Microsoft Reveal Halo 5: Guardians Heading To Xbox One Autumn 2015

Microsoft have announced Halo 5: Guardians for release on Xbox One in autumn 2015.

Developed by 343 Industries, who took over the franchise after Bungie's final instalment Halo: Reach in 2010, the game is described by 343 Industries general manager Bonnie Ross as "a massive and exciting project" which "takes full advantage of the Xbox One's hardware and ecosystem to create worlds and experiences worthy of next-gen."

Halo 5 was first revealed at Microsoft's 2013 E3 press conference with a short and unexpected teaser that saw hero Master Chief traversing a desert before unveiling his iconic headgear.

In a prepared statement, 343 Industries general manager Bonnie Ross said that the game would run at 60 frames per second and that the forthcoming Halo television series would "compliment" the game.

Further details are expected about both Halo 5: Guardians and the TV series being made in collaboration with Steven Spielberg at this year's Microsoft E3 press conference on 9 June.

The image above, which was released with Microsoft's announcement, appears to show Master Chief at the bottom and a new Spartan character at the top - perhaps indicating that players will also play as their own created character.

343 Industries general manager Bonnie Ross' statement in full:

"Any time you transition to a new platform, there is the opportunity to look at things with a new perspective. For us at 343 Industries, the launch of the Xbox One was an opportunity to think about what stories we wanted to tell, how to tell them, and how best to push the Halo franchise to showcase the platform. And maybe, most importantly, combining our passion for Halo with the vocal and informative input from our fans.

Halo isn't simply a perennial game franchise, it's a part of the Xbox platform itself. In terms of innovation and ideation, it's sometimes important to people who might not even play Halo. And of course it's a passion and an essential experience for two generations of gamers. So we asked ourselves, how do we begin and where do we go with Halo on Xbox One?

In the past, Halo games have pushed the Xbox forward, showcasing the console and its ecosystem in entertaining and innovative ways. Making a Halo game that runs at 60 frames per second, on dedicated servers, with the scope, features and scale we've been dreaming of for more than a decade, is non-trivial. It's a task that we, at 343 Industries, are taking very seriously to ensure we deliver the Halo game that fans deserve, and a game that is built from the ground up for Xbox One.

I'm happy to reveal that Halo 5: Guardians, the next installment in the legendary saga of the Master Chief, will launch on Xbox One in fall of 2015. In the tradition of every Halo game since its debut in 2001, it is a massive and exciting project.

Halo 5: Guardians is a bigger effort than Halo 4. That applies to the content and scope of the game, as well as the technology in what's now a brand new and more powerful engine. Certainly there are some core elements carried over from prior games, but we've invested a huge effort in retooling our tech to take full advantage of the Xbox One's hardware and ecosystem to create worlds and experiences worthy of next-gen.

It's a game that will hopefully demonstrate the talent, learnings and abilities of the 343 Industries team. A game that will incorporate the things we learned from Halo 4 about technology, aesthetics, performance and scale – and perhaps more importantly, understanding and embracing a community of gamers who love what lies at the heart of this game, and the limitless potential of the Halo universe.

And 2015 won't simply be the year of Halo 5: Guardians, it will also be a year that offers us a unique opportunity. The opportunity to invite old friends and new audiences into that universe through the Halo television series, launched as a unique collaboration with Steven Spielberg and some of the finest creative minds in the business. A series that will stand alone, as well as complement and enrich the game experience. We'll have more to share on the Halo television series as we near its projected fall 2015 release."