UPDATE: 343 has released a further statement in regards to Halo 5: Guardians, along with a brand new concept art picture which can be found below.

UPDATE 2: Josh Holmes (343 Industries Executive Producer) took to twitter to say: “For everyone speculating about the mysterious Spartan in Halo 5: Guardians, he’s not Palmer (or Cortana!). He’s a NEW character.”

UPDATE 3: Frank O’ Connor posted on NeoGAF stating the box art isn’t final, and also said the new character is Male.

Last night on NeoGAF and Twitter, rumors swirled that we would be getting some Halo news and information early Friday morning. Lucky for us, they were correct and Microsoft has finally announced Halo 5: Guardians (formerly Halo: Xbox One) and it will be launching Fall 2015. Yes, you read that right – next year.

I’m happy to reveal that “Halo 5: Guardians,” the next installment in the legendary saga of the Master Chief, will launch on Xbox One in fall of 2015. In the tradition of every “Halo” game since its debut in 2001, it is a massive and exciting project.



“Halo 5: Guardians” is a bigger effort than “Halo 4.” That applies to the content and scope of the game, as well as the technology in what’s now a brand new and more powerful engine. Certainly there are some core elements carried over from prior games, but we’ve invested a huge effort in retooling our tech to take full advantage of the Xbox One’s hardware and ecosystem to create worlds and experiences worthy of next-gen.



It’s a game that will hopefully demonstrate the talent, learnings and abilities of the 343 Industries team. A game that will incorporate the things we learned from “Halo 4” about technology, aesthetics, performance and scale – and perhaps more importantly, understanding and embracing a community of gamers who love what lies at the heart of this game, and the limitless potential of the “Halo” universe.



And 2015 won’t simply be the year of “Halo 5: Guardians,” it will also be a year that offers us a unique opportunity. The opportunity to invite old friends and new audiences into that universe through the “Halo” television series, launched as a unique collaboration with Steven Spielberg and some of the finest creative minds in the business. A series that will stand alone, as well as complement and enrich the game experience. We’ll have more to share on the “Halo” television series as we near its projected fall 2015 release.

So this leaves the question, what is coming in 2014? With rumors spinning for months about Halo 2: Anniversary coming at the end of this year, some may say this announcement all but confirms it.

343 Industries, however, promises that your Halo journey will indeed begin in 2014, with another announcement coming at E3 2014 on June 9th.

Many fans noted that I was very deliberate with my phrasing on stage at E3 last year. I spoke about a “journey,” rather than a destination – and that journey definitely begins in 2014 with a giant leap, rather than one small step. We’ll give you much more information about our plans for this year at the Xbox E3 2014 Media Briefing on June 9, and we’re confident that “Halo” fans will be pretty excited about the special plans we have in store.

What do you think of the announcement? are you excited for the next Halo? What do you expect from 343 come E3? Discuss the news on our forums now!

Souce: Xbox Wire