Xbox has confirmed a major change for the Halo franchise: Activision will develop the next Halo title with a new, purpose-built team. The announcement also says that team will be separate from ongoing Halo development and Call of Duty plans, while a small team at Halo Studios continues supporting current Halo games and their community.
The details come from Xbox’s September 22, 2026 update, which describes a broader reorganization intended to bring closely connected teams together and operate with fewer business units. It names Activision, Rare, and World’s Edge among the teams in Activision’s expanded remit, alongside development of the next Halo game.
What Xbox announced about the next Halo
The update confirms three points about Halo. Activision will develop the next title; a new purpose-built team will lead that work; and the team will be separate from ongoing development and plans for Call of Duty. Xbox also says a small team at Halo Studios will continue to support the Halo community and games already in-market.
The announcement does not name the new team, give the next game a title, or share a release date, platforms, gameplay details, or a development timeline. It also does not describe how many people will work on the project or how responsibilities will be divided between Activision and Halo Studios.
What the change means for Halo Studios and current games
Xbox’s wording distinguishes development of the next Halo title from support for existing Halo games. That gives players a clear point of reference: the announcement says a team at Halo Studios will keep supporting the current games and community. It does not provide a schedule of future updates or list specific support plans.
The same message places the Halo move within a wider studio reorganization. Activision’s remit will also expand to include Rare and World’s Edge. Xbox describes the goal as aligning groups that already work closely together and focusing publishing expertise. It does not spell out how the change will affect each team’s individual projects.
Part of a wider Xbox restructuring update
The memo also says Xbox is eliminating 268 roles across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the Xbox Game Studios management and central functions layer. Xbox characterized actions completed since July, including studio divestitures, as roughly three-quarters of the way through previously announced restructuring. That company-wide figure does not specify a role count for the new Halo team or for any one studio.
Halo and Activision: frequently asked questions
Who will develop the next Halo game?
Xbox says Activision will develop it with a new purpose-built team.
Will the new Halo team also work on Call of Duty?
The announcement says the team is separate from ongoing Halo development and plans for Call of Duty.
Will Halo Studios continue supporting current games?
Yes. Xbox says a small team at Halo Studios will continue supporting the Halo community and games already in-market.
Did Xbox announce a release date or game title?
No title, release date, platform list, or gameplay details were included in the update.
Source: Xbox Wire: Continuing Our Reset.
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