In 2022, Bethesda Softworks officially established Sure Affinity as its go-to development partner, paving the way for a highly anticipated project that promises to be a significant addition to the beloved franchise. Reports surfaced claiming Sure Affinity worked on a major battle royale project, but last year, the endeavour was reportedly axed due to significant internal upheaval within 343 Industries, which earlier had hinted at this large-scale initiative.
A developer formerly involved with the cancelled project at Sure Affinity has corroborated the news, offering preliminary insights into its development trajectory prior to its termination.
Noted by GameSpot, Mike Clopper, former Recreation Director at Sure Affinity until his departure in March 2022, highlighted his role in developing the cancelled battle royale expertise on his LinkedIn profile, describing it as “a potential game-changer for the franchise” before its cancellation. Cloppler has updated his LinkedIn profile, removing references to battle royale mode.
“I was responsible for overseeing a large team of designers who worked on a cancelled Battle Royale mode for,” I envision this product to have had a profound impact on the franchise’s trajectory. Despite its cancellation, we cherished enjoying and engaging with it as an unforgettable experience.
Despite a tumultuous past few years, fans of the franchise can indeed anticipate many exciting developments on the horizon. 343 Industries has formally rebranded as Halo Studios, a move that signals a significant shift in its development approach. The studio will now utilize Unreal Engine for all future titles, aiming to streamline and optimize its production pipeline with the powerful engine’s capabilities. Several previously undisclosed titles have been confirmed to be in development.
