Halo Studio gearing up for next-gen

By Robert Purchese Published 11 September, 2008

Building an engine for new platforms.

Microsoft has begun looking for brainy people to join its Halo Studio and build "an engine that will power future experiences for the next generation of gaming platforms".

That's according to a job ad for a program manager, which suggests work on the next Xbox may be further along than we had thought.

"Microsoft's new Halo Studio team is looking for a technical and highly talented program manager to work with an engineering team to help define the next generation of gaming software technology. As part of a next generation team, you'll be instrumental in helping to lead the development of the engine that will power future experiences for the next generation of gaming platforms," reads the vacancy advert, spotted by Game Guru.

"You will work closely with the software architect and the senior development team behind this critical new effort. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with artists, designers, and other creative functions within MGS to ensure that we are building the best possible platform for content creators.

"You will also work to ensure we are building collaborative efforts with expertise available across the company, including the Xbox platform team and Microsoft Research," adds the vacancy.

That Halo Studio will presumably be the one behind the mysterious Peter Jackson projects, which we expect to be a trilogy of episodic games based on Master Chief and friends.

Our most recent glimpse was a job advert in August looking for a "superstar" creative director to work with "key Hollywood talent" and bridge the gap between storytelling and interactive games.

Perhaps it will have motorbikes.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (62) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • BadBoyBonner #1 3 years ago

    Hopefully none of the original Halo 3 engine coders will be working on this new one - perhaps this one will even run @ 720P with anti-aliasing - who knows, but hopefully it will not look any worse than Halo 3.

  • MattyD #2 3 years ago

    I hope that doesn't mean the new Xbox is coming out within a couple of years. Spending upwards of £300 a throw on games machines every four years will get old REAL quick.

  • johnnybrn #3 3 years ago

    Yes but the 360 is screwed once the 'potential' of TEH CELL AND BLU-RAY is realised! ;)

    So Microsoft have didnt to get their act together in advance.

    TBH I'm sure 720, PS4 and Wii2 are all in the pipeline.

  • Lutz #4 3 years ago

    MattyD: We've been buying new machines every 4 or 5 years as it is. Nothing's gonna change that.

  • MasterNameless #5 3 years ago

    As a few others have said in the past, as much as I can't really afford a new system - my head, and my wallet, both scream, "NO!". Although, in the interest of anticipating, and eventually, unwrapping that new toy, my heart screams, "YES, YES, YES, GIMME NOW!". I just love that build up to, and eventually getting my filthy hands on a new console!

  • BadBoyBonner #6 3 years ago

    Wish the new machine was available now as BOTH my 360 have just gone RROD on me. Seems I have gone from the top 38% to the bottom 62% in one fell swoop.

  • Psychotext #7 3 years ago

    Sounds more like they're working on DirectX 12 or something.

  • seasidebaz #8 3 years ago

    PlatformS?

    What's MS playing at now?

    @badboy: The sound + network guys did an awesome job.
    @mattyd: We all know the new Xbox is coming out within a couple of years.

  • mingster #9 3 years ago

    I reckon we'll see a new xbox in 2-3 years time easily.. that will have been 5-6years for the 360 i don't think MS are commited to a 10 year lifespan like SONY.

  • ParanoidZombie #10 3 years ago

    Xbox 1080 is definitely a couple years away IMO, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will stop supporting x360 as soon as the new one hits the shelves. If microsoft manages to build a powerful (full 1080p with a 1080 gig hard drive, hence the x1080 name, brilliant isn't it?), RELIABLE piece of hardware, with good BC that supports x360's achievements, this could be big.

  • Xerx3s #11 3 years ago

    "who knows, but hopefully it will not look any worse than Halo 3. "

    Yeah because H3 didn't look crispy clear with awesome sceneries. Oh wait...

  • Doctor_What #12 3 years ago

    ... And this time they're aiming for only a 67% hardware fail rate!

  • Psychotext #13 3 years ago

    mingster: 10 year lifecycle doesn't mean 10 year release cycle. There's a new PS released roughly ever 6 years. A new Nintendo roughly every 5. Right now we don't have a release cycle for MS... the last one was 4 years.

  • Widge #14 3 years ago

    I don't like this, people are starting to really kick into a second wind with this gen of games and there will be more steps up beyond that. Think about how good GTA3 was, then to have GTA:VC come along with double the size and half the loading... and then GTA:SA which was massive with no loading!

    Don't want this cheap PC-esque route of choosing to go for new hardware for improvement rather than getting some lastability out of the software. Unless the new machines cost £200 or less for the top spec, nothing left out bundles.

    I doubt consumers who have just bought a machine would be happy, parental purchases too. Plus what would happen on the development front? Equal focus on new and old Xboxes? Or just dump the old audience and force them into an upgrade?

  • rhinoxious #15 3 years ago

    The success of teh 360 should mean that MS have an interest in continued support, even beyond there next console's release. Plus Arcade title will probbaly be released to be compatible on both formats, to exploit the far larger userbase.

    Be interesting to see how MS mange the transition from 360 onward.

    But it's all far too early for this kind of talk, the best of the 360/PS3 gen is yet to come. I mean look at the PS2 swansong years, some real classics there.

  • michaelius #16 3 years ago

    Yay and then we will have new tidal wave of stupid fps like on x360 in early years :D

  • sickpuppysoftware #17 3 years ago

    @ParanoidZombie - Why would they carry on supporting the 360 when the next gen is released. As soon as the 360 came out they dropped the xbox like a hot potato. A hot potato covered in dog shit. With razorblades sticking out of it. Covered in AIDS.

  • mcmonkeyplc #18 3 years ago

    Halo Studio?! Is that the name of the dev house?

  • mepham1 #19 3 years ago

    i always thought we would see a new xbox by 2010 - 2011 and to be honest i am looking forward to it....Paying £300 is a bargin compared to updating a graphic card in a gaming pc. paying £500 every two year to keep up with the top games is a joke even though the games are cheaper...ROLE ON NEXT GEN IS WHAT I SAY!!!!
    Edited by 1 at 11/09/08 @ 15:23

  • anomagnus #20 3 years ago

    i think we'll see the new xbox for the first time christmas next year, for a 2010 deployment

  • anomagnus #21 3 years ago

    sickpuppysoftware

    ahahahha

    the only thing that could have made that better is the following word in caps

    As soon as the 360 came out they dropped the xbox like a hot potato. A hot potato covered in dog shit. With razorblades sticking out of it. Covered in THE AIDS.

  • Psychotext #22 3 years ago

    sickpuppysoftware: They had no choice but to drop the xbox, they didn't own the rights to any of the tech inside and couldn't cost reduce it (which is why they lost around $5bn). See "The xbox 360 uncloaked" by Takahashi. 360 is a different story as they own the tech (and they're now making a little profit on it).

  • mingster #23 3 years ago

    Must be a 'little' profit can't be much if they now sell the basic 360 for £120 how much of that can be profit? £20 at most.
    I'm sure your LIVE accounts will carry over to the new machine and they may even do backward compatibilty of the LIVE downloaded games. Achievements? Hmm i think they will start from scratch for the new consol.

  • mingster #24 3 years ago

    Also i think 360 sales have hit their peak already as well can't see a major increase in month on moth sales for any reason whereas the PS3 hasn't hit its stride yet. Ps3 will eventually outsell the 360. Due to the fact MS will release a new consol before Sony do.

  • Dizzy #25 3 years ago

    It takes 2-3 years to make this new Halo game. So if they want it as a launch game they better start soon. By the time they have a team up and running it will be end of the year. So new XBox in 2011.. just like a new Wii and a new PS4 since by that time PCs will make console games look like pong and PC devs want to port to console for the extra $$$.
    Edited by 2 at 11/09/08 @ 15:43

  • miiiguel #26 3 years ago

    " well can't see a major increase in month on moth sales"
    You'll be surprised to see US sales of September then.

    source: EG.pt.
    Edited by 1 at 11/09/08 @ 15:43

  • menage #27 3 years ago

    Could we ban all posts with the words

    TEH CELL

    in them. We've heard that joke even more than massive damage now.

    I'm getting out of this thread now. I know how this will end.


  • johnnybrn #28 3 years ago

    bog_head,

    'Look at it this way: If the us price cut doesnt do the trick then they are already on a downward curve, and last year was the real peak for the 360. '

    The price-cut is doing the trick

    Microsoft: Xbox 360 sales double since price cuts - Engadget

    [link url=http://www.engadget.com/2008 /09/11/microsoft-xbox-360-sales-double-since-price-cuts/
    ]http://ww w.engadget.com/2008/09/11/micro...[/link]

  • miiiguel #29 3 years ago

    On the other hand, I lost my faith in EG.net forumites analysts. Les said MS is sinking and there would be no more Xboxes, ever.

  • aldo_14 #30 3 years ago



    'Look at it this way: If the us price cut doesnt do the trick then they are already on a downward curve, and last year was the real peak for the 360. '

    The price-cut is doing the trick

    Microsoft: Xbox 360 sales double since price cuts - Engadget

    One weekend does not a trend make, though. You'd expect an overall rise in any case, but methinks it only qualifies as doing the trick if it's persistent and significant over the long-term.

    But it's about bloody time we had a console price war.

    EDIT; the double was from the previous week. But did the previous week see a drop in sales after the forthcoming price cut became commonly known?
    Edited by 1 at 11/09/08 @ 15:52

  • FooAtari #31 3 years ago

    Why are pople surprised by this? 360 releaed in 2005, if it comes in 2010 or 11 thats 5/6 years sine the last machine. Pretty average time scale really

  • ThePissartist #32 3 years ago

    "Platforms" - Plural??

  • schnide #33 3 years ago

    Looking at this story now, it's easy to believe that Microsoft released the Xbox 360 so early, and rushed (68% failure rate anyway?) in order to get their NEXT gen system out and make the PS3 look old hat.

    I bet all those Microsoft fanboys are just overjoyed how their money's been used just to allow MS to monopolise yet another market. The Xbox was a trojan horse to get the brand into our homes, the 360 has built on that and now they want to topple Sony with hyperbole, spin and marketing exercises - of which the 360 is clearly one.

  • miiiguel #34 3 years ago

    evilfox: and? For a company the size of MS (or Sony or Nintendo) is it odd to be preparing the next-gen of a system 2-3 years ahead?
    A couple of months ago some analysts said it was odd that nobody wasn't yet doing anything regarding next-gen... now what?

    Regarding migrations: my Live account migrated from Xbox 180, and Major Nelson said they wanted to put Achivements on the "Originals" but it was too complex, so my guess everything will be migrated.

    schnide : since it's not your money you shouldn't be worried (or pissed). And I wonder how many "markets" MS monopolises ?
    Edited by 3 at 11/09/08 @ 16:07

  • ps3owner #35 3 years ago

    Price cut + double the sales in september + new ppl being hired for "next gen" = fire sale for current (e)xbox360 and new Xbox withing the next 2 years, maybe end of 2009 ;)

    platforms : maybe they are doing something similar to the PSP... or morph the Zune into a portable Xbox360 ;)
    Edited by 1 at 11/09/08 @ 16:13

  • mingster #36 3 years ago

    As someone pointed out a 1 or 2 week increase in sales directly after a price cut 'does not a trend make' thats just to be expected.
    If this increased (up to 6x) sales continues for more than a few months than fair enough but i doubt it will.

  • ThePissartist #37 3 years ago

    "now they want to topple Sony with hyperbole"

    Impossible. ;)

  • miiiguel #38 3 years ago

    "they want to topple Sony with hyperbole, spin and marketing exercises" funny translation of an ad hiring ppl.

  • BadBoyBonner #39 3 years ago

    @Xerx3's

    "who knows, but hopefully it will not look any worse than Halo 3. "

    Yeah because H3 didn't look crispy clear with awesome sceneries. Oh wait...

    Not sure if your being sarcsatic or not

  • TheNinkyNonk #40 3 years ago

    A new Xbox? Bring it on. I'm bored of this gen's graphics already.

    MORE POWER!!!

  • Widge #41 3 years ago

    which was part of the pain about the 1000000 sega consoles and bolt on expansions

  • sneetch #42 3 years ago

    @evilfoxhound
    "evilfox: and?"

    And there is still lots of untapped potential in the current-gen consoles.

    Microsoft have a nasty habbit of jumping ship far too quickly to the next gen, screwing over owners of it's current console. "

    A nasty habit? You mean like they did from the Xbox to the Xbox360? Or like they did from... when... erm...

    Regardless of whether or not they switched too quickly with the Xbox (I personally don't think they did) it's hardly a habit. Besides there is absolutely no evidence that the next-gen they're talking about is any time soon. Do people really think that Nintendo and Sony aren't similarly getting ready for the next-gen? Hell, all three are more than likely doing some work on the gen-after-next-gen.

  • miiiguel #43 3 years ago

    "360/PS3 level titles take a long time and a lot of manpower to make, and any upgrade above that will require EVEN MORE EFFORT. So where's the software coming from?"
    That's why they are preparing the next one. And I do hope Sony and Nintendo are doing the same.

    "Based on the fact that the 360 is yet to outsell the original Xbox , I'd say once the next Xbox comes out MS will hit the killswitch just like they did last time. After all, the real platform they are protecting is LIVE"
    So, and the 20 million 360 users (so far) are going to get a new Xbox the day it comes out just to use Live? Everybody knows those guys at Redmond know nothing about the buisness (they should come here more often), but that's a bit too much, me thinks.

  • toy_brain #44 3 years ago

    With the Wii and DS proving that the least powerful hardware is the most popular, I'm begining to think that this time, 'first to market' will be first to loose.

    Consumers have already shown they care little for incremental graphical improvements, and this gen feels like its still not gotten into its full stride. So if MS launch a console before people feel as though the 360 and PS3 have fully run their course, they could run into a wall of consumer apathy. Then all Nintendo and Sony would need to do is keep on trucking with their existing hardware and say "hey, come over to our side, we're here for the long haull".

    Well maybe, maybe not. But the Wii really shook up how people think about games consoles, and if MS are approaching their new machine with the typical 'bigger, faster, stronger' attitude then I dont think things will go well for them.

  • miiiguel #45 3 years ago

    "the big-name pro's are busy working on the launch lineup for the next platform."
    So, they better start asap, as you said it takes a long time. We don't want to have a new system in 2011 with no games (some platform suffered because of that), do we?

    "One title is hardly a launch lineup is it?"
    It's not a title, it seems to be a whole studio ("an engine that will power future experiences ";).
    Edited by 1 at 11/09/08 @ 17:29

  • Daithi #46 3 years ago

    I don't get why people think the 360 will be dropped, I'd have assumed the ideal way to launch a new console is with the previous console ticking over with healthy third party licensing fees still pouring in to offset some of the initial losses associated with a console launch. They couldn't do it last time but this time they can. Do people care if first party titles dry up when a new console is released if there is still plenty of third party support? How did Sony handle this with their previuos launches, was it Sony games or third parties that kept the last gen consoles going?

  • hahayou #47 3 years ago

    toy_brain - yeah, now it's generally accepted that the least powerful hardware wins, it's going to be a really interesting next generation as they all compete to have the worst hardware. Xbox 720 will use a single-core celeron CPU, PS4 will be an ultra-slim PS2, and Nintendo will trump them all by releasing a home-console version of the original monochrome Gameboy.

  • toy_brain #48 3 years ago

    @hahayou
    In that case my money'll be on the PS4.
    Hell, most of the Japanese developers still havent moved off the PS2. Should be perfect then!

  • Xerx3s #49 3 years ago

    5 Years is imo the best cycle but then I am a tech freak with too much money. I hope that they are aiming for the end of 2010-early 2011.

  • Dizzy #50 3 years ago

    "The Xbox was a trojan horse to get the brand into our homes, the 360 has built on that and now they want to topple Sony with hyperbole, spin and marketing exercises - of which the 360 is clearly one. "

    And of course the small detail of better games.

  • makeamazing #51 3 years ago

    I doubt there is any serious work on the next Xbox yet, yes i am sure they are working on some brainstorming etc and some tech ideas, but seriously, the cost for Games Companies to make games on the current platform even though its been a few years is still scary. Developing for a new console is very expensive indeed. So I cannot see many game companies wanting another new console any time soon or wanting to support it. So i dont think anyone needs to worry, I dont see a new console until 2011 at the earliest. Though if MS do, I think they will do more harm than good.

    There is a point where people will go... hold on a minute i cant see any tangible different from a new console and the last one... I think we have reached that point at the moment, if they were to release another Xbox too soon, people would be kept away in droves, and it would damage any hope of selling any more 360's.

    Time is actually something that MS should take on their next console... they rush it and they will suffer.

  • Apostle #52 3 years ago

    If the new Xbox was released tomorrow I'd be in line at the nearest shop.

    Even though I wasn't a Halo fan before Halo 3, it grew on me. I wouldn't even consider myself a fan now, but I'd be pretty excited for a "next" next-gen version.

  • sickpuppysoftware #53 3 years ago

    @cabbadgecase - There have been so many SOCOM players around lately it took me far too long to work out whether you were being serious or not!

  • Les #54 3 years ago

    "The 360 has gotten where it is today by servicing the hardcore gamer market, long-term that's likely to be its lasting legacy."

    Exactly. MS has dug itself nicely into that non-profitable niche for two generations now. It's almost impossible to get out of that in the future. It would alienate the current userbase and success with such strong competition is hardly assured.

    "You will also work to ensure we are building collaborative efforts with expertise available across the company, including the Xbox platform team and Microsoft Research"

    Shouldn't that be the M&A department? ;)

  • IneptPercy #55 3 years ago

    I love the comment about the xbox being a trojan to get into the market...

    PS3.... Blu-ray.... Trogan....

    Anyway back to it, I do believe the best plan both microsoft and sony could for the next generation is join forces, I know it won't happen but from looking at the 2 current consoles a combination of the best of both would have been amazing.

    As for the 360 being dropped like the xbox, you have not considered the bigger picture:

    Xbox = small user base = not worth it
    360 = massive user base = worth it

    Either way I will just buy the first next gen consoles which will probably be the 720 (or such like), anything after that has to be cheaper or significantly better for me to buy it.

  • Calgon #56 3 years ago

    I betcha MS have already caught on to Sony's "we support our consoles longer, so ours is better value in the long term" angle... so I say this talk of "dropping the 360" is a load of Sonyfanboy waffle... why would they? they stand to lose more than they gain there(anyone who doesnt know the reasons MS cut the original Xbox off so abruptly shouldn't be commenting on the matter, the hardware wasnt theirs so they werent making money off it, the market consisted of what 70-80% PS2s and MS and Ninty shared the rest, they got a bad reception to it which they would have notice, especially with articles like this).

    Of course they are working on games and hardware for next gen... the earlier they start the better as far as Im concerned, after what happened this gen, does this mean 360 will be dropped because 720 is out next year? No I think thats one of the least likely senarios and the one that every PS3 fanboy wants everyone to beleive.

    They will launch before the PS4 but 360 is more than a match for PS3, so expect it to be a year before PS4s launch at the most... maybe less if they want to ensure for 3 generations running they've matched or bettered the hardware Sony has offered where it matters... launching too early would give Sonys R&D time to revise their plans and adjust them enough to give them a clear technical edge.

    In short Im still getting a 360(its a poor attempt by Sonyfanboys to turn late joiners/ fence sitters away to the PS3 which still hasnt got the momentum in any market they'd need to convincly take second place away from MS) because I beleive at the very least they will try and support it for aslong as Sony do theirs, MS compete on all fronts these days and they maybe slow about acting on feedback but MS really do seem to listen to their public/userbase/gamers(alot morso than Sony).
    Edited by 3 at 11/09/08 @ 23:36

  • David_Snakes #57 3 years ago

    I personally love the 360, and I'd buy the new Xbox day one. MS has built a ton of credibility with me, RROD and all. This would also put the PS3 in a very awkward position. Sony is still trying to sell the PS3 as a supercomputer, which is a joke to anyone informed enough, but most people really aren't. A top-tier graphics engine also takes a ton of time, so I'd expect a 2010 or 2011 release for the 720

  • Les #58 3 years ago

    "Xbox = small user base = not worth it
    360 = massive user base = worth it"

    TBH the user bases don't differ much... Three years in, the xbox is still ahead by about 5 million.

  • subtlesnake #59 3 years ago

    "And without an install base like that, there's going to be very little impetus for 3rd parties to keep supporting 2 Xbox platforms -especially as the type of game supported on both platforms will most likely be the same. "

    But even at this point, software sales on the 360 are extremely strong. If you're launching a well-marketed AAA title, by ignoring the 360, you're missing out on a million or more sales. So even if the 360 userbase didn't grow at all there'd still be good reason for devs to support it.

    But in any case the 360 has only just reached a mass market price point in the US ($199) and on only 1 SKU. If the 360 was too expensive to attract 'casual gamers' for most of its lifecycle then how could it have been expected to beat the Xbox in that regard? So I think it's a little premature to judge MS success in expanding their userbase. .

    If Microsoft was to launch a new Xbox next year, they'd face the same problems again - not being able to hit a mass market audience due to the higher price point and the resultant lack of 'casual games', and it would take years to grow their userbase to the point where they're now at with the 360. So from a developers' perspective, wouldn't it make sense to continue supporting the already established 360 market, and doesn't Microsoft want to recoup their investment on the 360, now they can reach break even on their hardware?

  • bonker #60 3 years ago

    I've been saying XBOX 720 for Xmas '09 for two years now - Xmas 2010 at the absolute latest ...

    Be advised:

    It'll be 100% backwardly compatible with the 360 but will have more cores (6-8 prolly), much more RAM, 500GB HD, Wireless, 'HD' optical drive, motion sensing and they'll be thinking of VR functionality (or at least they better be - that's the REAL Next-Gen).

  • RandomTerrain #61 3 years ago

    Are you guys serious?

    First they abandon everyone with an Xbox and release no more games for it. Dumped like an unwanted child. Will they do the same with 360 in two years time? Honestly you have to wonder. This is a serious point and needs some consideration. You spend all your cash on it, only to be treated like that.

    Then they have the 360 which has a massive failure rate causing huge annoyance.
    Plus in the long run it costs a lot more than it's counter parts.

    I honestly don't see the logic in people saying it's better in every way. Do you really believe that? Come on guys. Just think about it.

  • smelly #62 3 years ago

    >I hope that doesn't mean the new Xbox is coming out within a couple of years.

    You'd be a moron NOT to presume that a new xbox is just around the corner...

    takes two to three years to make a big game.. so my guess is christmas 2010