A brand new Halo multiplayer game has been scrapped, according to sources within the gaming industry. This shocking news was first reported by Rebs Gaming, a popular Halo YouTuber, and later confirmed by Windows Central’s Jez Corden, who stated that the news was ‘100% true.’ The project, codenamed Ekur, was being developed by Certain Affinity, a studio that has done extensive support work on previous Halo and Call of Duty titles.
The origins of Ekur began in a totally different project known as Tatanka, which was a battle royale-esque Halo game. However, that project was scrapped in favor of Ekur, which was described as a ‘super big team battle idea,’ pulling from Halo’s history of large-scale multiplayer modes. The team also drew inspiration from Halo 5’s Warzone mode and experimented with an extraction mode.
The project was reportedly in development using the Unreal Engine, similar to the upcoming Halo: Combat Evolved remake. Although the goal of Ekur was unclear, it is speculated that the project aimed to create a multiplayer Halo game with a broader appeal after Infinite failed to capture a consistent audience. Alternatively, it may have been a premium title.
However, the project supposedly met its end after development troubles on Campaign Evolved, which pulled staff away from the multiplayer project. It is unclear whether Ekur will ever see the light of day, but it’s possible that it could be revived, especially as Microsoft is trying to inject some life into its biggest franchises right now. The recent Xbox reset doesn’t seem to have been the reason for the cancellation, so there’s hope that Ekur could find its way back.
Although Halo Infinite’s servers remain active, the game’s player base isn’t very lively. This lack of engagement makes it hard to imagine that Microsoft would want to keep Halo’s multiplayer benched for the foreseeable future, especially with a new Xbox console on the horizon. Campaign Evolved, on the other hand, is a single-player game with the option of co-op, but for those craving a competitive PVP multiplayer experience, they’ll have to wait a while.
The cancellation of Ekur has left many fans disappointed and wondering what could have been. Certain Affinity had been working on the project for some time, and it’s clear that a lot of effort and resources were invested in it. The fact that it was scrapped so close to its potential release is a shame, especially considering the excitement and anticipation surrounding Halo’s multiplayer offerings.
It remains to be seen whether Microsoft will revive Ekur or move on to a new project. One thing is certain, however: the cancellation of Ekur has left a void in the Halo community that will be difficult to fill. Fans can only hope that the next Halo multiplayer project will live up to their expectations and provide the competitive, large-scale multiplayer experience that they crave.
In the meantime, the gaming community will have to rely on rumors and speculation to get a glimpse of what could have been. The cancellation of Ekur is a reminder that even the most promising projects can fall victim to development troubles and changing priorities. Only time will tell if Ekur will ever see the light of day, but for now, it remains a fascinating footnote in the history of Halo’s multiplayer offerings.
