Halo is one of Xbox‘s most beloved franchises. And for the majority of its life, the series has been exclusive to Xbox consoles. That made it both surprising and exciting when the upcoming Halo remake was confirmed for PS5. This was part of Xbox’s pivot away from console-exclusive releases. However, the company is changing strategies yet again, and recently announced two upcoming Xbox Series X|S exclusive releases. And from the sounds of it, the move could be putting our dreams of Halo 7 on PS5 at risk.
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Many gamers were surprised when the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day was confirmed to be an Xbox console exclusive. This is just one of many changes Xbox is making as it prepares for a “reset,” according to CEO Asha Sharma. While console exclusives are returning, it seems that games like Fable and Halo: Campaign Evolved will still honor the promise of a multiplatform launch. But from the sounds of it, this could be the only Halo game we ever see on PlayStation.
Reliable Insiders Suggest Halo Was Pulled from State of Play Showcase at the Last Minute
The return to console exclusives is just part of a massive overhaul, which will reportedly include layoffs at Xbox, as well. According to a recent blog post from CEO Asha Sharma, the company needs a reset to address ongoing gaps between budgets and revenue. Investing in Xbox consoles, including bringing back exclusive game releases, is part of the broader plan. And that likely means that even though Campaign Evolved for PS5 is still happening, Halo 7 will almost definitely be Xbox exclusive.
Rumors suggest that the decision to return to console-exclusive games might have been made pretty last-minute going into last week’s Xbox Games Showcase. It certainly came as a surprise to many when Gears of War: E-Day was revealed as the first Xbox exclusive in over a year. While longtime Xbox fans might be happy, not everyone is. Gamers who have a PS5 at home were no doubt hoping to see this game released for their console, like other major upcoming Xbox Games titles like Fable and Halo: Campaign Evolved.
According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Xbox’s sudden pivot in strategy could be putting its relationship with other game developers at risk. Supposedly, a new trailer for Halo: Campaign Evolved should have aired during last week’s PlayStation State of Play. But with the move back to prioritizing Xbox console exclusivity, it was reportedly pulled at the last minute. Instead, the trailer debuted as part of Xbox’s own showcase event. From the sounds of it, that move could have damaged the relationship between Xbox and PlayStation. And that’s not great news for Halo 7 on PS5.
As of now, Xbox plans to honor games previously announced for other platforms. That should hopefully still include Halo: Campaign Evolved, even with the trailer snafu. Indeed, the Steam and PS5 logos were still listed at the end of the new trailer. However, if it’s true that PlayStation is less than thrilled with Xbox’s last-minute change of heart regarding who got to air the trailer, this may well be the last time fans can expect to see a PlayStation logo anywhere near a new Halo game.
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