Halo’s developer is reportedly switching to Unreal Engine

Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries is reportedly planning to ditch its proprietary Slipspace Engine for Unreal.

That’s according to journalist Jeremy Penter, who wrote on Sunday: “I can only confirm that many sources are saying this and very clear that it’s already been decided and Halo is for sure switching to Unreal.”

If accurate, it’s not clear what this decision would mean for Halo Infinite itself, which 343 has publicly committed to supporting for a decade.

A game engine is a framework used for the development of games, often incorporating tools and systems for elements such as graphics, physics, networking and more.

As the cost and effort associated with creating an original engine are high, most game developers opt for an off-the-shelf solution such as Epic’s Unreal Engine or Unity.

If 343 has indeed decided to switch to Unreal, it would follow a long line of development road bumps, as well as significant departures – including the lead engineer behind the Slipspace Engine himself, who was confirmed to have left last month.

VGC has asked Microsoft for comment on this story.

Halo Infinite was famously delayed by more than a year, just months before it was due to release alongside the Xbox Series X|S consoles.

When it did arrive in December 2021, it did so without many modes and features, including Forge and Campaign Co-op – the latter of which was recently cancelled for online players.

Players have also been frustrated with the frequency of post-launch updates, with 343 itself acknowledging earlier this year that the game’s community is “out of patience” at the studio’s perceived lack of activity and communication.

Changes appear to be underway behind the scenes, as studio head Bonnie Ross announced last month that she’s stepping down after 15 years in charge of the studio in order to attend to a family medical issue.

Coinciding with the announcement of her departure, Microsoft said it had restructured 343’s leadership team. 343’s former head of production, Pierre Hintze, has taken on the role of studio head.

Bryan Koski, who previously headed up marketing for Halo, is set to become GM of the franchise, while business, operations and esports head Elizabeth Van Wyck will oversee business and operations.