Future Halo games will all have split-screen multiplayer modes, a longtime feature in the massively popular shooter franchise that was suddenly dropped in Halo 5: Guardians.
First-person shooters such as the past Halo games offered split-screen modes to allow more than one player to enjoy the game. The trend has drastically been reduced due to the development of online gaming networks, allowing players to group up for a game without physically being together and dropping the need for a split-screen mode.
The Halo series, however, continued to support local split-screen play until it was removed from the last first-person shooter title of the franchise.
All Future 'Halo' Games To Have Split-Screen Multiplayer
At the DICE Summit in Les Vegas, 343 Industries head Bonnie Ross said that first-person shooter games in the Halo franchise will "always have split-screen going forward," which means that the feature will be brought back for Halo 6.
Halo fans were really mad about the decision of 343 Industries to remove split-screen features for multiplayer or co-op play in Halo 5: Guardians. The studio then said that it was not possible to have a split-screen mode in Halo 5: Guardians while maintaining the frame rate at 60 frames per second. In addition, despite the massive number of requests, there was no way to introduce such a feature into the game through a patch.
Ross admitted that the removal of split-screen multiplayer, which resulted in significant backlash from Halo fans, was a painful learning lesson for 343 Industries. However, Ross added that the studio is proud of what it has done so far to "honor the core" of the Halo franchise beyond the achievements of original developer Bungie, despite the occasional failure such as the non-inclusion of a split-screen mode in Halo 5: Guardians.
Ross mentioned the failed multiplayer launch of Halo: The Master Chief Collection as another instance in which 343 Industries did not meet the expectations of the massive Halo community. She also noted that 343 Industries will rely more on transmedia to tell the story of future Halo games, which will allow the titles to have simpler narratives to focus more on the gameplay of blasting aliens with guns.
What Kind Of Split-Screen In Future 'Halo' Games?
However, while Ross claimed that future shooter games in the Halo franchise will have split-screen features, there is no confirmation on whether the statement applies to both cooperative and competitive modes.
In addition, it was not clear how split-screen features will work with the Xbox Play Anywhere model, such as whether it would be possible for Windows 10 users to play with others who are on the Xbox One.
Halo 6 has not yet been officially announced, but with the information shared by Ross, it can be assumed that 343 Industries is already hard at work on the project. Gamers looking forward to the return of a split-screen mode in the next Halo game will have to wait for the studio to reveal details regarding Halo 6, whenever that may be.
