One of the more surprising efforts made by Bungie during its time with theHalofranchise wasHalo 3: ODST, a spin-off shooter not lead by Master Chief. Featuring the iconic special forces of theHalouniverse in starring roles,Halo 3: ODSTwas the first (and last) first-person shooter where players didn’t play as a Spartan. EvenHalo: Reach, despite not featuring the Master Chief at all, was far different in scope because at the end of the day, players were still Spartans.Halo 3: ODSTemphasized a specific vulnerability and confidence of the franchise in many ways, arguably moreso thanReach, that aHalo Infinitespin-off could similarly recapture.
Even as development marches along forHalo Infinite’s fall 2021 release, anODSTstyle spin-off would be a welcome surprise, assumingInfinitesucceeds. Understandably, 343 Industries kind of has to play it safe withHalo Infinite, regardless of how many people still enjoyedHalo 5. However, assumingInfinitedoes well to usher in the new generation ofHalogames, following up with a spin-off in the same vein asHalo 3: ODSTwould be a perfect intermediary release before the next majorHalogame. There are still various facets ofHalo’s world outside of the Master Chief’s perspective that 343 should explore, without interruptingHalo Infinite’s long-term momentum.
343 Industries Can Make An ODST-Like Game, But Not Yet
What’s special aboutHalo 3: ODSTis that it grew exponentially from a humble expansion of the baseHalo 3experience into a full-on standalone release. Bungie had the confidence to take players away from the Master Chief, if briefly, to tell a story usually relegated to the manyHalonovels and other forms of media. Since 343 Industries has taken the mantle of responsibility for theHalofranchise, it’s spread about equal halves of its time playing it safe and experimenting with storytelling.Halo 4played out relatively neutral through a largely exterior and standalone story for the Master Chief, whileHalo 5: Guardianstook many creative liberties in the follow-up.
However, many fans had expressed discontent withHalo 5.Not only did the game (and, to some extent, its marketing) set expectations for what would be a very differentHalogame, but the campaign in particular was a major gripe for many. On the flip side,Halo Wars 2was an ambitious effort by 343 Industries to tell an originalHalostory, and it was largely received positively. Even if the game didn’t have a particularly climactic ending, it didpotentially set up for a tie-in toHalo Infinitewith its cliffhanger ending. 343 Industries certainly has the chops to tell an originalHalostory, it just hasn’t quite found its balance with the series post-Bungie.
RELATED:Halo Infinite Should Wrap Up These Lingering Storylines
ODST-Style Storylines Halo Could Explore After Infinite
AssumingHalo Infinitereceives positive critical/commercial reception, that could certainly open up thepossibilityof an in-universeHalospin-off. Whether that’s likely or not is a whole different question, even though 343 Industries' Bonnie Ross has encouraged the idea ofmoreHalospin-offs in the future. However, assuming 343 Industries wants to take the ambitious route of storytelling between mainlineHaloentries, there’s plenty of source material and events throughoutHalocanon worth exploring. Similar toHalo 3: ODST, there’s a couple key points inHalo’s past ripe for storytelling opportunities.
The most immediate focus would be the gap in time betweenHalo 5: Guardiansand the supposed yearHalo Infiniteis meant to take place. Not counting the events ofHalo Wars 2, there’s about two years of in-universe time between the two mainlineHalogames. Obviously, based on whatHalo Infinitehas already teased at length,humanity suffered a huge loss at the hands of the Banished. Regardless of whether or not Master Chief was there or not, it’d be interesting if those specific events were the subject of a spin-off story.Halo Infinitewill undoubtedly touch on what happened, though it necessarily won’t have the same specificity as a standalone game.
Alternatively, another significant portion ofHalolore to focus on for a spin-off would be the pre-Covenant Insurrection occurring throughout humanity’s many colonies. WhilemainlineHalogames have rarely touched on the Insurrectionists, andHalo: Reachonly briefly references them, the human Insurrectionists are a big part ofHalo’s extended universe. Prior to the Human-Covenant war, humanity was embroiled in a civil war with fellow humans who rejected the UNSC’s government and military as a threat of nationalism.
Not to mention various other subjects or characters inHalocanon that’d be worth exploring, whether that’s through a first-person shooter, or other genres. The possibilities are certainly endless, but those are the prime suspects of 343 Industries did indeed develop anODSTstyle spin-off afterHalo Infinite.
