In the wide world of games, few series have been as influential or enduring in their popularity as Halo. This was of course first introduced back in 2001 following the release of Halo: Combat Evolved, going on to span multiple console generations, move millions of copies, and help define the first-person shooter genre as we know and love it today. With more than two decades of history, quite a few players are, on the other hand, starting to wonder whether or not Halo needs to be rebooted in order to remain relevant in the modern marketplace.
The discussion was kicked off by a poster on Resetera named Wwm0nkey, starting a long thread called Should Halo Be Rebooted at This Point? The great debate has attracted dozens of responses from players all around the world, some arguing that Halo has become too stagnant and predictable, others pointing out that its current developer, 343 Industries, might just be able to breathe new life into the series by continuing its work on Halo Infinite.
“The story is a mess,” Wwm0nkey remarked on Resetera. “The universe is just so messy at the moment, I don't see how anything outside of a reboot could really fix it. Too many concepts introduced and just dropped or half-ass introduced, too.” The user went on to say that “at this point, I personally would like to see a reboot of Halo 1 to 3, adding in some of the Expanded Universe stuff like Blue Team from the get go and expanding upon things, also maybe just combine Halo 2 and 3.”
While some have spoken out in favor of a reboot, others are clearly a lot less convinced by the concept. “No,” a user going by the name of Vixolus explained. “A hard reboot makes zero sense. Just carry on and actually commit to the foundation that Halo Infinite brought.” Several other players apparently consider that Halo just needs a short break. “I love Halo, it’s one of my all time favorite series,” the user known as Bear said. “They need to give it a rest for a while. Let it sit for five years.”
The debate over a potential Halo reboot of course reflects a broader trend in the games industry. As technology improves and player expectations evolve, series that were once seen as groundbreaking and innovative can start to feel dated and stale. Reboots and remakes have become increasingly common in recent years, with games like Resident Evil, Doom, and Final Fantasy all getting modern makeovers. Rebooting a beloved franchise, on the other hand, is never an easy decision and there certainly are a lot of risks involved. Reboots that stray too far from the originals can for example alienate longtime fans, while remakes that stick too closely to the source material can feel unnecessary and uncreative.
When it comes to Halo, the series has already undergone significant changes over the years. The first few games, developed by Bungie, focused on Master Chief and his fight against the Covenant, while later entries, developed by 343 Industries, introduced new characters and storylines in addition to various multiplayer modes, a hallmark of the series. Whether or not 343 Industries will reboot Halo remains to be seen, leaving the great debate open for discussion, potentially for years to come.