As the inaugural Halo game and Xbox console near their 25th anniversary, Xbox has confirmed that preparations are underway, with the company also discussing its future business strategy in a recent interview.
Xbox Confirms Preparations for Halo's 25th AnniversaryXbox Discusses Expansion Into Licensing and Merchandising
Xbox revealed it has grand celebratory plans in store for Halo, the popular military sci-fi shooter game franchise now being handled by the Xbox-owned developer 343 Industries. In a recent interview with License Global Magazine, Xbox's head of consumer products John Friend discussed the milestones the company and its IPs have achieved, as well as licensing and merchandising—a business that Xbox and parent company Microsoft have increasingly focused on. More recently, the company has been known to expand its game franchises, such as Fallout and Minecraft, which see cross-media expansions in the form of TV and movie adaptations.
In the interview, Friend shared that Xbox is "developing plans" for Halo and the Xbox console's upcoming 25th anniversary, among other endeavors they've targeted as other franchises approach milestones. "We have these massive, fantastic franchises ranging from ‘World of Warcraft’ –celebrating its 20th anniversary this year – to ‘Halo,’ ‘Call of Duty,’ to ‘StarCraft’ and much more," Friend added, "We’re developing plans for the 25th anniversary of ‘Halo’ and Xbox—we have such a rich heritage and history, and these communities have been active for so long, you have to celebrate that." As to what exactly these plans are, however, were kept under wraps.
Halo commemorates its 25th anniversary in 2026. The military sci-fi franchise has reportedly generated over $6 billion since the initial game —Halo: Combat Evolved—launched in 2001. Besides the commercial and financial triumphs the franchise has yielded, the first Halo game holds immense significance for Xbox as it functioned as the launch title for the Xbox console on November 15, 2001. Throughout the years, Halo has been adapted into diverse media formats, spanning novels to comic books, and films. Most recently, Halo has garnered critical praise as Paramount+'s "Halo" TV series—an original adaptation for the streaming service.
"I often use the phrase ‘no matching luggage,’" Friend remarked. "Meaning that it’s crucial to evaluate a franchise and a community based on their identity and nature and ensure that you’re designing a program that’s supplementary to fans and cultivates fandom, for both that group and that franchise. We possess an incredibly extensive and thrilling portfolio to utilize, but we must be judicious."
Halo 3 ODST Celebrates 15th Anniversary
In related news, Halo 3 ODST recently marked its 15th anniversary. The game posted a 100-second clip on YouTube reminiscing about the past 15 years since fans "dropped feet first into hell as the Rookie, on a mission to find Alpha-Nine," the Halo team stated. "Happy Birthday, Halo 3: ODST!"
Halo 3 ODST is playable on PC as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection, a compilation of games in the Halo series. Currently, the collection comprises Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo: Reach, and Halo 4.
