Halo fans might be in store for a different type of game if recent rumors turn out to be true, which suggest an extraction shooter could be on its way. It’s been a spell since Halo: Infinite completed the original trilogy in 2020, leaving the franchise in a somewhat state of limbo during a time when the gaming and PC enthusiast sectors have undergone many changes. Now, while it is known that Microsoft is working on a new entry, Halo: Campaign Evolved, which is said to be a remake of the original 2001 game, there have been rumors that other projects could be in the works.
“Tatanka was not a game mode for Infinite that would have been added to the multiplayer playlist menu, but rather a new separate PVP game co-developed by 343 Industries and Certain Affinity in the SlipSpace Engine.”
-Rebs Gaming
According to multiple reports by Rebs Gaming, there were once plans to create a battle royale Halo game that went by the name Project: Tatanka. This PvP project would’ve been co-developed by 343 Industries and Certain Affinity using the SlipSpace Engine and not be a new game mode but a separate title altogether. However, a decision was made at the top to cancel the project due to an increasingly over abundance of online multiplayer games. In a rare move, this decision may have been a smart move given the seemingly implosive history of MMO’s and such from 2020-2025. However, ever since the end of 2025, things have begun to look better for the online gaming community with a growing number of successful launches.
“battle royale games were falling out of favor” and so 343i/Certain Affinity “wanted to avoid chasing an oversaturated genre”. As a result, Project Tatanka was ultimately cancelled, being spun off into a new project: Ekur.”
– Rebs Gaming
Enter Project Ekur. This time around, the battle royale title has reportedly been broken down and restructured into becoming an extraction shooter. In either configuration, there are pros and cons as a Halo project, and ultimately, execution would be the deciding factor for success. However, from layoffs to closed studios, there always seems to be a cliff to fall over before a project can be launched. Project Ekur had supposedly been in development through the summer of 2023, but there have been no new updates on its status since.
“Here’s what everyone needs to takeaway from this report: What I haven’t been able to directly confirm (since most sources were laid off or left in 2023) is what happened after summer 2023. Some believe it’s still its own game or absorbed into the next mainline Halo multiplayer as a mode. Some say it was canceled for the next mainline game. That’s what I have to figure out next.”
– Rebs Gaming
At this point, it is unknown if Halo Studios plans to pick up where 343 Industries and Certain Affinity left off with Project Ekur/Tatanka. However, Microsoft has said that it does have plans for more Halo games. It remains a good possibility that something could emerge from the ashes of these projects, and given the current resurgence of online gaming titles, this could be perfect timing for one.