Halo Wars 2
News, coverage and analysis tracking Halo Wars 2 across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Halo Stopped Being Relevant A Long Time Ago
The Halo franchise has been irrelevant for longer than it was ever popular, with its peak relevance ending around 2010. The departure of Bungie and subsequent games imitating trends rather than defining them, such as Halo 4's loadouts and Halo 5's MOBA-like Warzone mode, contributed to its decline. Despite attempts at innovation like Halo Infinite's open-world campaign and battle pass, the series has failed to recapture its former glory and is now seen as a victim of poor management and trend-chasing.
Next major Halo game being developed by Activision, as Halo Studios all but closes as part of Microsoft's Xbox restructuring
Microsoft has significantly restructured its Xbox division, leading to the closure of Halo Studios and the reduction of its staff. Development of the next mainline Halo game has been handed over to Activision, which will create a new team separate from Call of Duty for the project. This move is part of broader layoffs and studio consolidations within Microsoft.
Why switching main characters for your game's sequel might be a mistake
Consultant Christian Fonnesbech argues that switching main characters in game sequels is a significant business risk, as characters are a primary emotional connection for players and a valuable IP asset. While artistic choices like introducing female protagonists in Hades 2 can be successful, Fonnesbech questions their long-term business impact and suggests maintaining character continuity is crucial for franchise success, citing examples like Tomb Raider and James Bond.
Creative Assembly tror inte på myten att RTS och handkontroll inte hör ihop
Creative Assembly believes the myth that Real-Time Strategy games cannot work well with a controller is false, and their implementation for Total War: Warhammer 40,000 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S proves it. The developers stated that the control scheme and combat system were developed concurrently, and they are proud of the technical achievements.
Playing RTS with a controller? Total War: Warhammer 40,000 dev says it 'really does work' in their game:…
Creative Assembly, the developer behind Total War: Warhammer 40,000, believes it is a myth that Real-Time Strategy games cannot work well with controllers. Studio representative Dave Petry stated that the team has developed a control scheme that "really does work" for consoles, citing Halo Wars 2 as a successful example. The studio aims to make the RTS experience accessible to players who prefer using a gamepad.
'We're all keen to keep evolving' — Creative Assembly says Total War: Warhammer 40,000's controller support was developed alongside the game's battle system and doesn't believe the 'myth' that a gamepad can't work with RTS games
Creative Assembly's Dave Petry stated that controller support for Total War: Warhammer 40,000 was developed concurrently with the game's battle system, aiming to dispel the myth that real-time strategy games cannot effectively utilize a gamepad. The team believes they have achieved a functional and evolving implementation, drawing on experience from Halo Wars 2.
Give Master Chief a break – I want more Halo games like ODST and Reach
The author argues that while Halo's core FPS gameplay is legendary, its narrative potential, particularly seen in titles like Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach, has been underutilized in recent years. With the rebrand to Halo Studios and the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, there's an opportunity to draw inspiration from these past successes and explore new storytelling avenues within the Halo universe, rather than solely focusing on Master Chief's main saga.
How to play the Halo games in order: chronologically and by release date
This guide details how to play the Halo games in both chronological and release date order. It lists all major titles and spin-offs, providing their original release years and their place within the Halo timeline, including platforms where they are currently playable.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Seemingly Plans New Game Pass Subscription Tier
Microsoft Gaming is reportedly considering a new, more affordable subscription tier for Xbox Game Pass, potentially featuring only first-party titles. CEO Asha Sharma expressed concerns about the current price point being too high for players and indicated plans to evolve the service into a more flexible system. A rumored tier codenamed "Triton" has been spotted in data, suggesting a lower-cost option with games from Xbox Game Studios.
New Game Pass Subscription Tier Seemingly Spotted Online
A new, lower-priced Game Pass tier codenamed 'Triton' has been spotted in data files, reportedly intended for first-party Xbox Game Studios titles. This potential tier would include games like DOOM Eternal, Gears 5, and Halo 5. Microsoft is also reportedly exploring combining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, with potential price increases across tiers.
Game Pass Might Get New Subscription Tier With Only Xbox Game Studios Titles – Rumor
A rumor suggests Microsoft is planning a new, lower-priced Game Pass tier codenamed 'Triton' that would exclusively feature titles from Xbox Game Studios. This potential tier aims to attract a broader customer base by focusing solely on first-party content. The article also touches on past criticisms of Game Pass price increases and potential partnerships with services like Netflix.
Dataminers think they've found evidence of an unannounced Game Pass tier showing only older first-party games
Dataminers have discovered evidence of a potential new Xbox Game Pass tier codenamed 'Trion' that may exclusively feature older first-party titles from Xbox Studios. The rumored tier's listed games include titles like Doom Eternal, Dishonored 2, and Halo 5, notably excluding newer releases. This potential change comes as Asha Sharma settles into her role as Xbox's new CEO.
'Early on in the 2000s, we got enamored with consoles and I think certain games didn't make the leap right:' Star Wars Zero Company's director has a theory about why old school PC gaming genres are back with a vengeance
Greg Foertsch, director of Star Wars Zero Company, theorizes that the resurgence of PC gaming genres like RTS and turn-based tactics is due to a difficult transition to consoles in the early 2000s. He believes that as more games successfully adapt to new platforms and embrace camera tools, innovation in these complex genres will continue to grow.
"As soon as it fired up, he'd get up and go to lunch": How Age of Empires' developers tested mission difficulty
Former Ensemble Studios designer Ian Fischer discusses the unique method studio head Tony Goodman used to test mission difficulty in the original Age of Empires: he would leave for lunch and only return if the scenario was not too difficult. This approach aimed to ensure game accessibility, a principle Fischer has carried to his later work, though he cautions against making games too vanilla.
Ex-Naughty Dog artist who helped design characters for Highguard promises to keep fighting the good fight - just not in the live-service sphere, anymore
Former Naughty Dog artist Del Walker, who contributed to games like The Last of Us Part 2, is stepping away from live-service game development following the shutdown of Highguard. Walker, known for his character designs, stated he will continue to focus on creating diverse characters, particularly Black women, but will no longer invest his energy into games that risk disappearing shortly after launch. Highguard, a 3v3 shooter, was shut down just weeks after its January release due to dwindling player numbers and funding issues, mirroring the fate of other live-service titles like Sony's Concord.
New Video Game Releases in Week 49 of December 8, 2025
This article lists new video game releases for the week of December 8, 2025, across various platforms including PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. It also details free game offerings for December 2025 on PC, mobile, Xbox Game Pass, and PlayStation Plus. Notable releases include Skate Story, Pokemon Legends: Z-A: Mega Dimension, and Terminator 2D: No Fate.
Halo Infinite Review
Halo Infinite offers a compelling campaign with open-world elements and a satisfying grappling hook, though its story feels underdeveloped. The free-to-play multiplayer is praised for its polished gameplay and engaging modes, despite launching with a limited number of maps and a flawed progression system. The reviewer questions the traditional review format for free-to-play and subscription-based games, suggesting alternative formats like podcasts are better suited for modern gaming discourse.