couple of games since being purchased by the ‘Big M.’
The studio’s first Xbox exclusive, Grounded, has been in early access on console and PC for over a year with constant updates to keep players enticed. The team has said that an official 1.0 release of the game is coming in 2021, but sitting here in mid-October with no news of a full Grounded release, that 2021 window seems more and more unlikely.
Other than Obsidian’s shrunken survival early access adventure, the Irvine, California-based team has already unveiled its next two projects. Revealed back at the Xbox Games Showcase in July 2020, Avowed looks to be a classic Obsidian RPG set in a fantastical fantasy world. Also, the studio is also hard at work on the follow-up to 2019’s The Outer Worlds. Other than brief teasers for both games not much is known about either project. However, according to a recent tweet from Obsidian design director Josh Sawyer both are currently in some sort of playable state. A recent report from Windows Central offered some more details while noting that the game is still in the “early” phases of development.
It has been made known that that studio is not stopping with its two currently announced projects and that it’s working on some sort of third unannounced secret game. For years, fans have been clamoring for a new Fallout from Obsidian, and this very well could be that. One of the people working on said “secret” project is the previously mentioned Josh Sawyer, who directed Fallout: New Vegas. Now, Sawyer has worked his way up the ladder since New Vegas launched in 2010, but if the studio were to be taking on Fallout again, his expertise would be helpful.
Playground Games
Location: Leamington Spa, England Last game: Forza Horizon 4
Playground Games is about to make a statement here in 2021. In a matter of weeks, the studio will launch the fifth entry in the Forza Horizon series, offering players the opportunity to take in another massive open world full of racing, stunts, and fun to be had. The UK team has become known for their more arcadey take on the Forza name, having done it to critical acclaim. And judging from everything we have seen thus far of Horizon 5, it’s going to be another hit for Playground.
Now what’s next for Playground will be an opportunity to leave the engine blocks and asphalt in the rearview for a bit, and flex their muscles. Fable was announced at the 2020 Xbox Games Showcase, serving as a soft reboot for the famed Xbox RPG franchise. Other than that initial CG trailer, nothing has been shown off from the Playground Fable project, but judging from that debut tease, it will blend the series’ signature humour with an expansive fairy tale world.
As for when gamers can expect Fable to release is anyone’s guess. However, on a recent IGN podcast, Phil Spencer did drop that fans can expect it sooner rather than later, saying it would see the light of day before Elder Scrolls VI, and VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb has mentioned that the goal is to have Fable launch in 2023.
Rare
Location: Twycross, England Last game: Sea of Thieves
Rare is one of the most beloved names in gaming. While it hasn’t captured gamers quite the same way it did before being purchased by Microsoft in 2002, the studio’s legacy is one that cannot be taken lightly. Despite a string of lackluster titles within the Microsoft stable, Rare has found its footing a bit as of late with projects like Rare Replay and Sea of Thieves. The latter title has garnered quite the fanbase and has seen various updates and big-name crossovers since its 2018 debut.
Next on the docket for the English studio is Everwild. Dubbed by many as one of the biggest question marks on the Xbox slate of upcoming titles, details on this game are sparse. The project was first announced back in 2019, having been in development for nearly three years at the time. Since then, though, sailing has been less than smooth for Everwild. The title has supposedly been rebooted completely within the studio and now is targeting a 2024 release date.
Roundhouse Studios
Location: Madison, Wisconsin Last game: Rune 2 (PC)
While Roundhouse is a relatively new studio, the team is anything but. Formerly known as Human Head Studios, this development team has been working as a unit since the turn of the millennium. The studio most known for 2006’s Prey had to shut its doors in 2019 but was almost immediately purchased by Bethesda and reopened under the name Roundhouse.
Nothing is currently known about the team’s current project, but it’s working on something. As a part of the acquisition announcement in 2019, Bethesda stated that the studio would “immediately begin work on unannounced projects at Bethesda.” So they rather than working as a support studio they are currently fiddling around with something. Games will just have to wait to see what it possibly could be.
Tango Gameworks
Location: Tokyo, Japan Last game: The Evil Within 2
The funny thing about this next member of the Xbox family is that its most imminent project is a PS5 timed console exclusive. Having been a part of the Bethesda/Microsoft deal, Tango Gameworks’ Ghostwire: Tokyois one of the remnants of a time before ZeniMax’s teams were a part of Xbox. The team has said it will honour the deal it had in place with Sony and will launch the game on PlayStation 5, but after that, it will likely only be Xbox and PC for the Japanese development house.
After initially being given a 2021 release date, Ghostwire is now set to debut sometime in 2022. This delay was likely due to the departure of the project’s creative director in March of this year, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has surely not made development run as smoothly as the team had thought when initially pitching this super-powered horror title.
Aside from Ghostwire: Tokyo, though, Tango has made it clear that they are already working away on what will be their first Xbox exclusive. At Tokyo Game Show 2021, studio head Shinji Mikami revealed that another new game is happening and is being worked on by The Evil Within 2 director John Johanas. When probed on the project, he said that “right now John is in the middle of working energetically on a new game,” but did not make mention as to whether it will be The Evil Within 3.
Turn 10 Studios
Location: Redmond, Washington Last game: Forza Motorsport 7
Similar to Gran Turismo developer Polyphony on the Sony side, Turn 10 is the racing sim specialist over at Microsoft. The team prides itself on pushing Xbox hardware to the brink, creating a stellar simulation driving experience with photorealistic graphics. The Redmond-based studio has only ever worked on the Forza Motorsport series, so it is easy to predict where they will go next.
Forza Motorsport 8 has been the worst kept secret for a number of years. Turn 10 has made it very clear that the next Forza game is well on its way. And gamers may not have to wait long to get their hands on Forza 8.
Earlier this year, Turn 10 started playtesting for its next project so that could mean that the game is coming sooner than later. If anything is to be gleaned from the last couple releases of Forza Motorsport, they come either a year after or before a new Forza Horizon. With Forza Horizon 5 coming out this Fall, a 2022 release for Forza Motorsport 8 would not be all that surprising.
Undead Labs
Location: Seattle, Washington Last game: State of Decay 2
Undead Labs was founded back in 2009 with the sole purpose of tackling digital dives into the world of the undead. The studio’s State of Decay series, while never blowing critics away, has cultivated quite the cult following. Though the team has only released two games up to this point, the jump from State of Decay 1 to 2 was a welcome one. Undead Labs has continued to innovate on its projects and that trend is showing no signs of slowing.
After allegedly canceling an MMO based in the State of Decay world, Undead Labs has announced its next game will be State of Decay 3. The game has been shown off a couple of times since its debut, yet no release date has been given. If a recent job listing is to be believed, it could still be a while until Undead’s next title hits store shelves. The listing is for a sound designer specializing in work in Unreal Engine 5, meaning the title is still in active development with release still a number of steps down the pipeline.
ZeniMax Online Studios
Location: Hunt Valley, Maryland Last game: The Elder Scrolls Online
For the better part of a decade, ZeniMax Online Studios has been solely focused on The Elder Scrolls Online. The Elder Scrolls MMO has received a number of expansions and updates since its initial 2014 release and still has an active player population filling its servers.
For a long time, it’s felt like ZeniMax Online wasn’t even thinking about what is coming next. They had helped with games like Fallout 76 and Doom (2016), but spoken very little when it came to a new game from the studio itself. Well, turns out that while catering to the ESO audience and aiding on other Bethesda projects the team has been working on something after all.
It’s been out there for quite a while that ZeniMax Online is working on another MMO based on a new IP. Late last year, the studio was seen going on quite the hiring spree and is growing in numbers again as we speak. Now, nothing has been spoken of regarding this brand new IP, but it’s seemingly running on Unreal Engine. It’s exciting to know another game is coming from the Maryland studio; however, do not expect to be playing it any time in the near future.
