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{{Short description|Video game series}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox video game series
| title = Halo
| image = Halo (series) logo.svg
| developer = {{plainlist|
* [[Bungie]] <br />(2001–2010)
* [[Halo Studios]] <br />(2011–present)}}
| publisher = [[Xbox Game Studios]]
| platforms = {{plainlist|
*[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
*[[Windows]]
*[[macOS]]
*[[Xbox 360]]
*[[Windows Phone]]
*[[iOS]]
*[[Xbox One]]
*[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]
*[[Xbox Series X/S]]
*[[PlayStation 5]]
}}
| first release version = ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
| first release date = November 15, 2001 
| latest release version = ''[[Halo Infinite]]''
| latest release date = December 8, 2021
| genre = {{plainlist|
*[[First-person shooter]] (primary)
*[[Real-time strategy]] 
*[[Twin-stick shooter]]}}
|caption=Logo used since ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''}}
'''''Halo''''' is a [[military science fiction]] [[video game series]] and [[media franchise]], originally developed by [[Bungie]] and currently managed and developed by [[Halo Studios]] (previously 343 Industries), part of [[Microsoft]]'s [[Xbox Game Studios]]. The series launched in November 2001 with the [[first-person shooter]] video game ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' and its tie-in novel, ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach|The Fall of Reach]]''. The latest major installment, ''[[Halo Infinite]]'', was released in 2021. Spinoffs include [[real-time strategy]] and [[twin-stick shooter]] games.

Bungie began as a developer of computer games for the Macintosh platform, making games including [[Marathon 2: Durandal|''Marathon 2: Durandal'']] (1995). After the company was acquired by Microsoft in 2000, their in-progress game, which started life as a [[real-time strategy game]], became ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', a [[first-person shooter]] and exclusive launch title for Microsoft's [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] video game console. Following the success of ''Halo'', Bungie developed additional ''Halo'' sequels before and after regaining its independence from Microsoft in 2007. Microsoft established 343 Industries to oversee ''Halo'' going forward, producing games itself and in partnership with other studios. The developer was restructured and rebranded as Halo Studios in 2024, in conjunction with producing new games that would shift the series away from being developed on proprietary game technology, and towards being available on multiple platforms beyond Xbox and Windows going forward.

''Halo: Combat Evolved'' was the Xbox's flagship "[[killer app]]" and cemented Microsoft as a major competitor in the video game console space, and its sequels pioneered online matchmaking, social features, and video game marketing. The games have sold more than 81&nbsp;million copies worldwide. With more than $6&nbsp;billion in franchise sales, ''Halo'' is one of the [[List of highest-grossing media franchises|highest-grossing media franchises of all time]], spanning novels, graphic novels, comic books, short films, animated films, feature films, fan-made short [[machinima]] animations and [[List of Halo media|other licensed products]].
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==Story==
Millions of years ago, a powerful [[Extraterrestrials in fiction|interstellar species]] known as the Precursors seeded the galaxy with life. One of their created races, known as the Forerunners, attacked their former masters and drove the Precursors into near extinction. A few Precursors turned into a dust, intending to regenerate themselves in the future. This dust became defective, infecting and contorting organisms into a new parasitic species, connected by a hivemind: the [[Flood (Halo)|Flood]]. Spacefaring ancient humanity, fighting the Flood, also came into conflict with the Forerunners. After defeating humanity, the Forerunners reduced humanity's technology and species to a primitive level, while they concentrated on the threat of the Flood. The Forerunners conceived the Halo Array—ring-shaped megastructures and weapons of last resort that would destroy all sentient life in the galaxy to stop the Flood's spread. The array could be activated from the Ark, a repository of sentient life outside the range of the Halos. Exhausting all other options, the Array was activated, ending the Flood outbreak. The surviving Forerunners reseeded life and left the Milky Way galaxy.

{{stack|[[File:Halo3 ark-and-halo-reborn.png|thumb|alt=A vast ring-shaped object, thousands of kilometers in diameter, hovers in space. The outside of the ring is metallic, while the inner portion features land and sea. The ring is under construction; portions of the ring are merely a skeletal framework.|A human ship approaches a Halo megastructure under construction. Portions of the Ark are visible at the bottom. From the video game ''[[Halo 3]]'' (2007).]]}}
Nearly a hundred thousand years later, in the 26th century, humanity—under the auspices of the Unified Earth Government, or UEG, and their United Nations Space Command, or UNSC—colonizes many worlds thanks to the development of faster-than-light "slipstream space" (i.e., [[hyperspace]]) travel. Tensions between the government and colonies desiring independence sparks violence. The UNSC's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) creates the SPARTAN-II Project to create an elite group of enhanced [[supersoldiers]] to suppress the rebellions. In the year 2525, human worlds come under attack by a [[Theocracy|theocratic]] alliance of [[extraterrestrials in fiction|alien]] races known as the [[Covenant (Halo)|Covenant]], whose leadership declares humanity an affront to their gods, the Forerunners. The Covenant begin a genocidal holy war. Their superior technology and numbers prove to be decisive advantages; although effective, the Spartans are too few to turn the tide of battle in humanity's favor. After the Covenant invaded Reach in 2552, the UNSC's last major stronghold besides Earth, [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief John-117]] was left as one of the few remaining Spartans.

The rediscovery of the Halo rings prompts a desperate battle against the Covenant, who believe they are instruments of transcendence, not destruction. Master Chief and his artificial intelligence [[Cortana (Halo)|Cortana]] are instrumental in the destruction of a Halo ring to stop the Covenant and the threat of the Flood. Turmoil within the Covenant and the revelation of the Halo Array's true purpose leads to the Covenant splintering into civil war. The disgraced former Covenant commander known as the [[Arbiter (Halo)|Arbiter]], along with many of his species, helps the humans stop the Covenant leadership from activating the Halo Array via the Ark. The Human-Covenant War ends.

In the post-war era, the UNSC trains a new generation of Spartans, and tensions between the UNSC and rebels resumes. The Master Chief and Cortana accidentally free the Forerunner commander Didact and he briefly returns to assert supremacy over humanity. Master Chief and Cortana halt his plans, although Cortana is initially believed dead in the attempt. Cortana's survival through the Domain leads her to break with the UNSC and assert a new [[hegemony]] over the galaxy, with artificial intelligence (the "Created") in control.<ref name="halo mythos">{{Cite book |last1=Easterling |first1=Jeff |title=Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo |last2=Patenaude |first2=Jeremy |last3=Peters |first3=Kenneth |publisher=Bloomsbury |year=2016 |isbn=9781681193564 |editor-last=Fortune, Emil}}</ref> After two years of a scattered war between Cortana and the UNSC, Cortana attacks the Banished, a mercenary organization of former Covenant races. The Banished win the resultant conflict, terminating Cortana and battling the UNSC for control of Zeta Halo.<ref name="playingthehits" />

==Game series==
{{VG timeline
| subtitle = Mainline number entries in '''bold'''
| 2001 = '''''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'''''
| 2004 = '''''[[Halo 2]]'''''
| 2007 = '''''[[Halo 3]]'''''
| 2009a = ''[[Halo Wars]]''
| 2009b = ''[[Halo 3: ODST]] ''
| 2010 = '''''[[Halo: Reach]]'''''
| 2011 = ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''
| 2012 = '''''[[Halo 4]]'''''
| 2013 = ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
| 2014 = ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]''
| 2015a = ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
| 2015b = '''''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'''''
| 2017 = ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
| 2018a = ''Halo: Fireteam Raven''
| 2018b = ''Halo Recruit''
| 2021 = '''''[[Halo Infinite]]'''''
| 2026 = ''[[Halo: Campaign Evolved]]''
}}

===2001–2010: Bungie games===
[[File:Old_Bungie_Logo.svg|alt=Logomark of Bungie|thumb|Bungie originated the ''Halo'' game series and developed games from 2001 to 2010.]]
Video game studio [[Bungie]] was founded in 1991 by [[Alex Seropian]] in Chicago, Illinois, who partnered with programmer [[Jason Jones (programmer)|Jason Jones]] the following year to market and release Jones' game ''[[Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete]]''. Focusing on the [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] game market because it was smaller and easier to compete, Bungie became a preeminent game developer on the platform, releasing the successful ''[[Myth (video game series)|Myth]]'' and ''[[Marathon Trilogy|Marathon]]''. Bungie began development on a new game in 1997, referring to it by the temporary code names "Monkey Nuts" and later "Blam!" after Jones could not bring himself to say the previous codename to his mother.<ref name="gamesradar-history of halo">{{cite web |author=Staff|date=October 8, 2007|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-history-of-halo/a-2007100812649684036 |title=The History of Halo; How two students went from Pong clones to the biggest game of all time |website=[[GamesRadar]] |pages=1–4 |access-date=October 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123041945/http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-history-of-halo/a-2007100812649684036 |archive-date=November 23, 2008 }}</ref><ref name="trautmann_2004">{{Cite book |last=Trautmann |first=Eric |title=The Art of Halo |publisher=Del Ray Publishing |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-345-47586-2}}</ref>{{rp|ix}} "Blam!" was conceived as a science fiction [[real-time strategy]] game and took place on a hollowed-out world called Solipsis. The planet eventually became a [[ringworld]] called "Halo", in turn giving the game its title.<ref name="ign_2016-07-14">{{cite web|last=McLaughlin|first=Rus|date=July 14, 2016|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/07/11/ign-presents-the-history-of-halo-2|title=IGN Presents: The History of Halo|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=January 24, 2025}}</ref>

As the development team began experimenting with incorporating vehicles with realistic physics simulations, they began moving the distant third-person camera closer to the action. Bungie decided it would be more fun to directly control units than direct them, and the game shifted to a third-person shooter.<ref name="ign_2016-07-14" /><ref name="vice-2017-05-30">{{cite web|last=Haske|first=Steven|date=May 30, 2017|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history/|title=The Complete, Untold History of Halo|work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|url-status=live|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315011247/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|archive-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref> ''Halo'' was announced on July 21, 1999, during the [[Macworld Conference & Expo]]. The title of the game was finalized only days before it was announced at Macworld.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" />

Bungie was undergoing financial difficulties, and [[Microsoft]] was looking for games for its upcoming [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] video game console. In June 2000, Microsoft announced their acquisition of Bungie, and ''Halo''—now having morphed into a [[first-person shooter]]—became a launch title for the Xbox [[video game console]].<ref name="ign_2016-07-14" /><ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> Relocated from Chicago to Redmond, Washington, Bungie had roughly 14 months to finish the game before the Xbox launched. The story slowly began to take shape, with an internal debate at Bungie over how much personality to give the main character. Writer [[Joe Staten]] wanted to do more than have the player character be an "empty vessel" like ''[[Half-Life (series)|Half-Life]]''{{'}}s [[Gordon Freeman]], so they wrote him with a sense of humor. Deciding he should be referred to by his naval rank, Bungie decided on "[[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief]]". Despite a difficult and hectic development schedule, ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' shipped as a launch title for the Xbox on November 15, 2001.<ref name="ign_2016-07-14" /><ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /><ref name="yeffeth_2007:takahashi">{{cite book|last=Takahashi|first=Dean|editor-last=Yeffeth|editor-first=Glenn|date=March 11, 2007|title=Halo Effect: An Unauthorized Look at the Most Successful Video Game of All Time|chapter=The Making of Halo and Halo 2|publisher=BenBella Books|isbn=978-1-933771-11-3}}</ref>{{rp|112–113}} The Xbox's marketing heavily featured ''Halo'', whose green color palette meshed with the console's design scheme.<ref name="gamasutra-fries">{{Cite web |last=Alexander|first=Leigh |date=August 14, 2009 |title=Interview: Former Microsoft Exec Fries Talks Xbox's Genesis |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24831 |access-date=August 17, 2009 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606120130/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24831 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Halo'' was a critical and commercial success, selling alongside half of every Xbox sold.<ref name="wired_2002-01-09">{{cite magazine|last=Patrizio|first=Andy |date=January 9, 2002 |url=https://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/01/49600 |title=Xbox Assault Only Starting |magazine=[[Wired News|Wired]] |access-date=September 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216142548/http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/01/49600 |archive-date=December 16, 2008}}</ref> By July 2006, the game had sold 4.2&nbsp;million copies and earned $170&nbsp;million in the United States.<ref name="edge_2006">{{cite magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165955/http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/ |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/ |title=The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century |author=Staff |date=August 25, 2006 |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |archive-date=October 17, 2012}}</ref>

<!-- WORK -->
''Halo: Combat Evolved'' introduced many elements common to the franchise. Players battle enemies on foot and in vehicles to complete objectives across a mysterious alien landscape. ''Halo'' limited the number of weapons players could carry to two, forcing them to carefully select their preferred armament.<ref name="gamespotreview">{{Cite web |last=Fielder |first=Joe |date=November 9, 2001 |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' review at GameSpot |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-review/1900-2823816/ |access-date=August 2, 2006 |website=[[GameSpot]] |archive-date=January 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126121430/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-review/1900-2823816/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Players fight with ranged and melee attacks, as well as grenades. Bungie referred to the "weapons-grenades-melee" format as the "Golden Triangle of ''Halo''".<ref name="ign_2021-12-04">{{cite web|last=Terence|first=Anthony|date=December 4, 2021|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/how-halo-infinites-equipment-reshapes-its-golden-triangle|title=How Halo Infinite's Equipment Reshapes Its Golden Triangle|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=January 30, 2025}}</ref> The player's has health measured in [[hit point]]s that must be replenished with health packs, but also has a perpetually recharging energy shield.<ref name="gamespyreview">{{Cite web |last=Accardo |first=Sal |date=November 15, 2001 |title=GameSpy's review of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for the Xbox |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/november01/halo/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019185322/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/november01/halo/ |archive-date=October 19, 2006 |access-date=September 2, 2006 |website=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref>

While ''Halo'' had not been intended as a franchise, the Bungie team wanted to make an ambitious sequel, looking to story and gameplay ideas that had been ultimately cut from ''Combat Evolved'', and inspired by how fans had received the game.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /><ref name="eurogamer_2010-04-11">{{Cite web |last=Fahey|first=Rob |date=April 11, 2010 |title=Better Than Halo: The Making of Halo 2 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/better-than-halo-the-making-of-halo-2-article |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411122608/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/better-than-halo-the-making-of-halo-2-article |archive-date=April 11, 2010 |access-date=April 11, 2010 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |pages=1–7}}</ref> In particular, Bungie was surprised by how many fans used the [[System Link]] capability to network consoles together and play multiplayer in [[LAN party|LAN parties]]. With the launch of the [[Xbox Live]] online multiplayer service, Bungie wanted to bring ''Halo'' multiplayer to the internet.<ref name="eurogamer_2010-04-11" />

<!-- WORK -->
''[[Halo 2]]'', was announced on August 8, 2002, at Microsoft's [[X (Xbox show)|X02]] press event,<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2002 |title=Halo 2 and Project Gotham Racing 2 Announced! |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/367/367129p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020813001604/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/367/367129p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 13, 2002 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> and an impressive demo of the game was shown at Electronic Entertainment Expo the following year. The demo showed off new features like dual-wielding weapons and hijacking enemy vehicles, but behind the scenes the game was undergoing a troubled development; Bungie had to scrap the ambitious graphics engine as it would not run effectively on the Xbox hardware, leadership changes resulted in more infighting, and artists and designers wasted time developing assets that would ultimately not ship in the game. A planned massive multiplayer mode was entirely cut, leading to developer [[Max Hoberman]]'s smaller-scale local mode becoming the only multiplayer offering. As the game's release date slipped, the studio entered a sustained period of crunch to finish the game, with other Bungie games being canceled and their staff absorbed into the ''Halo'' team.<ref name="ign_2016-07-14" /><ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /><ref name="eurogamer_2010-04-11" /> The final act of the game had to be cut entirely in the rush to complete the game.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> ''Halo 2'' was released on the Xbox on in November 2004, and later for [[Windows Vista]] in 2007.<ref name="engadget_2007-05-24">{{cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Richard|date=May 24, 2007|url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-05-24-halo-2-vista-ships-may-31-in-us-europe-june-8.html|title=Halo 2 Vista ships May 31 in US, Europe June 8|website=[[Engadget]]|access-date=April 13, 2025}}</ref><ref name="ign_2024-11-09">{{cite web|last=McCaffrey|first=Ryan|date=November 9, 2024|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-2-at-20-remembering-my-favorite-xbox-game-ever|title=Halo 2 at 20: Remembering My Favorite Xbox Game Ever|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=April 13, 2025}}</ref> Part of the marketing took the form of an [[alternative reality game]], ''[[I Love Bees]]'', centered around a website apparently hacked by a mysterious intelligence. Over the course of the game, audio clips were released that formed a narrative set on Earth between ''Halo'' and ''Halo&nbsp;2''.<ref name="wired_2004-10-18">{{Cite magazine |last=Terdiman |first=Daniel |date=October 18, 2004 |title=I Love Bees Game a Surprise Hit |url=http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/10/65365 |magazine=[[Wired News]] |access-date=March 19, 2008 |archive-date=October 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015184726/http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/10/65365 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Halo 2'' was a critical and commercial success, grossing $125&nbsp;million in the first day and becoming the highest-grossing release in entertainment history up to that point; it would ultimately sell 8 million copies, becoming the best-selling Xbox game.<ref name="smh_2007-08-30">{{Cite news |last=Moses, Asher |date=August 30, 2007 |title=Prepare for all-out war |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 2, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053430/http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |archive-date=November 6, 2012}}</ref> ''Halo 2'' was also a significant motivator for subscriptions to the Xbox Live multiplayer service.<ref name="halo2mostplayed">{{Cite web |date=February 21, 2006 |title=Halo 2 tops Live most-played list |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62981 |access-date=December 10, 2006 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216143357/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62981 |url-status=live}}</ref>

{{anchor|Forge}}Frustrated by the development of ''Halo 2'' and wanting to move on to new non-''Halo'' projects, Bungie wanted to wrap things up in a satisfying manner with ''[[Halo 3]]''. Burned out by ''Halo 2'', Jason Jones went on an extended sabbatical, and the ''Halo 3'' effort started without direction as no one was definitively in charge. Designer Paul Bertone recalled that the large development staff (70–80 people) meant more meetings and less efficiency. Multiple staff members temporarily or permanently departed the development team, including Hoberman, who started his own studio, [[Certain Affinity]] after developing ''Halo 3''{{'}}s online systems. Despite the difficult development, overall ''Halo 3''{{'}}s development went more smoothly than ''Halo 2''.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> ''Halo 3'' was announced at the 2006 [[E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo)|Electronic Entertainment Expo]],<!-- CITE --> and released on the [[Xbox 360]] on September 25, 2007.<ref name="gamespot_2007-09-23">{{cite web|last=Gerstmann|first=Jeff|date=September 23, 2007|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-3-review/1900-6179646/|title=Halo 3 Review|website=[[GameSpot]]|access-date=April 13, 2025}}</ref> It added new gameplay elements, including deployable equipment and heavy weapons.<ref name="ignburning">{{Cite web |last=Goldstein, Hilary |date=August 10, 2007 |title=Burn, Baby! Burn! |url=http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/812/812177p1.html |access-date=August 10, 2007 |website=[[IGN]] |pages=1–2 |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720104610/http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/812/812177p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The game also added a limited map-editing tool, known as Forge, which allows players to insert game objects, such as weapons and vehicles, into existing multiplayer map geometry.<ref name="gamespot_2007-09-23"/> A saved films feature allowed players to record gameplay and review it from any angle.<ref name="edge179">{{Cite magazine |date=September 2007 |title=Finish the Fight |url=http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2007/08/edge_179.php |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge (UK)]] |issue=179 |pages=66–77 |issn=1350-1593 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930183634/http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2007/08/edge_179.php |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=August 7, 2007}}</ref> Backed by an extensive marketing campaign, ''Halo 3'' was a critical and commercial success, grossing $170{{nbsp}}million in the U.S. in the first 24 hours.<ref name="gamespot_2007-09-26">{{cite web|url=http://au.gamespot.com/news/halo-3s-first-day-us-haul-170-million-6179914 |website=GameSpot |title=Halo 3's first-day US haul = $170M |date=September 26, 2007 |access-date=January 16, 2008 |author=Thorsen, Tor |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926044401/http://au.gamespot.com/news/halo-3s-first-day-us-haul-170-million-6179914 |archive-date=September 26, 2012}}</ref> The game was the best-selling title of the year in the U.S., and the fourteenth best-selling game of the 2000s.<ref name="venturebeat_2020-01-16">{{cite web|last=Grubb|first=Jeff|date=January 16, 2020|url=https://venturebeat.com/business/the-top-20-best-selling-games-of-the-decade-in-the-u-s/|title=NPD: The top 20 best-selling games of the decade in the U.S.|website=[[VentureBeat]]|access-date=November 29, 2024}}</ref>

Lingering dissatisfaction with Bungie's acquisition by Microsoft in 2000 and a desire for more favorable profit-sharing on ''Halo 3'' led to an agreement where Bungie would become an independent studio after shipping a set number of new ''Halo'' games.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> Bungie announced their independence in October 2007.<ref name="seattletimes_2007-10-06" /> They were contractually obligated to produce two more ''Halo'' games as part of the deal. One project turned into the game ''[[Halo: Reach]]'', while the other was initially going to be a production with [[Peter Jackson]]'s Wingnut Interactive. When that project was scrapped, Bungie took elements prototyped for it and added them to a smaller ''Halo 3'' expansion, originally titled ''Halo 3: Recon''.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" />

Produced using the ''Halo 3'' engine and assets and with a smaller staff of only around 20 full-time employees, ''Recon''—later renamed ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]''—was conceived as a noir detective story, with the player character uncovering clues in a hub world that triggered playable flashbacks. ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' takes place between the events of [[Halo 2|''Halo 2'']]'','' and [[Halo 3|''Halo 3'']]''.'' The player had flexibility to explore and play missions in any order. Bungie staffers recalled that getting resources for the game was tough, as most of the studio's attention was on ''Halo: Reach''.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> In the game, players assume the role of weaker Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) rather than Spartan supersoldiers. Gameplay harkens back to ''Combat Evolved'', with the use of health packs and scoped pistols. A night-vision mode illuminates dark environments and highlights friends and foes. In addition to shipping with the complete ''Halo 3'' multiplayer, ''ODST'' also added a cooperative [[survival mode]] called Firefight, where players fight against waves of enemies with limited lives.<ref name="eurogamer_2014-07-27">{{cite web|last=Robinson|first=Martin|date=July 27, 2014|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/halo-3-odst-retrospective|title=Halo 3: ODST was Bungie's grand experiment that paved the way for Destiny|website=[[Eurogamer]]|access-date=May 1, 2025}}</ref><ref name="gamespot_2009-09-21">{{cite web|last=McShea|first=Tom|date=September 21, 2009|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-3-odst-review/1900-6228780/|title=Halo 3: ODST Review|website=[[GameSpot]]|access-date=May 1, 2025}}</ref> ''Halo 3: ODST'' released September 22, 2009, and was positively received, though its price as a full game (rather than a cheaper expansion) was sometimes criticized.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /><ref name="eurogamer_2010-02-16">{{cite web|last=Welsh|first=Ollie|date=February 16, 2010|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/halo-reach-x10-preview|title=Halo: Reach; For the stars|website=[[Eurogamer]]|access-date=May 1, 2025}}</ref><!-- additional ref --> It was the top-selling title of the month in the U.S. and ultimately sold more than three million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|last=Snider|first=Mike|date=October 19, 2009|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2009/10/halo-3-odst-top-selling-game-for-sept/1|title=Halo 3 ODST top selling game for September|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=October 23, 2009|archive-date=October 23, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091023091503/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2009/10/halo-3-odst-top-selling-game-for-sept/1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ign_2009-11-13">{{cite web|last=Reilly|first=Jim|date=November 13, 2009|url=http://au.ign.com/articles/2009/11/13/halo-3odst-continues-its-sales-dominance|title=Halo 3: ODST Continues Its Sales Dominance|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=November 14, 2009|archive-date=October 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015010944/http://au.ign.com/articles/2009/11/13/halo-3odst-continues-its-sales-dominance|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Eurogamer]]'' pointed to the work Bungie put into the more experimental ''Halo'' title as influencing the direction of its first post-''Halo'' game, ''[[Destiny (video game)|Destiny]]''.<ref name="eurogamer_2014-07-27"/>

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Tired of focusing on the character of Master Chief, Bungie cast ''Halo: Reach'' as a prequel to ''Combat Evolved'', taking place on the doomed human world of Reach as it falls under attack from the Covenant.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> The step backwards in the timeline was mirrored by the gameplay, which Bungie wanted to harken to ''Combat Evolved'' with more open environments and exploration, and the return of health packs.<ref name="eurogamer_2010-02-16" /> Among the new additions were the replacement of single-use equipment with persistent armor abilities that enables sprinting, jetpacks, or temporary invincibility.<ref name="ign_2010-09-12">{{cite web | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/12/halo-reach-review | title=Halo: Reach Review | date=September 12, 2010 }}</ref> The game's release was preceded by a beta to help balance the game and squash bugs.<ref name="popmech_2010-09-13">{{cite web | url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/a6117/how-halo-reach-was-created-insiders-guide/ | title=How Halo: Reach Was Created | date=September 13, 2010 }}</ref> ''Reach'' released September 14, 2010, and was a success, making $200&nbsp;million its first day and selling more than 4.7&nbsp;million units by September 2011.<ref name="gamasutra-core games">{{Cite web |last=Graft |first=Kris |date=September 16, 2010 |title=Analyst: Halo Reach Sales Bode Well For Core Gamer Market |url=http://gamasutra.com/view/news/30466/Analyst_Halo_Reach__Sales_Bode_Well_For_Core_Gamer_Market.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920081149/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/30466/Analyst_Halo_Reach__Sales_Bode_Well_For_Core_Gamer_Market.php |archive-date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=September 29, 2010 |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref><ref name="gamasutra_2011-11-08">{{Cite web |last=Orland, Kyle |date=November 8, 2011 |title=Black Ops Leads 2010–2011 U.S. Sales With 15M Units = |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/38447/Black_Ops_Leads_20102011_US_Sales_With_15M_Units.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202195603/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/38447/Black_Ops_Leads_20102011_US_Sales_With_15M_Units.php |archive-date=December 2, 2011 |access-date=December 2, 2011 |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref>

===2011–2021: 343 Industries games===
[[File:343 Industries logo.svg|alt=Logomark of 343 Industries in a curved, futuristic typeface|thumb|343 Industries was established by Microsoft Game Studios in 2007 to oversee the ''Halo'' games and associated media.]]
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While Bungie finished their association with ''Halo'', the rights to the franchise remained with Microsoft.<ref name="seattletimes_2007-10-06">{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2003928945_bungie06.html |title=Microsoft, 'Halo' maker Bungie split |last=Romano |first=Benjamin |date=October 6, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018002238/http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2003928945_bungie06.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |url-status=dead |access-date=January 6, 2013}}</ref> [[Bonnie Ross]], Xbox general manager at the time, recalled that her colleagues felt ''Halo'' was a waning property and wanted to outsource new game development,<ref name="bloomberg-save xbox">{{cite news|last1=Brustein|first1=Joshua|date=October 22, 2015|title=Can the Woman Behind Halo 5 Save the Xbox?|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-halo-5-bonnie-ross/|website=[[Bloomberg News]]|access-date=April 11, 2021|archive-date=October 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023015630/http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-halo-5-bonnie-ross/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ign-unfiltered39">{{cite web |last=McCaffrey |first=Ryan |date=February 26, 2019 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/02/26/how-bonnie-ross-is-shaping-the-future-of-halo-a-ign-unfiltered-39 |title=How Bonnie Ross Is Shaping the Future of Halo – IGN Unfiltered #39 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=April 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412173003/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/02/26/how-bonnie-ross-is-shaping-the-future-of-halo-a-ign-unfiltered-39 |url-status=live |access-date=April 12, 2021}}</ref>{{rp|21:45–23:00}} while Ross argued for an internal studio.<ref name="ign-unfiltered39" />{{rp|26:15–27:05}} Ross' vision won out, and she was put in charge of a new internal ''Halo'' studio, 343 Industries, named after the character [[343 Guilty Spark]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=July 20, 2009 |title=Microsoft names internal Halo label? |website=[[Gamespot]]|url=http://au.gamespot.com/news/microsoft-names-internal-halo-label-6213640 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003044602/http://au.gamespot.com/news/microsoft-names-internal-halo-label-6213640 |archive-date=October 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Vore|first=Bryan |date=November 2011 |title=Taking Over 'Halo' |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |volume=11 |issue=223 |pages=28–33 |issn=1067-6392}}</ref><ref name="latimes-halo legend">{{Cite news |last=Fritz, Ben |date=July 22, 2009 |title=Video game publishers Microsoft, Ubisoft invading Hollywood's turf |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/07/video-game-publishers-microsoft-ubisoft-invading-hollywoods-turf.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724220359/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com//entertainmentnewsbuzz//2009//07//video-game-publishers-microsoft-ubisoft-invading-hollywoods-turf.html |archive-date=July 24, 2009}}</ref><ref name="343 takes helm">{{Cite news |last=Milian |first=Mark |date=May 11, 2011 |title='Halo' and creators move on after divorce |website=[[CNN]] |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/05/11/bungie.halo/ |access-date=July 10, 2014 |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109221558/http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/05/11/bungie.halo/ |url-status=live}}</ref><!-- ED: DO WE NEED ALL THESE SOURCES? EVALUATE --> The studio started with a small staff in late 2007.<ref name="ign-unfiltered39" />{{rp|28:22}}

While 343 Industries worked with Bungie on ''ODST'' and ''Reach'', the new company's first game project was ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'', a [[Video game remaster|remaster]] of the franchise's debut title. The game was developed in partnership with [[Saber Interactive]], with 343 Industries handling creative and Saber the engineering.<ref name="ign-unfiltered39" />{{rp|29:00–30:55}} Saber had just one year to develop the game in anticipation of ''Combat Evolved''{{'}}s tenth anniversary.<ref name="gdm_2012-03">{{Cite magazine |last=Iones|first=Andrey |date=March 2012 |title=Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary |url=http://www.gdmag.com/issue/2012/March |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Game Developer Magazine]]|volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=20–27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123035244/http://gdmag.com/issue/2012/March |archive-date=January 23, 2013}}</ref> Players can switch between the original graphics and updated visuals with a button press.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hiller|first=Brenna |date=June 10, 2011 |title=Halo Anniversary to run two engines side by side |url=http://www.vg247.com/2011/06/10/halo-anniversary-to-run-two-engines-side-by-side/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613133723/http://www.vg247.com/2011/06/10/halo-anniversary-to-run-two-engines-side-by-side/ |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |access-date=April 15, 2013 |website=[[VG247]]}}</ref> Both classic and new graphics are presented in [[high-definition video|high-definition]], [[16:9]] widescreen compared to the original game's [[480i]] resolution and [[4:3]] aspect ratio.<ref name="gamasutra_2011-11-15">{{Cite web |last=Sheffield|first=Brandon |date=November 15, 2011 |title=Making Halo: Anniversary Work |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6546/making_halo_anniversary_work.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116184702/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6546/making_halo_anniversary_work.php |archive-date=November 16, 2011 |access-date=April 15, 2013 |website=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref> Certain Affinity helped develop multiplayer maps for the game, beginning a long collaboration between the two studios.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> Reviews were generally positive,<ref name="metacritic_CEA">{{Cite web |title=Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121124164325/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary |archive-date=November 24, 2012 |access-date=April 15, 2013 |website=[[Metacritic]]}}</ref> though critics disagreed if the original, unaltered gameplay held up to modern standards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilcox|first=Mike |date=January 12, 2012 |title=Xbox pioneer has familiar ring to it |url=http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/xbox-pioneer-has-familiar-ring-to-it-20120111-1pu06.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508021823/http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/games/xbox-pioneer-has-familiar-ring-to-it-20120111-1pu06.html |archive-date=May 8, 2012 |access-date=April 15, 2013 |website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]}}</ref><ref name="ign_2011-11-14">{{Cite web |last=Hopper |first=Steven |date=November 14, 2011 |title=Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary Review |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/14/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830080633/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/14/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-review |archive-date=August 30, 2012 |access-date=April 15, 2013 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

343 Industries began staffing up their studio while beginning development on the next major ''Halo'' title, eventually growing to nearly 200,<ref name="gamasutra_2013-04-26">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/191234/making_halo_4_a_story_about_.php?page=2 |title=Making Halo 4: A Story About Triple-A |work=[[Gamasutra]] |last=Graft |first=Kris |date=April 26, 2013 |access-date=October 7, 2013 |pages=1–3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219191713/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/191234/making_halo_4_a_story_about_.php?page=2 |archive-date=February 19, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and decided where they wanted to take Master Chief's story over the course of future games. [[Ryan Payton]] was initially offered the role of creative director, but his ideas for the game did not mesh with the expected first-person shooter focus, and before prototyping was done Payon was replaced and ultimately left in 2011. [[Josh Holmes (video game designer)|Josh Holmes]] took over as creative designer, and the studio shifted focus from ideating to producing the game in earnest. The result was a more safe, straightforward sequel to ''Halo 3''.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> Holmes wanted the game's story mode to explore Master Chief's relationship with Cortana, who would break down into a [[dementia]]-like state.<ref name="gamespot_2013-03-29">{{cite web | url=http://www.gamespot.com/events/gdc-2013/story.html?sid=6406202 | title=343 was 'skeptical' about Chief-Cortana story in Halo 4 | work=[[GameSpot]] | date=March 29, 2013 | access-date=March 31, 2013 | last=Makuch | first=Eddie | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603103911/http://uk.gamespot.com/news/343-was-skeptical-about-chief-cortana-story-in-halo-4-6406202 | archive-date=June 3, 2013 | url-status=live}}</ref> Struggling with making the plot accessible for new players,<ref name="gamasutra_2013-04-26" /> the team considered dropping the storyline. Holmes, drawing inspiration from his own mother's battle with dementia, insisted it stayed in.<ref name="gamespot_2013-03-29" />

''Halo 4'' was announced at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]] 2011 and released November 6, 2012.<ref name="ReclaimerB">{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=August 28, 2011 |title=Halo 4, 5, 6 the "Reclaimer Trilogy" |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-28-halo-4-5-6-the-reclaimer-trilogy |access-date=July 1, 2013 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |archive-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629061432/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-28-halo-4-5-6-the-reclaimer-trilogy |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 18, 2012 |title=Halo 4 release date confirmed for November by Microsoft |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-17755467 |access-date=June 14, 2012 |website=[[Newsbeat|BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat]] |publisher=BBC |archive-date=May 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502122545/http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17755467 |url-status=live}}</ref><!-- ED check refs --> The game picks up years after the events of ''Halo 3'', as Master Chief and Cortana arrive at a Forerunner world called Requiem, fighting against first the Covenant and then a new threat.<ref name="destructoid_2012-11-01">{{cite web|last=Aziz|first=Hamza|date=November 1, 2012|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-halo-4/|title=Review: Halo 4|website=[[Destructoid]]|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref><ref name="polygon_2012-11-01">{{cite web|last=Gies|first=Arthur|date=November 1, 2012|url=https://www.polygon.com/2012/11/1/3582870/halo-4-review|title=Halo 4 review: the ghost in the machine|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref> The game achieved record first-day sales for the franchise.<ref name="usatoday_2021-11-12">{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Brett |date=November 12, 2012 |title='Halo 4' snags $220 million on first day |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2012/11/12/halo-4-sales-first-day/1700277/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204192355/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2012/11/12/halo-4-sales-first-day/1700277/ |archive-date=December 4, 2012 |access-date=November 12, 2012 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> While reviews were generally positive,<ref name="metacritic_h4">{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-4/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 | title=Halo 4 | website=[[Metacritic]] | access-date=December 8, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216101817/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-4 | archive-date=February 16, 2015 | url-status=live}}</ref> the story was dinged for being incomprehensible to casual players and relying on knowledge of the wider franchise media.<ref name="gizmodo_2022-11-06">{{cite web|last=Carter|first=Justin|date=November 6, 2022|url=https://gizmodo.com/halo-4-10-year-retrospective-343-industries-1849749879|title=Halo's Identity Problem Began With an Admirable Mess|website=[[Gizmodo]]|access-date=February 2, 2025}}</ref>

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Intending to create a 10th anniversary edition of ''Halo 2'', like they had with ''Combat Evolved'', 343 Industries, Saber Interactive, Certain Affinity and other studios collaborated on ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'', repacking ''Combat Evolved Anniversary'', ''Halo 2 Anniversary'', ''Halo 3'' and ''Halo 4'' in a single collection for the [[Xbox One]] console. The launch was marred with glitches and matchmaking issues, which required numerous patches to fix.<ref name="vg247_2020-07-28">{{cite web|last=Donaldson|first=Alex|date=July 28, 2020|url=https://www.vg247.com/master-chief-collection-might-best-worst-thing-ever-happen-halo|title=Master Chief Collection might be the best-worst thing to ever happen to Halo|website=[[VG247]]|access-date=February 2, 2025}}</ref> Ross apologized to fans for the state of the game, and promised future ''Halo'' games would have public betas.<ref name="ign-2015-06-10">{{cite web|last=Osborn|first=Alex|date=June 10, 2015|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/11/all-future-halo-games-will-have-betas-says-343-industries|title=All Future Halo Games Will Have Betas, Says 343 Industries|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=April 10, 2021|archive-date=August 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830222306/https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/11/all-future-halo-games-will-have-betas-says-343-industries|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Reach'' and ''ODST'' were subsequently added to the collection, which was ported to PC and received enhancements for the [[Xbox Series X]].<ref>Cited to: 
*{{cite web|last=Albert|first=Brian|date=December 19, 2014|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/20/343-adding-odst-campaign-to-halo-mcc-for-free|title=343 Adding ODST Campaign to Halo: MCC for Free|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=February 12, 2025}}
*{{cite web|last=Chalk|first=Andy|date=March 12, 2019|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/halo-the-master-chief-collection-is-coming-to-pc/|title=Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to Steam|website=[[PC Gamer]]|access-date=February 12, 2025}}
*{{cite web|last=Makuch|first=Eddie|date=November 18, 2020|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/huge-halo-mcc-update-is-out-now-adds-series-x-enhancements-cross-play-and-brings-halo-4-to-pc/1100-6484526/|title=Huge Halo: MCC Update Is Out Now, Adds Series X Enhancements, Cross-Play, And Brings Halo 4 To PC|website=[[GameSpot]]|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref>

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343 Industries' next installment, ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', was announced in 2014.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Peckham|first=Matt|date=May 16, 2014|url=https://time.com/102728/halo-5-guardians-xbox-one/|title=Halo 5 Guardians Will Be the Xbox One's Maiden Halo|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=February 13, 2025}}</ref> The game takes place across many worlds, mainly the Elite homeworld, and revolves around Spartan Locke's hunt for the rogue Master Chief, who is trying to find a still-living Cortana.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statt |first=Nick |date=September 23, 2015 |title=Halo 5: Guardians' story shows Master Chief at his most vulnerable |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/23/9372765/halo-5-guardians-campaign-mode-hands-on |access-date=November 8, 2015 |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |archive-date=November 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112183804/http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/23/9372765/halo-5-guardians-campaign-mode-hands-on |url-status=live}}</ref>

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The third part of the Reclaimer Saga, ''[[Halo Infinite]]'', was announced during [[E3 2018]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watts |first=Steve |title=E3 2018: Halo Infinite Revealed As New Halo Xbox One Game |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2018-halo-infinite-revealed-as-new-halo-xbox-on/1100-6459571/ |access-date=June 10, 2018 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> It brings the focus back to Master Chief, and Halo's roots by taking place on the new Zeta Halo. The story mainly focuses on exploring the deeper lore of the ''Halo'' series, finding what happened to Cortana, and battles with the Banished.<ref name="playingthehits">{{Cite web |last=Byford |first=Sam |date=December 6, 2021 |title=Halo Infinite Campaign Review: Playing the Hits |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/6/22820011/halo-infinite-campaign-review-xbox-series-x |access-date=February 27, 2022 |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref> It released December 2021.<ref name="verge_2021-08-25">{{cite web|last=Warren|first=Tom|date=August 25, 2021|url=https://www.theverge.com/22637945/halo-infinite-release-date-launch|title=Halo Infinite is launching on December 8th|website=[[The Verge]]|access-date=October 26, 2021|archive-date=October 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026180621/https://www.theverge.com/22637945/halo-infinite-release-date-launch|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2026–present: Halo Studios games===
[[File:HaloStudios-Logo-K@4x.svg|alt=Logomark of Halo Studios|thumb|343 Industries rebranded as Halo Studios to mark shifts with the development of the ''Halo'' franchise, including the availability of the series on platforms beyond Xbox and Windows for the first time.]]
On October 6, 2024, 343 Industries unveiled a seven-minute video where they confirmed multiple new games were currently in development using [[Unreal Engine 5]] as opposed to the proprietary Slipspace Engine. They also rebranded as Halo Studios.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |date=October 6, 2024 |title=Future Halo Games Moving to Unreal Engine 5 as 343 Industries Rebrands, 'Multiple Projects' in Development |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/future-halo-games-moving-to-unreal-engine-as-developer-343-industries-officially-changes-its-name |access-date=October 7, 2024 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> Studio head Pierre Hintze explained that the decision to rebrand the studio came from an internal shift in development philosophy behind the franchise, giving the team a "clean break" as was the case with transitioning between Bungie and 343.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=October 6, 2024 |title=Halo Studios: New Name, New Engine, New Games, New Philosophy |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/10/06/halo-studios-unreal-engine-interview/ |access-date=October 7, 2024 |website=Xbox Wire |language=en-US}}</ref> Following [[Microsoft Gaming]] CEO [[Phil Spencer (business executive)|Phil Spencer]] teasing the franchise's return for the following year at the [[Xbox Games Showcase]] in June 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=June 8, 2025 |title=Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Teases Return of Halo in 2026 — and It's Reportedly a Halo: Combat Evolved Remaster |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/xbox-boss-phil-spencer-teases-return-of-halo-in-2026-and-its-reportedly-a-halo-combat-evolved-remaster |access-date=July 13, 2025 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> a ''Halo Waypoint'' blogpost later that month disclosed that Halo Studios would unveil one of their new ''Halo'' projects in Unreal Engine 5 at the ''Halo'' World Championships in October.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tashi |date=June 30, 2025 |title=Road to HaloWC 2025: June |url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halowc25-june |access-date=July 13, 2025 |website=Halo Waypoint |language=en-us}}</ref>

The project was revealed to be ''[[Halo: Campaign Evolved]]'', a full remake of the original ''Combat Evolved''<nowiki/>'s campaign set to release in 2026 for Windows, Xbox Series X/S and [[PlayStation 5]], marking the franchise's debut on Sony consoles.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Warren |first1=Tom |title=Halo: Campaign Evolved is a gorgeous remake that debuts on PS5 and Xbox in 2026 |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/805174/halo-campaign-evolved-remake-xbox-ps5-release-date |access-date=24 October 2025 |agency=The Verge |date=24 October 2025}}</ref> Halo Studios community manager Brian Jarrard viewed ''Campaign Evolved'' as marking a new era for the franchise that encouraged the existing ''Halo'' community to welcome in new players joining from PlayStation, asserting that future entries going forward would also be released on Sony's consoles.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Park |first=Morgan |date=2025-10-24 |title=Xbox fully surrenders the console wars: 'Halo is on PlayStation going forward,' a fact that just doesn't seem real |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/halo/xbox-fully-surrenders-the-console-wars-halo-is-on-playstation-going-forward-a-fact-that-just-doesnt-seem-real/ |access-date=2025-10-25 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref>

===Spin-offs===
[[File:Halo Fireteam Raven.jpg|upright|thumb|A ''Fireteam Raven'' arcade booth in [[Edinburgh]], UK]]

''Halo'' returned to its real-time strategy roots with ''[[Halo Wars]]'', developed by [[Ensemble Studios]] for the Xbox 360 and released in 2009. The game takes place years prior to the events of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. Ensemble spent six months developing a control scheme that was simple and intuitive for console strategy games, traditionally considered inferior to their keyboard-and-mouse-driven computer game siblings.<ref name="ign_2007-07-11">{{cite web|last=Brudvig|first=Eric|date=July 11, 2007|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/07/12/e3-2007-halo-wars-first-look|title=E3 2007: Halo Wars First Look|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Eurogamer_2009-02-20">{{cite web|last=Gillen|first=Kieron|date=February 20, 2009|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/halo-wars-review|title=Halo Wars review|website=[[Eurogamer]]|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref> The game received generally positive reviews from critics,<ref name="metacritic-halo wars">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-wars/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |title=Halo Wars for Xbox 360 Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=February 21, 2009 |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105082916/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-wars |url-status=live }}</ref> and sold an estimated 2.6&nbsp;million units, a massive success for the genre on consoles.<ref name="gamestm_2017-01-25"/> ''Halo Wars'' was Ensemble's last project as a studio before shuttering; post-release updates and content were developed by [[Robot Entertainment]].<ref name="eurogamer_2009-02-18">{{cite web|author=Bramwell|first=Tom|date=February 18, 2009|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/new-dev-working-on-halo-wars-dlc|title=New dev working on Halo Wars DLC|website=[[Eurogamer]]|access-date=March 14, 2009|archive-date=March 26, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326021845/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/new-dev-working-on-halo-wars-dlc|url-status=live}}</ref> A sequel, ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'', was developed by [[Creative Assembly]] and released on Xbox One and PC platforms simultaneously in February 2017.<ref name="gamestm_2017-01-25">{{cite web | url=https://www.gamestm.co.uk/features/the-making-of-halo-wars-2-with-343-and-creative-assembly/ | title=The making of Halo Wars 2 with 343 and Creative Assembly | work=[[GamesTM]] | date=January 25, 2017 | access-date=March 5, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214212243/https://www.gamestm.co.uk/features/the-making-of-halo-wars-2-with-343-and-creative-assembly/ | archive-date=February 14, 2017 | url-status=live}}</ref>

Interested in bringing ''Halo'' to mobile devices, 343 Industries partnered with Vanguard Games to produce ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'', a [[twin-stick shooter]] initially released on [[Windows 8]] tablets and phones in 2013; the game later came to the Xbox and [[iOS]] platforms, and was the first ''Halo'' game released on [[Steam (service)|Steam]].<ref name="releasedate-steam">{{cite web|author=Albert, Brian|date=March 27, 2014|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/27/halo-spartan-assault-is-heading-to-steam|title=Halo: Spartan Assault is Heading to Steam|work=[[IGN]]|access-date=March 29, 2014|archive-date=March 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327231920/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/27/halo-spartan-assault-is-heading-to-steam|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="imore_2018-03-13">{{cite web|last=Keller|first=Joseph|date=March 13, 2018|url=https://www.imore.com/halo-comes-iphone-and-ipad-spartan-strike-and-spartan-assault|title=Halo lands on the iPhone and iPad with Spartan Strike and Spartan Assault|website=[[iMore]]|access-date=July 8, 2025}}</ref><ref name="pcmag-spartan assault announce">{{cite web |last1=Albanesius |first1=Chloe |title='Halo: Spartan Assault' Arrives on Windows 8, Win Phone 8 Next Month |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/halo-spartan-assault-arrives-on-windows-8-win-phone-8-next-month |website=[[PCMag]] |language=en |date=June 4, 2013 |access-date=March 23, 2020 |archive-date=March 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323180904/https://www.pcmag.com/news/halo-spartan-assault-arrives-on-windows-8-win-phone-8-next-month |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Spartan Assault'' was followed by a sequel, ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]'', in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gilbert|first=Ben|date=April 20, 2015|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/halo-for-iphone-2015-4|title='Halo' is finally on your iPhone|website=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>

Other ''Halo'' spinoffs include a [[virtual reality]] experience, ''Halo Recruit'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Holly|first=Russell|date=November 20, 2018|url=https://www.windowscentral.com/halo-recruit-tasty-bite-mixed-reality-goodness-and-i-need-more-0|title=Hands-on with Halo Recruit, a tasty bite of Windows Mixed Reality goodness you'll love|website=Windows Central|access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref> and ''{{vanchor|Halo: Fireteam Raven}}'', a coin-operated [[arcade game]] developed by [[Raw Thrills]] and PlayMechanix released in 2018, starting with Round1 USA and [[Dave & Buster's]] arcades.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=May 17, 2018 |title=Microsoft's new Halo arcade game lives inside a giant coin-operated machine |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/17/17365780/halo-fireteam-raven-arcade-game-details |access-date=May 17, 2018 |website=[[The Verge]] |archive-date=May 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518060716/https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/17/17365780/halo-fireteam-raven-arcade-game-details |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Fireteam Raven'' takes place during the events of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and puts the players in control of up to four ODST members fighting against the Covenant.<ref name="gbeat_2018-08-21">{{cite web|last=Takahashi|first=Dean|date=August 21, 2018|url=https://gamesbeat.com/halo-fireteam-raven-takes-4-player-co-op-into-the-arcades|title=Halo: Fireteam Raven takes 4-player co-op into arcades|website=[[GamesBeat]]|access-date=July 9, 2025}}</ref>

===Defunct projects===
{{see also|Unreleased Halo games}}
Unreleased or cancelled ''Halo'' projects include an episodic video game, ''Halo: Chronicles'', was announced in 2006. To be developed by film director Peter Jackson's Wingnut Interactive, it was canceled as part of budget cuts tied to job layoffs in January 2009.<ref name="latimes-chronicles cancelled">{{Cite news |last=Fritz|first=Ben |date=July 27, 2009 |title=Halo project dead, Peter Jackson's working on original video games |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/07/peter-jacksons-halo-projects-dead-working-on-original-video-games.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731111522/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/07/peter-jacksons-halo-projects-dead-working-on-original-video-games.html |archive-date=July 31, 2009}}</ref> Ensemble Studios developed a ''Halo''-themed [[massively multiplayer online game]], ''Titan''. The project was canceled internally in 2007–2008, as Microsoft lost interest in a PC-based game.<ref name="polygon_2021-11-29">{{cite web|last=Argüello|first=Diego|date=November 29, 2021|url=https://www.polygon.com/features/22808131/canceled-halo-games-halo-mmo-peter-jackson-halo-ds|title=The Halo games that weren't|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=January 30, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=September 23, 2008 |title=Exclusive: Ensemble Studios' Canceled Project Was Halo MMO |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20153 |access-date=October 27, 2009 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=November 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110174502/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20153 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Certain Affinity was slated to develop their own ''Halo'' title, but it was never greenlit because the team was needed to develop the Halo Waypoint online portal instead. A [[Mega Bloks]]-branded spinoff game, similar to the style of [[List of Lego video games|Lego video games]], was prototyped for the Xbox 360 but not pursued; footage of the game leaked several years later in 2017.<ref name="polygon_2021-11-29" />

{{anchor|Halo Online}}
343 Industries announced a [[free-to-play]] ''Halo'' multiplayer game for Windows PC, ''Halo Online'', in 2015. The game launched with a closed [[beta test]] limited to Russia that year. The title was developed with Saber Interactive using modified version of the ''Halo 3'' engine, and published by Innova Systems. The project was canceled in August 2016.<ref name="polygon_2021-11-29" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Francis |first=Bryant |date=August 25, 2016 |title=Microsoft cancels free-to-play Halo Online |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/production/microsoft-cancels-free-to-play-i-halo-online-i- |access-date=August 25, 2016 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |publisher=[[UBM plc|UBM]] |archive-date=August 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825231154/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/279960/Microsoft_cancels_freetoplay_Halo_Online.php |url-status=live}}</ref> Players modified the game to circumvent the region limitations and add new content after the project's official cancellation.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chalk|first=Andy|date=January 16, 2016 |title=Unofficial Halo Online mod adds six new maps from Halo 3 |language=en |website=[[PC Gamer]] |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/unofficial-halo-online-mod-adds-six-new-maps-from-halo-3/ |access-date=January 30, 2017 |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202060237/http://www.pcgamer.com/unofficial-halo-online-mod-adds-six-new-maps-from-halo-3/ |url-status=live}}</ref> This "ElDewrito" project saw legal takedowns from Microsoft for violating its game usage rules.<ref name="variety_2018-04-25 eldewrito takedown">{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/halo-online-eldewrito-1202786417/|title=ElDewrito: Microsoft Freezes Development of Fan-Made 'Halo Online' Mod|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=April 25, 2018|archive-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127115356/https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/halo-online-eldewrito-1202786417/|url-status=live}}</ref> The modders claimed its ElDewrito's popularity hastened Microsoft's plans to release a Windows version of ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'', which would later include content from ''Halo Online''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Capel|first=Chris|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/halo-the-master-chief-collection/halo-eldewrito-mod-mcc|title=Halo ElDewrito modders are the reason MCC is coming to PC 'right now'|website=[[PCGamesN]]|date=March 23, 2019 |language=en-GB|access-date=June 21, 2019|archive-date=December 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205220907/https://www.pcgamesn.com/halo-the-master-chief-collection/halo-eldewrito-mod-mcc|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen|first=Zack|date=August 28, 2021 |title=It's 2021 And Halo 3 Is Still Getting New Maps |url=https://kotaku.com/its-2021-and-halo-3-is-still-getting-new-maps-1847577777 |access-date=July 5, 2024 |website=[[Kotaku]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Cultural influences and themes==
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Bungie acknowledged that the ''Halo'' series' use of ring-shaped [[megastructure]]s followed on from concepts featured in [[Larry Niven]]'s ''Ringworld'' and [[Iain Banks|Iain M. Banks]]' [[Culture series]] (of which ''[[Consider Phlebas]]'' and ''[[Excession]]'' were said to be particularly influential.)<ref name="edge-2010" /><ref name="bungie-scifi">{{Cite web |last=O'Connor, Frank |date=April 12, 2006 |title=The Bungie Guide to Sci Fi |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=bungiescifiguide |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018134222/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=bungiescifiguide |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |access-date=May 12, 2012 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref> Jaime Griesemer commented that the influence of ''Ringworld'' was less in the appearance of the Halo rings, but instead "in that feeling of being somewhere else. That sense of scale and an epic story going on out there."<ref name="edge-2010">{{cite magazine |editor1-first=Tony |editor1-last=Mott |last1=Anon. |year=2010 |title=2001: A Space Odyssey |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |issue=215 |page=86}} Published online as: {{Cite magazine |date=April 29, 2011 |title=The Best Games Of 2000 To 2009: Halo: Combat Evolved |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/best-games-2000-2009-halo-combat-evolved |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629020808/http://www.edge-online.com/features/best-games-2000-2009-halo-combat-evolved |archive-date=June 29, 2012 |access-date=May 12, 2012 |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge-Online.com]]}}</ref> Griesemer also explained, "One of the main sources of inspiration was ''[[Armor (novel)|Armor]]'' [by [[John Steakley]]], in which a soldier has to constantly re-live the same war over and over again. That sense of hopelessness, a relentless battle, was influential."<ref name="edge-2010" /> The Flood were influenced by the assimilating alien species in [[Christopher Rowley]]'s ''The Vang'';<ref name="edge-2010" /> it has also been speculated that the Master Chief's name "John 117" may have been a reference to a character named Jon 6725416 in Rowley's ''Starhammer'',<ref name="ign-literary" /> or to the John Spartan character of ''[[Demolition Man (film)|Demolition Man]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stover, Matthew |url=https://archive.org/details/haloeffectunauth0000unse |title=Halo Effect |publisher=Benbella Books |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-933771-11-3 |editor-last=Yeffeth, Glenn |series=You Are the Master Chief |location=Dallas, Texas}}</ref> An IGN article exploring the literary influences present in the ''Halo'' franchise commented on similarities between ''Halo'' and [[Orson Scott Card]]'s ''[[Ender's Game]]'': aspects of the [[SPARTAN Project]] and the design of the Covenant Drones are perceived as reminiscent of the super soldier program and Buggers found in the novel.<ref name="ign-literary">{{Cite web |last=Perry, Douglass C. |date=March 17, 2007 |title=The Influence of Literature and Myth in Videogames |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/709/709122p5.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220080109/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/709/709122p5.html |archive-date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=December 10, 2007 |url-status=dead |website=IGN}}</ref> Bungie has also acknowledged [[James Cameron]]'s film ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' as a strong cinematic influence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2010 |title=All the Right Moves |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=24843 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607225256/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=24843 |archive-date=June 7, 2010 |access-date=June 20, 2010 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref>

A report written by Roger Travis and published by ''[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]'' compares ''Halo'' with the Latin epic ''[[Aeneid]]'', written by classical Roman poet [[Virgil]]. Travis posits similarities between the plots of both works and compares the characters present in them, with the Flood and Covenant taking the role performed by the Carthaginians and Master Chief taking the role of [[Aeneas]].<ref name="Aeneid">{{Cite web |last=Travis |first=Roger |date=October 10, 2006 |title=Bungie's Epic Achievement: Halo and the Aeneid |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_66/384-Bungie-s-Epic-Achievement |access-date=December 10, 2007 |publisher=The Escapist |archive-date=November 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121205817/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_66/384-Bungie-s-Epic-Achievement |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The ''Halo'' franchise draws heavily from religious iconography and nomenclature. The Flood and especially the Gravemind serve as demonic or satanic figures,<ref name="religions-darkcovenant">{{cite journal|year=2018|author=Paulissen, P.C.J.M.|title=The Dark of the Covenant: Christian Imagery, Fundamentalism, and the Relationship between Science and Religion in the Halo Video Game Series|journal=Religions|volume=9|issue=4|pages=126|doi=10.3390/rel9040126|doi-access=free}}</ref> and the Master Chief's first encounter with the Flood can be likened to a journey to hell.<ref name="starr_2006">{{cite book|author=Starr, Charlie|year=2006|chapter=Broken Halos|title=Halo Effect: The Unauthorized Look at the Most Successful Video Game of All Time|editor=Glenn Yeffeth|location=Dallas, Texas|publisher=BenBella Books|isbn=1-933771-11-9|page=81}}</ref> Academic P.C. Paulissen notes that the name 'Flood' suggests a reference to the [[Flood myth|biblical deluge]], with the Forerunner Ark being shelter from the Flood's destructive and cleansing power akin to the Bible.<ref name="religions-darkcovenant"/>

==Esports==
Players began creating impromptu ''Halo'' tournaments and local parties after the release of the first game. Bungie looked at the success of these matches as inspiration for crafting the online multiplayer components of ''Halo 2''.<ref name="theringer_2019-11-11">{{Cite web |last=Agnello, Anthony |date=November 11, 2019 |title=When 'Halo 2' Invaded Planet Earth |url=https://www.theringer.com/2019/11/11/20958715/halo-2-anniversary-first-person-shooter-xbox-master-chief-history-i-love-bees |access-date=January 24, 2020 |website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218065943/https://www.theringer.com/2019/11/11/20958715/halo-2-anniversary-first-person-shooter-xbox-master-chief-history-i-love-bees |url-status=live}}</ref> Larger organizations soon began operating ''Halo'' competitive games. In August 2002, [[G4 (American TV network)|G4]] hosted the Halo National Championship Finals, a free-for-all tournament involving sixteen players from across the country (hosted by [[Wil Wheaton]] of ''Star Trek'' fame.)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mnemesis |date=August 31, 2002 |title=Halo National Finals |url=http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=38 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013173945/http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=38 |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2020 |website=Bungie.net}}</ref> The Associates of Gaming Professionals (AGP), which focused solely on ''Halo'', held its first event in November 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jarrard, Brian |date=November 7, 2003 |title=Interview with the AGP |url=https://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=87 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013171249/http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=87 |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2020 |website=Bungie.net}}</ref> Inspired by friends placing bets on their ''Halo'' matches, [[Mike Sepso]] and Sundance DiGiovanni formed [[Major League Gaming]] the same year.<ref name="haloeffect-havegun">{{Cite book |last=Kix, Paul |title=Halo Effect |publisher=BenBella Books |year=2005 |editor-last=Yeffeth, Glenn |chapter=Have Gun Will Travel}}</ref>

Microsoft and 343 Industries sponsored their own professional ''Halo'' league, called the Halo Championship Series (HCS), in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gies |first=Arthur |date=November 5, 2014 |title=Halo gets serious about eSports with the Halo Championship Series |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/5/7160695/halo-gets-serious-about-esports-with-the-halo-championship-series |access-date=December 8, 2015 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |archive-date=December 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210224047/http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/5/7160695/halo-gets-serious-about-esports-with-the-halo-championship-series |url-status=live}}</ref> It was started in partnership with the [[Electronic Sports League]] (ESL). Seasons 1 and 2 ran on ''The Master Chief Collection''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Puga |first=Lauren |date=November 4, 2015 |title=Halo Gets Official eSports League: Halo Championship Series |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/05/343-industries-announces-the-halo-championship-series |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=March 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325182354/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/05/343-industries-announces-the-halo-championship-series |url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2015 Microsoft announced it would be increasing the total prize pool of the HCS to US$1&nbsp;million, for the newly announced Halo World Championship, which will be the debut event for ''Halo 5''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mueller |first=Saira |date=August 4, 2015 |title=Microsoft's 'Halo' eSports Tournament, Halo Championship Series, Offers $1 Million Prize Money |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/microsofts-halo-esports-tournament-halo-championship-series-offers-1-million-prize-2037971 |access-date=December 8, 2015 |website=[[International Business Times]]}}</ref> Crowd-funding contributed to a US$2.5&nbsp;million prize pool, the largest console esports prize pool ever.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stubbsy |first=Mike |date=May 14, 2016 |title=The 10 largest console eSports prize pools ever |url=https://www.redbull.com/us-en/the-10-largest-console-esports-prize-pools-ever |website=Red Bull |access-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206063723/https://www.redbull.com/us-en/the-10-largest-console-esports-prize-pools-ever |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Music==
<!-- WORK -->
[[File:Martin O'Donnell.png|thumb|upright|[[Martin O'Donnell]], lead composer for the Bungie ''Halo'' games]]
{{Main|Halo Original Soundtrack|l1=''Halo Original Soundtrack''|Halo 2 Original Soundtrack|l2=''Halo 2 Original Soundtrack''|Halo 3 Original Soundtrack|l3=''Halo 3 Original Soundtrack''|Halo 4 Original Soundtrack|l4=''Halo 4 Original Soundtrack''}}

[[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]] collaborated to produce the soundtracks for Bungie's ''Halo'' games. Approached by Bungie to produce something ancient and mysterious for ''Halo''{{'}}s debut, O'Donnell decided to use [[Gregorian chant]], joining in with others to sing the vocal parts.<ref name="vice-2017-05-30" /> The music was designed to change dynamically based on what was occurring in-game;<ref name="music4gamers">{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Aaron |date=December 2, 2002 |title=The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in ''Halo'': Game Music Evolved |url=http://music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011064541/http://music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=September 6, 2006 |website=[[Music4Games]]}}</ref> for a more enjoyable listening experience on the soundtrack releases, O'Donnell arranged the music into standalone [[suite (music)|suites]].<ref name="linerhalo">{{Cite AV media notes |author-link=Martin O'Donnell |last=O'Donnell |first=Martin |chapter=Introduction |year=2002 |title=Halo: Original Soundtrack |publisher=[[Sumthing Distribution|Sumthing]]}}</ref> For ''Halo 2'', the soundtrack included licensed music from [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]] and [[Breaking Benjamin]] alongside the orchestral score; [[Steve Vai]] contributed guitar solos.<ref name="billboard-h2 soundtrack bolsters">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iRMEAAAAMBAJ&q=Halo+2+Soundtrack+Bolsters+Game+Push&pg=PA43|author=Traiman, Steve|date=November 6, 2004|title=Halo 2 Soundtrack Bolsters Game Push|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=116|issue=45|pages=43–45}}</ref> ''Halo 3''{{'}}s music shifted back to brought back themes from the original game to help tie together the end of the trilogy.<ref name="eurogamer_2007-11-08">{{cite web|author=Parkin, Simon|date=November 8, 2007|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/halo-3-music-to-watch-armageddon-by-article|title=Halo 3: Music to Watch Armageddon By|website=[[Eurogamer]]|access-date=April 11, 2008|archive-date=February 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202111940/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/halo-3-music-to-watch-armageddon-by-article|url-status=live}}</ref> Unlike previous soundtracks, where much of the music had been synthesized on computer, the soundtrack for ''Halo 3'' was recorded using a 60-piece orchestra, along with a 24-voice chorus.<ref name="h3ost">{{Cite AV media notes |author-link=Martin O'Donnell |last=O'Donnell |first=Martin |chapter=Introduction |year=2007 |title=Halo 3 Original Soundtrack |publisher=[[Sumthing Distribution|Sumthing]]}}</ref><ref name="m4g interview">{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=September 20, 2007 |title=Interview with Halo 3 Composer Marty O'Donnell |url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=172 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309025232/http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=172 |archive-date=March 9, 2008 |access-date=April 13, 2008 |website=[[Music4Games]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Traiman |first=Steve |date=December 1, 2008 |title="Halo Trilogy" soundtrack set previews new game |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSTRE4B07BZ20081201 |access-date=December 3, 2008 |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141906/http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSTRE4B07BZ20081201 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''ODST'' incorporated more jazz and noir elements, like saxophones,<ref name="vice-2017-05-30"/> while O'Donnell wrote more somber music to reflect the darker campaign for ''Reach''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=David |date=December 14, 2009 |title=Halo Reach VGA Interview |url=http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/27382 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201103753/http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/27382 |archive-date=February 1, 2011 |access-date=December 15, 2009 |website=[[1UP.com]] }}</ref>

''Halo 4'' audio director Sotaro Tojima began looking for a composer for the game in 2010, deciding on [[Neil Davidge]] after a year's search.<ref name="bulletin41112">{{cite web | url=http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/04/11/Neil-Davidge.aspx | title=The Halo Bulletin: 4.11.12 | website=Halo Waypoint| date=April 11, 2012 | access-date=August 23, 2012 | last=Shea | first=Jessica | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923092613/http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/04/11/Neil-Davidge.aspx | archive-date=September 23, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The music of ''Halo 4'' was composed by [[Neil Davidge]] and Kazuma Jinnouchi. Davidge thought that scoring the video game would be similar to the process for a film, but discovered the dynamic nature of video games demanded a different approach.<ref name="edge-scoring halo 4p2">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/neil-davidge-interview/2/ | title=Scoring Halo 4 | publisher=[[Future plc]] | magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] | date=May 8, 2012 | access-date=March 10, 2013 | author=Staff | page=2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513011425/http://www.edge-online.com/features/neil-davidge-interview | archive-date=May 13, 2012}}</ref><ref name="davidge-rolling stone">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/gear-up/exclusive-stream-massive-attack-producer-scores-halo-4-20120411 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413120908/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/blogs/gear-up/exclusive-stream-massive-attack-producer-scores-halo-4-20120411 | url-status=dead | archive-date=April 13, 2012 | title=Massive Attack Producer Scores 'Halo 4' | publisher=Wenner Media | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=April 11, 2012 | access-date=February 6, 2013 | last=Raymundo | first=Oscar}}</ref>
Much of ''Halo 4''{{'}}s music was written on guitar or piano; at home, Davidge would sometimes sing melodies into a [[dictaphone]] for later transcription. While composing, he used the game's unfinished spaces and concept art as inspiration.<ref name="davidge-rolling stone" /> Additional music was composed by Kazuma Jinnouchi, who served as the sole composer for ''Halo 5''. Being in-house at 343 Industries afforded Jinnouchi an early insight into the project, and he found it a less challenging task than his work on ''Halo 4''.<ref>{{cite web | last=Napolitano | first=Jayson | title=Halo 4 OST Volume 2 is everything I wanted out of Halo 4 | website=Destructoid | date=April 15, 2013 | url=https://www.destructoid.com/halo-4-ost-volume-2-is-everything-i-wanted-out-of-halo-4/ | access-date=August 22, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Seppala | first=Timothy J. | title=The 'Halo 5: Guardians' soundtrack gives fans what they want | website=Engadget | date=October 19, 2015 | url=https://www.engadget.com/2015-10-19-halo-5-soundtrack-stream-interview.html | access-date=August 22, 2025}}</ref>

The music for ''Halo Infinite'' was a collaboration between [[Gareth Coker]], Curtis Schweitzer, [[Joel Corelitz]], Alex Bhore, and Eternal Time & Space, overseen by 343 Industries Music Supervisor Joel Yarger.<!-- elaborate --> ''Infinite''<nowiki/>'s soundtrack was released digitally on December 8, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nunneley-Jackson|first=Stephany|date=December 8, 2021|url=https://www.vg247.com/halo-infinite-soundtrack-online-apple-youtube-spotify|title=Halo Infinite soundtrack now available online|website=[[VG247]]|access-date=July 28, 2025}}</ref>

Other composers who have worked on Halo titles includes [[Stephen Rippy]], who listened to O'Donnell's soundtracks for inspiration and incorporated the ''Halo'' theme into parts of his arrangements for ''Halo Wars;''<ref name="gamezone-ripppy interview">{{Cite web |last=Bedegian, Louis |date=February 13, 2009 |title=GameZone Chats with Halo Wars Composer Stephen Rippy |url=http://www.gamezone.com/news/02_13_09_09_00AM.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123212025/http://www.gamezone.com/news/02_13_09_09_00AM.htm |archive-date=January 23, 2010 |access-date=February 17, 2009 |website=GameZone}}</ref> [[Gordy Haab]], Brian Lee White, and Brian Trifon, who composed music for the sequel, ''Halo Wars 2'';<ref name="windows central_2018-11-21">{{cite web|last=Corden|first=Jez|date=November 21, 2018|url=https://www.windowscentral.com/halo-wars-2-soundtrack-interview|title=Halo Wars 2 composers share the inside story of the game's spectacular soundtrack|website=Windows Central|access-date=July 9, 2025}}</ref> and [[Tom Salta]] who has worked on projects including ''Halo 2 Anniversary'' and ''Spartan Assault''.<ref name="gang_2015-05-25">{{cite web|last=Savery|first=Richard|date=May 25, 2015|url=https://www.audiogang.org/tom-salta-on-halo-spartan-strike/|title=Tom Salta on Halo Spartan Strike|website=[[Game Audio Network Guild Awards|Game Audio Network Guild]]|access-date=July 9, 2025}}</ref>

The music of ''Halo'' helped spur a renewed interest in chant music.<ref name="nytimes-video game soundtracks">{{Cite news |last=Schweitzer |first=Vivien |date=December 26, 2008 |title=Aliens Are Attacking. Cue the Strings. |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/arts/music/28schw.html?pagewanted=2&fta=y |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918195410/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/arts/music/28schw.html?pagewanted=2&fta=y |archive-date=September 18, 2020 |access-date=February 12, 2020 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> The ''Halo'' theme is a gaming anthem, and in the late 2010s led to videos of teenagers congregating to sing the tune.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=May 25, 2018 |title=Revived Halo theme-song meme may owe its newfound life to the Philadelphia Eagles |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/5/25/17396112/halo-meme-bathroom-high-school-philadelphia-eagles |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 18, 2020 |title=How the 'Halo' Theme Song Inspired a Generation of Bro Choirs |url=https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/halo-theme-song-choirs |access-date=March 5, 2025 |website=MEL Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Other media==
{{Further|List of Halo media|l1=List of ''Halo'' media}}
The ''Halo'' franchise includes various types of merchandise and adaptations outside of the video games. This includes bestselling novels, graphic novels, and other licensed products. Numerous action figures and vehicles based on ''Halo'' have been produced. Joyride Studios created ''Halo'' and ''Halo&nbsp;2'' action figures, while ''Halo&nbsp;3'' poseable and collectible action figures, aimed at collectors, were produced by [[McFarlane Toys]] and became some of the top-selling action figures of 2007 and 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Solomon, Rizal |date=January 10, 2009 |title=Saturday Halo onslaught |page=4 |work=[[New Straits Times]]}}</ref> [[MEGA Brands|MEGA Bloks]] has partnered with Microsoft to produce ''Halo''-themed toys.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pachner, Joanna |date=May 29, 2009 |title=The Empire Strikes Back |page=52 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/the-empire-strikes-back/article1149686/ |access-date=August 22, 2017 |archive-date=December 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226031843/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/the-empire-strikes-back/article1149686/ |url-status=live}}</ref> <!-- http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/108/1082434p1.html -->

===Books===
[[File:Joe Staten and Eric Nylund.jpg|thumb|''Halo'' authors [[Joseph Staten]] and [[Eric Nylund]]]]

As part of Microsoft's multimedia efforts, Microsoft Studios decided to create a tie-in novel for ''Combat Evolved''. [[Eric Nylund]] wrote ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' in seven weeks, and it was published in October 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/spotlight.htm|website=Xbox.com|title=Game Worlds in Written Words|access-date=April 26, 2008|first=Holly|last=Longdale |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080222031400/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/spotlight.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = February 22, 2008}}</ref> Nylund would write additional ''Halo'' works including the novels ''[[Halo: First Strike|First Strike]]'' (2003) and ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx|Ghosts of Onyx]]'' (2006).<ref name="waypoint_2024-02-27"/> The game itself was turned into a novelization by [[William C. Dietz]] in 2003, called ''[[Halo: The Flood]]''.<ref name="washpost_2022-08-17">{{cite news|last=Leporati|first=Gregory|date=August 17, 2022|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/08/17/video-game-books/|title=A plot twist for video game novels: As TV shows ascend, books fade|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=July 10, 2025}}</ref> Other novels have been written by [[Joseph Staten]] (''[[Halo: Contact Harvest|Contact Harvest]]''), [[Tobias S. Buckell]], [[Karen Traviss]], [[Greg Bear]] (''[[The Forerunner Saga]]''), [[Matt Forbeck]], [[John Shirley]], [[Troy Denning]], [[Cassandra Rose Clarke]], and [[Kelly Gay]]. Two short story collections, ''Halo: Evolutions'' (2009) and ''Halo: Fractures'' (2015), have also been released.<ref name="waypoint_2024-02-27">{{cite web|author=Halo Studios|date=February 27, 2024|url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/official-halo-book-guide|title=Official Halo Book Guide: Novel Database|website=Halo Waypoint|access-date=February 11, 2025}}</ref>

===Comics===
The ''Halo'' universe was adapted into comics in 2006 with the release of ''[[The Halo Graphic Novel]]'', a collection of four [[short story|short stories]] published by [[Marvel Comics]]. Marvel produced a number of other ''Halo'' comic series. ''[[Halo: Uprising]]'', by [[Brian Michael Bendis]] and [[Alex Maleev]], bridges the gap between the events of ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3'';<ref name="IGN-Marvel">{{Cite web |last=George |first=Richard |date=May 18, 2007 |title=IGN Exclusive Interview&nbsp;– Halo: Uprising |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/789/789811p1.html |access-date=April 24, 2008 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=July 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721100314/http://comics.ign.com/articles/789/789811p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> initially planned to conclude shortly before the release of ''Halo 3'' in 2007, delays led to the final issue being published in 2009.<ref name="usatoday-halo3">{{cite news|author=Snider, Mike|date=September 17, 2007|title=Lots of hype for 'Halo 3'|work=[[USA Today]]|page=D1}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.7613.Halo_Uprising_%234_Hits_Stores_Today|title=Halo Uprising #4 Hits Stores Today!|date=April 15, 2009|website=[[Marvel Comics|Marvel.com]]|access-date=April 17, 2009}}</ref> Two additional comic runs were announced in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collura, Scott |date=February 7, 2009 |title=NYCC 09: Halo Returns to Marvel |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952434p1.html |access-date=February 8, 2009 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=February 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210013304/http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952434p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Peter David]]'s series, ''Halo: Helljumper'', is set prior to ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and focuses on the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The five-part series was published between July and November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bailey, Kat |date=April 22, 2009 |title=Halo: Helljumpers Coming This July |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173869 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730095353/http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173869 |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |access-date=April 22, 2009 |website=[[1UP.com]]}}</ref> [[Fred Van Lente]]'s series, ''Halo: Blood Line'', revolves around a black ops team of Spartan supersoldiers assigned to the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence,<ref name="newcomicsign">{{Cite web |last=George, Richard |date=February 8, 2009 |title=The Halo War Continues at Marvel |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952462p1.html |access-date=February 14, 2009 |website=IGN |archive-date=February 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212194114/http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952462p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and debuted in December 2009.<ref name="ign-dec09">{{Cite web |last=George, David |date=September 22, 2009 |title=Marvel's December '09 Releases |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/102/1027154p1.html |access-date=September 23, 2009 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=September 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926050839/http://comics.ign.com/articles/102/1027154p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Marvel also released a three-part comic adaptation of the novel ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'' in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Schedeen |first1=Jesse |last2=Esposito |first2=Joey |date=April 28, 2011 |title=Halo: Orchestrating the Fall of Reach |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2011/04/29/halo-orchestrating-the-fall-of-reach |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

Dark Horse Comics has produced a number of ''Halo'' series, beginning with the three-part series ''Halo: Initiation'', released in August 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=August 14, 2013 |title=Halo: Initiation #1 Review |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/08/15/halo-initiation-1-review |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> Also announced was ''Halo: Escalation'', an ongoing comic series covering the period directly after ''Halo 4''; it ran for 24 issues from 2013 to 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=April 14, 2022 |title=Halo: Initiation and Escalation Compendium Announced by Dark Horse Comics |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-initiation-escalation-compendium-dark-horse |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
<!-- rise of atrium, collateral damage, one wolf, legacy collection and compendiums -->

===Live-action===
====Unproduced feature====
{{anchor|Film}}
In 2005, [[Columbia Pictures]] president Peter Schlessel began working outside the studio system to produce a ''Halo'' film adaptation. [[Alex Garland]] wrote a script,<ref name="filmforce">{{Cite web |last=Linder |first=Brian |date=February 3, 2005 |title=''Halo'' Goes Hollywood |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/585/585098p1.html |access-date=September 9, 2006 |website=IGN |archive-date=December 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207130047/http://movies.ign.com/articles/585/585098p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> which was then pitched to studios by couriers dressed as Master Chief. Microsoft's terms required $10&nbsp;million against 15&nbsp;percent of gross; most studios passed, citing the lack of risk for Microsoft compared to their large share of potential profits. [[20th Century Fox]] and [[Universal Pictures]] decided to partner to produce the film, paying Microsoft $5&nbsp;million to option the film and 10&nbsp;percent of grosses.<ref name="nymag-halofilm">{{Cite web |last=Brodesser-Akner, Claude |date=October 6, 2010 |title=The New Halo Game Is a Hit&nbsp;– So What's the Status of the Halo Movie? |url=https://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/10/the_new_halo_video_game_is_a_h.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009120735/http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/10/the_new_halo_video_game_is_a_h.html |archive-date=October 9, 2010 |access-date=October 8, 2010 |website=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]}}</ref> [[Peter Jackson]] was slated to be the executive producer,<ref name="hollywood">{{Cite web |last=Staten |first=Joseph |title=The Great Hollywood Journey, Part II |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=biggorilla&p=4955829 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051025080922/http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=biggorilla&p=4955829 |archive-date=October 25, 2005 |access-date=September 9, 2006 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref> with [[Neill Blomkamp]] as director. Before Blomkamp signed on, [[Guillermo del Toro]] was in negotiations to direct.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hewitt, Chris |date=February 8, 2008 |title=Guillermo Del Toro Talks The Hobbit |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |url=https://www.empireonline.com/interviews/Interview.asp?IID=740 |url-status=dead |access-date=February 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107052950/http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/Interview.asp?IID=740 |archive-date=November 7, 2011}}</ref>

[[D. B. Weiss]] and [[Josh Olson]] rewrote Garland's script during 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fritz |first=Ben |date=October 31, 2006 |title=No home for 'Halo' pic |url=https://www.variety.com/VR1117953031.html |access-date=October 20, 2007 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212054302/https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117953031.html?categoryid=1043&cs=1|archivedate=December 12, 2007}}</ref> Pre-production of the film was halted and restarted several times.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=October 31, 2006 |title=Halo movie indefinitely postponed |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160742.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227205244/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160742.html |archive-date=February 27, 2007 |access-date=March 13, 2007 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Later that year, 20th Century Fox threatened to pull out of the project, leading Universal to issue an ultimatum to Jackson and Schlessel: either reduce their large [[First-dollar gross|"first-dollar"]] revenue deals, or the project was ended. Both refused, and the project stalled.<ref name="nymag-halofilm" /> Blomkamp would produce a series of live-action shorts as promotion for ''Halo 3'', collectively titled ''Halo: Landfall''.<ref name="pcgamer_2021-08-23">{{cite web |last=Stanton |first=Rich |date=August 23, 2021 |title=Neill Blomkamp ripped his ear off in a Warthog while filming Halo |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/neill-blomkamp-ripped-his-ear-off-in-a-warthog-while-filming-halo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026182713/https://www.pcgamer.com/neill-blomkamp-ripped-his-ear-off-in-a-warthog-while-filming-halo/ |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |access-date=October 26, 2021 |website=[[PC Gamer]]}}</ref> The rights for the film reverted to Microsoft.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Blomkamp, Neill |last2=Jackson, Peter |date=July 27, 2009 |title=Halo Movie Interview&nbsp;– SDCC 09: Will Halo Still Happen? |url=http://movies.ign.com/dor/objects/40236/halo/videos/sdcc09cap_inv_peterj_halo.html |access-date=July 27, 2009 |website=IGN |archive-date=August 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819174039/http://movies.ign.com/dor/objects/40236/halo/videos/sdcc09cap_inv_peterj_halo.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

====''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''====
{{main|Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn|l1=''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''}}
''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'' is a live-action film and miniseries set in the Halo universe. Although shot as a feature-length film, ''Forward Unto Dawn'' was originally released as a webseries consisting of five episodes released between October 5, 2012, and November 2, 2012. The series' plot, occurring in the early days of the Human-Covenant War, revolves around Thomas Lasky, a young cadet at Corbulo Academy of Military Science, and his relationship with the Master Chief. Lasky serves as a prominent character in ''Halo 4''.<ref name="ign_2012-12-17">{{cite web|last=Schedeen|first=Jesse|title=Axios! Is the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' Blu-ray Worth Your Money?|url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/12/17/halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-blu-ray-review|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=March 5, 2013|date=December 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118043926/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/12/17/halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-blu-ray-review|archive-date=January 18, 2013}}</ref><ref name="variety_2012-04-30">{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2012/digital/news/halo-web-series-to-bow-before-next-game-1118053273/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127085042/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118053273|archive-date=January 27, 2013|title='Halo' Web series to bow before next game|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Marc|last=Graser|date=April 30, 2012|url-status=live|access-date=June 10, 2012}}</ref> The film cut was released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 4, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=November 15, 2012|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/15/halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-blu-ray-announced|title=Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Blu-ray Announced|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=July 25, 2025}}</ref>

====''Halo: Nightfall''====
On April 3, 2014, it was announced that [[Ridley Scott]] and his production company, [[Scott Free Productions]], were working on a ''Halo'' digital feature alongside 343 Industries and [[Xbox Entertainment Studios]]; Scott would be the executive producer, with [[David W. Zucker]] and [[Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]] as the directors. The feature was expected to follow the same format as Machinima's ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ridley Scott and Microsoft Team for Halo Digital Feature |url=https://ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/ridley-scott-and-microsoft-team-for-halo-digital-feature |access-date=February 3, 2014 |website=IGN |archive-date=April 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403022755/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/ridley-scott-and-microsoft-team-for-halo-digital-feature |url-status=live}}</ref> On June 9, 2014, it was announced at E3 2014 that the feature, titled ''Halo: Nightfall'', would be included with ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' at its November 2014 launch. The feature introduces a new character to the franchise, Agent Jameson Locke, played by actor [[Mike Colter]]; ''Nightfall'' is considered to be his origin story.<ref>{{Cite web |title=News: Halo: Nightfall first look: meet |url=http://www.totalxbox.com/79695/halo-nightfall-first-look-meet-legendary-manhunter-jameson-locke/ |access-date=September 24, 2014 |archive-date=December 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230072845/http://www.totalxbox.com/79695/halo-nightfall-first-look-meet-legendary-manhunter-jameson-locke/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Locke is one of the Spartans portrayed on the cover art and plays a large role in the series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert, Henry |date=July 24, 2014 |title=Halo: Nightfall is the origin story of next big Spartan |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/halo-nightfall-origin-story-halo-5s-next-big-spartan/ |access-date=February 18, 2020 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807201207/https://www.gamesradar.com/halo-nightfall-origin-story-halo-5s-next-big-spartan/ |url-status=live}}</ref> On July 24, 2014, 343 Industries released the first trailer for the feature.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eerste boek Borderlands verschenen |url=http://www.meerdangames.nl/2014/07/eerste-trailer-halo-nightfall/ |website=Meer dan Games |date=July 24, 2014 |access-date=July 25, 2014 |archive-date=July 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728104745/http://www.meerdangames.nl/2014/07/eerste-trailer-halo-nightfall/ |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Halo: Nightfall'' is available to watch through Halo Channel, an application for the Xbox One, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LeBlanc |first=Brandon |date=November 11, 2014 |title=Immerse yourself in the Halo Universe with The Halo Channel |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/11/11/immerse-yourself-in-the-halo-universe-with-the-halo-channel/ |access-date=February 24, 2015 |website=Windows Blog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |archive-date=February 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224063747/http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/11/11/immerse-yourself-in-the-halo-universe-with-the-halo-channel/ |url-status=live}}</ref> On March 16, 2015, the series became available to stream, download, and buy on physical disc.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=February 24, 2015 |title=Halo: Nightfall available on demand, DVD next month |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-24-halo-nightfall-available-on-demand-dvd-next-month |access-date=February 24, 2015 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |archive-date=February 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224143908/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-24-halo-nightfall-available-on-demand-dvd-next-month |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Paramount+ television series====
{{main|Halo (TV series)|l1=''Halo'' (TV series)}}
On May 21, 2013, [[Xbox Entertainment Studios]] and 343 announced that a live-action television show of ''Halo'' would be produced with [[Steven Spielberg]] serving as executive producer through what is now [[Amblin Television]], with the series set to premiere on the American premium cable network [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldman |first=Eric |date=August 11, 2015 |title=Showtime Still Developing Halo TV Series |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/08/11/showtime-still-developing-halo-tv-series |access-date=August 11, 2015 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807203340/https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/08/11/showtime-still-developing-halo-tv-series |url-status=live}}</ref> The series subsequently sat in [[development hell]] for many years; the series began casting in 2019 and filming in 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 17, 2019 |title=Pablo Schreiber to Play Master Chief in Showtime's 'Halo' Live-Action Series |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/showtimes-halo-casts-pablo-schreiber-as-master-chief-1202661 |access-date=April 17, 2019 |archive-date=July 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702225641/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/showtimes-halo-casts-pablo-schreiber-as-master-chief-1202661 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2, 2019 |title='Halo': Natascha McElhone & Bokeem Woodbine Among Six Cast In Showtime Series Based On Xbox Franchise |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/halo-natascha-mcelhone-bokeem-woodbine-cast-showtime-series-based-xbox-franchise-1202659705/ |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-date=May 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514183508/https://deadline.com/2019/08/halo-natascha-mcelhone-bokeem-woodbine-cast-showtime-series-based-xbox-franchise-1202659705/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/video/halo-trailer-paramount-pablo-schreiber/|title='Halo': Paramount+ Touts A "New Beginning" in Trailer for Video Game Series Starring Pablo Schreiber|date=December 10, 2021|access-date=December 10, 2021|archive-date=December 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210035122/https://deadline.com/video/halo-trailer-paramount-pablo-schreiber/|url-status=live}}</ref> The series premiered on [[Paramount+]] on March 24, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Bailey|first1=Kat|last2=Bankhurst|first2=Adam|date=January 30, 2022|title=Halo TV Series Release Date and Official Trailer Revealed|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-tv-series-release-date-premiere-date-revealed-trailer|access-date=January 31, 2022|website=[[IGN]]|language=en|archive-date=January 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131233123/https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-tv-series-release-date-premiere-date-revealed-trailer|url-status=live}}</ref>
<!-- https://www.ign.com/articles/a-history-of-halos-hard-fought-battle-to-tv -->

===Animation===
{{Main|Halo Legends|l1=''Halo Legends''}}
Microsoft announced at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]] 2009 that it was overseeing production of a series of seven short [[anime]] films, together called ''Halo Legends''. Financed by 343 Industries, the animation was created by six Japanese production houses: [[Bee Train Production]], [[Bones (studio)|Bones]], Casio Entertainment, [[Production I.G.]], [[Studio 4&nbsp;°C]], and [[Toei Animation]]. [[Shinji Aramaki]], creator and director of ''[[Appleseed (2004 film)|Appleseed]]'' and ''[[Appleseed Ex Machina]]'', served as the project's creative director. [[Warner Bros.]] distributed ''Legends'' on DVD and Blu-ray in February 2010.<ref name="latimes-halo legend" /><ref name="gamespot-delayed">{{Cite web |last=Sinclair, Brendan |date=January 7, 2010 |title=Halo Legends slips to Feb. 16 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6245077.html?sid=6245077&part=rss&subj=6245077 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204062110/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6245077.html?sid=6245077&part=rss&subj=6245077 |archive-date=February 4, 2012 |access-date=January 25, 2010 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Six of the stories are officially part of the ''Halo'' canon, with the seventh, made by Toei, intended to be a parody of the universe.<ref name="ign-sdcc live blog">{{Cite web |last1=Goldstein |first1=Hilary |last2=Brudvig |first2=Erik |date=July 23, 2009 |title=SDCC 09: Halo Panel Live Blog |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/100/1006627p1.html |access-date=July 24, 2009 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=July 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725222733/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/100/1006627p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

An animated version of ''The Fall of Reach'' is included in the ''Halo 5: Guardians'' Limited Edition and Collector's Edition.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Futter |first=Mike |date=July 10, 2015 |title=Halo: The Fall Of Reach Animated Series Comes With Halo 5 Collector's Editions |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/games/halo_5_guardians/b/xboxone/archive/2015/07/10/halo-the-fall-of-reach-animated-series-comes-with-halo-5-collector-s-editions.aspx |access-date=September 21, 2015 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=GameStop |archive-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027004149/http://www.gameinformer.com/games/halo_5_guardians/b/xboxone/archive/2015/07/10/halo-the-fall-of-reach-animated-series-comes-with-halo-5-collector-s-editions.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mejia |first=Ozzie |date=July 10, 2015 |title=Halo: The Fall of Reach gets first teaser while Halo Channel goes mobile |url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/90376/halo-the-fall-of-reach-gets-first-teaser-while-halo-channel-goes-mobile |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[Shacknews]] |archive-date=September 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925000144/http://www.shacknews.com/article/90376/halo-the-fall-of-reach-gets-first-teaser-while-halo-channel-goes-mobile |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Legacy==
{{stack begin | float=right | clear=false}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:22em; margin-left:2em;"
|-
! Date !! Total units sold !! Ref.
|-
| August 30, 2007 || 14.5+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2007 |title=Prepare for all-out war |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |page=1 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053430/http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| January 8, 2009 || 25+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Matt |date=January 8, 2009 |title=Halo series sells 25m worldwide |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/halo-series-sells-25m-worldwide |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |archive-date=October 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017192350/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/halo-series-sells-25m-worldwide |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| May 24, 2010 || 34+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Osborne |first=Eric |date=May 24, 2010 |title=Halo: Reach Launches 09.14.2010! |url=http://halo.bungie.net/news/content.aspx?cid=26642 |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[Bungie]] |archive-date=October 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026122204/http://halo.bungie.net/news/content.aspx?cid=26642 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| October 31, 2012 || 46+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=October 31, 2012 |title=More than 46 million Halo games have been sold worldwide |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-31-more-than-46-million-halo-games-have-been-sold-worldwide |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |archive-date=July 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717160611/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-31-more-than-46-million-halo-games-have-been-sold-worldwide |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| October 19, 2014 || 60+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 17, 2014 |title=Halo: The Master Chief Collection Now Available for Pre-order and Pre-download |url=http://news.xbox.com/2014/10/games-halo-master-chief-collection-pre-download |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=Xbox Wire |archive-date=February 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213081415/http://news.xbox.com/2014/10/games-halo-master-chief-collection-pre-download |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| July 13, 2015 || 65+ million ||<ref name="gamespot-65mil">{{Cite web |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=July 13, 2015 |title=Halo Series Reaches 65 Million Units Sold |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-series-reaches-65-million-units-sold/1100-6428844 |access-date=July 13, 2015 |website=[[GameSpot]] |archive-date=July 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714191917/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-series-reaches-65-million-units-sold/1100-6428844/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| February 24, 2021 || 81+ million ||<ref name="deadline-81mil">{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=February 24, 2021 |title='Halo' TV Series Moves From Showtime To Paramount+ |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/halo-tv-series-latest-paramount-plus-move-1234698703/ |access-date=February 26, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225094420/https://deadline.com/2021/02/halo-tv-series-latest-paramount-plus-move-1234698703/amp/?__twitter_impression=true |url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

{{stack end}}
Sales of games in the ''Halo'' series were more than 81&nbsp;million by 2021.<ref name="deadline-81mil" /> Total franchise sales were reported at $6&nbsp;billion the same year.<ref name="gamespot_2021-11-10">{{cite web |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=November 10, 2021 |title=Halo Hits 81 Million Copies Sold Ahead Of Halo Infinite's Release |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-hits-81-million-copies-sold-ahead-of-halo-infinites-release/1100-6497908/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110200821/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-hits-81-million-copies-sold-ahead-of-halo-infinites-release/1100-6497908/ |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |access-date=November 11, 2021 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Non-game merchandise grosses counted for $1.8&nbsp;billion of that figure.<ref name="licenseglobal_2024-09-20">{{cite web|last=Roberts|first=Ben|date=September 20, 2024|url=https://www.licenseglobal.com/video-games/xbox-gaming-evolved|title=Xbox: Gaming Evolved|website=License Global|access-date=February 13, 2025}}</ref> Many of the ''Halo'' novels have appeared on ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'', ''[[USA Today]]'' and ''[[The New York Times]]'' bestsellers lists,<ref>Cited to:
*{{cite web|last=Alexander|first=Leigh|date=November 18, 2007|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/-i-halo-3-i-novel-becomes-nyt-bestseller-in-first-week|title=Halo 3 Novel Becomes NYT Bestseller In First Week|website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]]|access-date=February 13, 2025}}
*{{Cite web |last=Klepek |first=Patrick |date=May 5, 2003 |title=''Halo'' novel cracks bestseller |url=http://gaming-age.com/news/2003/5/2-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011213358/http://gaming-age.com/news/2003/5/2-15 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=September 2, 2006 |website=Gaming Age}}
*{{Cite web |last=Berardini|first=Cesar |date=August 5, 2007 |title=Halo: Ghosts of Onyx Enjoys Mass Market Debut Today |url=http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13188/Halo-Ghosts-of-Onyx-Enjoys-Mass-Market-Debut-Today/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314193851/http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13188/Halo-Ghosts-of-Onyx-Enjoys-Mass-Market-Debut-Today/ |archive-date=March 14, 2008 |access-date=April 13, 2008 |website=[[IGN|Team Xbox]]}}
*{{Cite news |date=January 23, 2011 |title=Best Sellers |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-01-23/hardcover-fiction/list.html |access-date=August 17, 2012 |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195436/http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-01-23/hardcover-fiction/list.html |url-status=live}}
*{{Cite news |date=December 4, 2008 |title=BC Best sellers Books USAToday |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/04/entertainment/e125424S22.DTL&hw=cole+protocol&sn=003&sc=914 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422050619/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2008%2F12%2F04%2Fentertainment%2Fe125424S22.DTL&hw=cole%2Bprotocol&sn=003&sc=914 |archive-date=April 22, 2009}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/entertainment/books/best-selling/week/2020/44/page/8/|title=USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list 10/29/2020|website=[[USA Today]]|access-date=October 29, 2020|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030132209/https://www.usatoday.com/entertainment/books/best-selling/week/2020/44/page/8/|url-status=live}}
</ref> and multiple ''Halo'' soundtracks have charted on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref name="polygon_2012-11-02">{{cite web|last=Lien|first=Tracey|date=November 2, 2012|url=https://www.polygon.com/2012/11/2/3589162/halo-4s-soundtrack-is-billboards-highest-charted-video-game|title=Halo 4's soundtrack is Billboard's highest-charted video game soundtrack ever|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=February 13, 2025|via=[[Joystiq]]}}</ref>

''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called ''Halo'' "the equivalent of ''[[Star Wars]]''".<ref name="variety-halo care">{{Cite news |last=Graser, Mark |date=September 4, 2010 |title='Halo': the care and feeding of a franchise |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://variety.com/2010/digital/features/halo-the-care-and-feeding-of-a-franchise-1118023688/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912132458/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118023688.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |archive-date=September 12, 2010}}</ref> The musical theme and Master Chief are considered gaming icons, and the Chief and Halo are considered important mascots and aspects of the Xbox brand.<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|Attributed to multiple references: {{Cite news |last=Moses|first=Asher |date=August 30, 2007 |title=Prepare for an All-Out War |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |url-status=live |access-date=August 31, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053430/http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |archive-date=November 6, 2012}}|{{Cite web |date=November 23, 2016 |title=50 Most Iconic Video Game Characters of the 21st Century |url=http://www.glixel.com/news/lists/50-most-iconic-video-game-characters-of-the-21st-century-w449203/master-chief-w449263 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123084512/http://www.glixel.com/news/lists/50-most-iconic-video-game-characters-of-the-21st-century-w449203/master-chief-w449263 |archive-date=November 23, 2016 |website=Glixel}}|{{cite web|author=Amini, Tina|date=November 6, 2012|url=https://kotaku.com/halo-4-the-kotaku-review-5957424|title=Halo 4: The Kotaku Review|website=[[Kotaku]]|access-date=September 10, 2020|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027141501/https://kotaku.com/halo-4-the-kotaku-review-5957424|url-status=live}}|{{Cite web |last=Weber |first=Rachel |date=November 8, 2021 |title=50 iconic video game characters |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-game-characters/ |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |access-date=November 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130073904/https://www.gamesradar.com/best-game-characters/ |url-status=live }}|{{cite web |author=Staff |date=October 22, 2015 |title=IGN Icons: Master Chief |url=http://www.ign.com/videos/2015/10/22/ign-icons-master-chief |access-date=September 9, 2020 |website=[[IGN]]|archive-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203055022/https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/10/22/ign-icons-master-chief |url-status=live }}}}</ref> Characters and elements from the series have made their way to other games such as ''[[Dead or Alive (franchise)|Dead or Alive]]'', ''[[Guitar Hero]]'', ''[[Killer Instinct]]'', ''[[Forza Horizon|Forza]]'', and ''[[Fortnite]]''.<ref>Cited to:
*{{Cite web | title = Halo's DOA4 fighter unwrapped | work = GameSpot| url = http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halos-doa4-fighter-unwrapped/1100-6141230/ | date = December 14, 2005 | access-date = August 23, 2015 }}
*{{cite web|last=Grant|first=Christoper|date=November 21, 2007|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/rock-the-halo-theme-free-for-guitar-hero-3-tomorrow/|title=Rock the Halo theme free for Guitar Hero III tomorrow|website=[[Joystiq]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312153047/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/rock-the-halo-theme-free-for-guitar-hero-3-tomorrow/|archive-date=March 12, 2009}}
*{{Cite web |last=McWhertor, Michael |date=February 21, 2016 |title=Halo's The Arbiter is coming to Killer Instinct Season 3 |url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/2/21/11084812/halo-the-arbiter-killer-instinct-season-3-xbox-one |access-date=February 22, 2016 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |archive-date=February 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223033958/http://www.polygon.com/2016/2/21/11084812/halo-the-arbiter-killer-instinct-season-3-xbox-one |url-status=live}}
*{{cite web|last=Birch|first=Nathan|date=August 21, 2018|url=https://wccftech.com/forza-horizon-4-halo-event-confirmed/|title=Forza Horizon 4 Halo-Themed Event Confirmed, Beautiful New 4K Footage Released|website=Wccftech|access-date=November 17, 2022}}
*{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/the-game-awards-2020/2020/12/10/halos-master-chief-is-coming-to-fortnite-with-classic-map-blood |title=Halo's Master Chief is Coming to Fortnite with Classic Map Blood Gulch |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |access-date=May 27, 2021 |archive-date= May 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510150938/https://www.gameinformer.com/the-game-awards-2020/2020/12/10/halos-master-chief-is-coming-to-fortnite-with-classic-map-blood |url-status=live}}
</ref>
<!-- need more for music iconic and brand-->

<!-- importance of Halo games; console shooters, multiplayer for halo 2, social features for halo 3? -->
''Halo'' redefined first-person shooters on consoles and was a major component in the Xbox's early success,<ref name="wikf_2012">{{cite book|year=2012|title=Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=}}</ref> serving as the console's [[killer app]].<ref name="GWR08-Hardware">{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008 |date=March 11, 2008 |publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-1-904994-21-3 |editor-last=Glenday, Craig |series=[[Guinness World Records]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/27 27] |chapter=Hardware History II |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/27}}</ref> In a retrospective of ''Halo 2'', journalist Anthony John Agnello described the game's impact as akin to the [[Chicxulub crater|asteroid hit that killed the dinosaurs]], remaking the gaming landscape and creating the modern conception of games as shared social experiences.<ref name="theringer_2019-11-11"/> ''[[GamesTM]]'' stated ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' "changed video game combat forever", and ''Halo&nbsp;2'' showcased Xbox Live as a tool for communities.<ref name="gamesTM-61">{{Cite journal |date=September 2007 |title=Hail to the Chief |journal=[[gamesTM]] |issue=61 |pages=30–41}}</ref> ''Game Daily'' noted ''Halo&nbsp;2''{{'}}s launch was "easily comparable to the biggest in other sectors of the entertainment industry", marking the first time a video game launch has become a major cultural event in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brightman, James |date=November 17, 2004 |title=Halo 2's Success A Part of Pop Culture |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/halo-2s-success-a-part-of-pop-culture/67308/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220012915/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/halo-2s-success-a-part-of-pop-culture/67308/ |archive-date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=November 13, 2007 |publisher=GameDaily}}</ref>

<!-- game rankings -->
In 2007 IGN listed ''Combat Evolved'' as the top Xbox game of all time, while readers ranked it the fourteenth best game ever on "IGN Readers' Choice 2006&nbsp;– The Top 100 Games Ever".<ref name="IGN-Top25XB">{{Cite web |last1=Perry, Douglass C. |last2=Brudvig, Erik |last3=Miller, Jon |date=March 17, 2007 |title=The Top 25 Xbox Games of All Time |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/772/772315p5.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320012940/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/772/772315p5.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 20, 2007 |access-date=April 23, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref name="top100">{{Cite web |year=2006 |title=Readers' Picks Top 100 Games: 11–20 |url=http://top100.ign.com/2006/011-020.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831080059/http://top100.ign.com/2006/011-020.html |archive-date=August 31, 2011 |access-date=January 23, 2008 |website=IGN Readers' Choice 2006&nbsp;– The Top 100 Games Ever |publisher=IGN}}</ref> IGN listed ''Halo 2'' as the number two top Xbox game of all time in March 2007.<ref name="IGN-Top25XB" /> ''Halo 3'' was nominated for and won multiple awards; it won [[Time (magazine)|''Time'' magazine's]] "Game of the Year" and IGN chose it as the Best Xbox 360 Online Multiplayer Game and Innovative Design of 2007.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grossman, Lev |date=December 9, 2007 |title=50 Top 10 Lists of 2007&nbsp;– Top 10 Video Games |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686305_1692236,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212030112/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686305_1692236,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2007 |access-date=March 10, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Best of 2007: Best Online Multiplayer Game (Xbox 360) |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/17.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110230530/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/17.html |archive-date=January 10, 2008 |access-date=January 14, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Best of 2007: Most Innovative Design (Xbox 360) |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/20.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110023228/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/20.html |archive-date=January 10, 2008 |access-date=January 14, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref> Most publications called the multiplayer aspect one of the best features; IGN said the multiplayer map lineup was the strongest of the series, and GameSpy added that the multiplayer offering will greatly please "''Halo'' veterans".<ref name="H3-ignrev">{{Cite web |last=Goldstein, Hilary |date=September 23, 2007 |title=IGN (USA) ''Halo 3'' Review |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p5.html |access-date=September 23, 2007 |website=IGN |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011012123/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p5.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="H3-gamespy review">{{Cite web |last=Graziani, Gabe |date=September 23, 2007 |title=GameSpy ''Halo 3'' Review |url=http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/halo-3/821976p1.html |access-date=September 23, 2007 |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |archive-date=October 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005002257/http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/halo-3/821976p1.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Complaints focused on the game's plot. ''The New York Times'' said the game had a "throwaway" plot and Total Video Games judged the single-player aspect ultimately disappointing.<ref name="nytreview">{{Cite news |last=Herold, Charles |date=September 27, 2007 |title=Halo 3 Mimics Halo 2, With Some Improved Graphic |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/technology/circuits/27games.html?_r=1&ex=1191470400 |access-date=October 3, 2007}}</ref><ref name="tvg review">{{Cite web |last=Wilcox, Jon |date=September 27, 2007 |title=TVG Review: ''Halo 3'' |url=http://www.totalvideogames.com/articles/Halo_3_12180.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214103451/http://www.totalvideogames.com/articles/Halo_3_12180.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2007 |access-date=October 3, 2007 |publisher=Total Video Games}}</ref> The series' music and audio has received enthusiastic response from game reviewers.<ref name="H3-gamespy review" /><ref name="ignreview">{{Cite web |last=Boulding |first=Aaron |date=November 9, 2001 |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' review at IGN |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/165/165922p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020401234155/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/165/165922p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 1, 2002 |access-date=August 31, 2006 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref name="gi">{{Cite magazine |last=McNamara |first=Andy |title=''Halo 2'' review at ''Game Informer'' |url=http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/AF4EAEF7-1136-4985-82E0-EB6588130908.htm?CS_pid=210263 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060109094139/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/AF4EAEF7-1136-4985-82E0-EB6588130908.htm?CS_pid=210263 |archive-date=January 9, 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=February 9, 2007}}</ref>

The ''Halo'' franchise spurred an array of productions in the [[machinima]] genre—the use of games for filmmaking.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chong, David |date=April 15, 2008 |title=Turning video games into movies |url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/04/15/machinima/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927141818/http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/04/15/machinima/ |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |access-date=May 12, 2008 |website=[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]] |publisher=[[American Public Media]]}}</ref> Most productions are set outside ''Halo'' canon, while others are based on [[fan fiction]] closely relating to the story. Microsoft updated its [[Software license agreement|user license agreement]] to allow noncommercial distribution of such films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Price, Peter |date=October 16, 2007 |title=Machinima waits to go mainstream |work=BBC |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7045018.stm |access-date=February 11, 2009 |archive-date=October 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018041600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7045018.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> Among the notable machinima productions made with ''Halo'' is the comedy series ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' created by [[Rooster Teeth Productions]]. It achieved an unparalleled level of success for ''Halo'' machinima specifically, and machinima in general.<ref name="GWR08-Halo">{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008 |date=March 11, 2008 |publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-1-904994-21-3 |editor-last=Glenday, Craig |series=[[Guinness World Records]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/98 98–99] |chapter=Record-Breaking Shooting Games: Halo |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/98}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Clive |date=August 7, 2005 |title=The Xbox Auteurs |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/magazine/07MACHINI.html }}</ref> Other machinima series include ''Arby ‘n the Chief'', ''The Codex'', and the in-game interview show ''[[This Spartan Life]]''.<ref name="wired_2017-04">{{cite magazine|last=Muncy|first=Julie|date=April 23, 2017|url=https://www.wired.com/2017/04/red-vs-blue-machinima/|title=Once the Darling of YouTube, Machinima Still Lives On—For Some|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|access-date=March 30, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Harwood_2021">{{cite book|last1=Harwood|first1=Tracy|last2=Grussi|first2=Ben|date=September 7, 2021|title=Pioneers in Machinima: The Grassroots of Virtual Production|publisher=Vernon Art and Science Incorporated|isbn=978-1-64889-214-1|pages=120–121}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
<!-- http://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/01/18/343-industries.aspx -->
<!-- http://www.computerandvideogames.com/295592/interviews/343-industries-we-dont-always-get-it-right-but-we-love-halo/  -->
<!-- https://www.gamesradar.com/new-halo-5-guardians-arg-could-get-your-face-game/ -->
<!-- https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-most-influential-games-of-the-21st-century-hal/1100-6466820/ --> 
<!-- http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/214833/5-ways-halo-influenced-gaming/ http://www.oxm.co.uk/32062/if-we-lose-our-way-with-halo-we-lose-our-way-with-xbox-microsoft/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2022/master-chief-armor-halo-infinite-3d/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/03/24/halo-series-infinite-future/-->

==External links==
{{Commons category|Halo (series)}}
{{Wikiquote}}
<!--Please do not add an external link to this section without proposing it and achieving consensus on the talk page first.-->
* {{Official website|https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us}}
* [http://halo.bungie.net/Projects/HaloUniverse.aspx ''Halo''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014221125/http://halo.bungie.net/Projects/HaloUniverse.aspx |date=October 14, 2016}} at Bungie
* [http://www.halopedia.org/ Halopedia]&nbsp;– an external wiki

{{Halo}}
{{343 Industries}}
{{Xbox Game Studios}}
{{Bungie}}
{{Portal bar|Video games|Outer space|Science fiction}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Halo (Series)}}
[[Category:Halo (franchise)| ]]
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