ⓘ Xbox Game Studios

Since the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft's gaming portfolio has included both Halo and Call of Duty – and in the future, the teams behind the two franchises could also work more closely together. Halo-focused YouTuber and insider Rebs Gaming claims to have learned from an anonymous source that Microsoft is currently considering involving Activision in future Halo games. Sledgehammer Games is reportedly among the studios being considered. According to the report, the Call of Duty developer could contribute to a Halo multiplayer project. However, none of this has been officially confirmed so far.

According to Rebs, Activision already experimented with an initial Halo prototype in June 2026. However, it was still in the so-called blockout phase, where basic gameplay mechanics such as player movement are tested. In other words, it was far from being a new Halo game in active development.

The experiment did not last particularly long, either: The prototype was reportedly scrapped in early July. However, that does not mean a collaboration is off the table. According to Rebs, Microsoft is still exploring whether Activision could contribute to future Halo projects, although no such game has reportedly been greenlit yet. It is also unclear which Activision studio was behind the prototype. While Sledgehammer Games has been mentioned as a potential partner for a Halo multiplayer project, the original claims do not indicate whether the studio was also responsible for developing the prototype.

The discussions surrounding Activision could well be part of a broader development. Rebs Gaming says he analyzed the credits for Halo: Campaign Evolved and counted 15 studios involved in the project. Some of them reportedly did far more than traditional support work: Virtuos, for example, is said to have handled extensive work on the game world as well as characters, vehicles and weapons. Abstraction, meanwhile, reportedly worked directly on campaign missions, including scripted events and gameplay balancing. To Rebs, this suggests that outsourcing and co-development could play an even greater role in future Halo games. Whether Microsoft actually intends to pursue this approach in the long term remains unclear, however – for now, this is merely the YouTuber's assessment.

On Reddit, the development has drawn mixed reactions. Many users are particularly skeptical of Rebs Gaming and his anonymous sources. The prospect of Halo Studios outsourcing larger parts of development in the future has also been met with criticism. Others are much less concerned, pointing out that co-development has long been standard practice for major AAA productions and that the sheer number of studios involved therefore does not necessarily say much on its own.

Surprisingly, many fans are relatively open to the possibility of Sledgehammer Games getting involved. Some users can easily imagine the Call of Duty studio developing a Halo multiplayer project and particularly praise its post-launch support and handling of community feedback. Much of the stronger criticism is instead directed at Halo Studios: There is considerable frustration within the community over how the Halo franchise has been handled in recent years, with some even accusing those responsible of years of mismanagement.

As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.