Next Halo to be made by new Activision team as Marcus Lehto reacts
The next Halo game will be made by Activision, not Halo Studios.
Xbox confirmed the switch in a post titled "Continuing Our Reset" on its Xbox Wire site, published on 22 September 2026. Xbox Wire The news drew a fast public reaction from developer Marcus Lehto, posting from his @game_fabricator account.
Lehto said he was "shocked but not entirely surprised" by news of the Halo Studios closure and the franchise moving to an Activision team. post on X He posted the message on 23 September 2026.
Halo is a long-running science-fiction shooter series about armoured supersoldiers and an alien alliance. It began on Xbox consoles in 2001 and has since spread across games, television and books. For general players, it is one of Xbox's best-known series.
Under the plan set out by Xbox, Activision will develop the next Halo title. That work will be led by a new, purpose-built Activision team. The team will sit apart from ongoing Call of Duty development and plans.
Call of Duty is Activision's annual military shooter series. It is run by several studios working in rotation. Xbox says the Halo group will be separate from that system.
Lehto wished the best for developers affected by the decision. He added that he was eager to learn more about what is next. post on X
For fans, this means a clear change of hands. The people making Halo change. The owner does not. Xbox remains the publisher in charge of the series, with Activision as its internal studio organisation for the next game.
