Microsoft Halo MMO Rumor: Destiny-Style Game Leak

New leak suggests Microsoft may be exploring a Destiny-style Halo MMO, alongside reports of canceled Xbox online projects and internal shifts at Xbox.

The last Monument of Triumph update for Destiny 2 is wrapping up the long-running plot, and new ideas suggest that Microsoft may be thinking of a future that looks a lot like the present. A fresh leak online claims the business has been considering developing a Halo-based MMO shooter that uses a live-service model similar to the one that made Destiny one of the greatest game franchises.

According to a post on the Gaming Leaks and Rumors forum, Microsoft has been toying with the notion of a “like Destiny 2” Halo MMO. Fans were quick to jump on the idea, largely because of the historical link between the two franchises. Bungie, the maker of Halo, apparently stopped production on the series to make Destiny. But the rumor is that Microsoft may bring some of Destiny’s design concepts back into the Halo world.

This was initially dismissed by many as mere unverified hearsay from an online conversation.

A source said the tip comes from a pal who allegedly works at Microsoft. That’s a common way gaming rumors spread, though it’s often difficult to confirm. This made fans and others in the industry apprehensive.

But the chatter gained momentum after a recent report drew significant attention. Schreier recently discussed the state of Xbox and reportedly warned that the corporation could be facing a rough patch, potentially involving reorganization and layoffs. The statements sparked a new round of discussion about Microsoft’s game objectives and the security of several internal initiatives. Xbox's internal projects are being reviewed.

Details about a canceled ZeniMax Online Studios project codenamed "Blackbird" were added to the argument. The report described the talk as an online shooter very similar to Destiny in structure and concept. Reports indicate someone told people he'd watched footage of the project and thought it was cool. Other stories claim internal playtests went well. But in the end, the project was scrapped due to concerns about finances and overall expansion.

The cancellation has now become a major talking point about the future of Xbox.

Some sources indicated that the project's top leaders were interested in it; thus, the cancellation is a significant blow to the company’s intentions in the live-service shooter market. Some individuals have noted loose similarities between Blackbird and the Halo MMO rumor, and have indicated that Microsoft has a broader strategic objective of developing games like Destiny. There’s no evidence that the two are connected, but both have a background of testing out big online conflicts.

A Halo MMO would be a massive departure for one of Xbox’s most iconic franchises. Halo was Microsoft’s first huge blockbuster in the console shooting genre, and after leaving Halo, Bungie’s Destiny forged its own reputation as a shared-world online game.

According to the leak, Microsoft has been “working on” the idea for approximately 1.5 years. The project is still in very early development, with only a few tests to assess how well the gaming systems perform and whether the project can be completed at all. The paper notes that the notion is not yet fully endorsed. So it's still only an idea, with no guarantee it will ever be fully constructed or reach gamers in any finished form.

The Halo MMO is still only a concept for now. But industry rumors, aborted projects, and new talk about Xbox’s internal strategy have made the concept a focal point of contention among fans about where the series is headed.