Halo Wars 2 support has ended, says Microsoft
Recently, fans petitioned 343i for more support for Halo Wars 2, which enjoys a healthy userbase. Sadly, Mircosoft wants none of it.
Halo Wars 2 is a criminally underrated RTS for Xbox One and PC. Set somewhere around the events of Halo 5, Halo Wars 2 follows the crew of the UNSC Spirit of Fire in their battle against Atriox, a rogue brute that has built up a sizeable force of his own. Halo Wars 2 enjoyed a decent amount of post-launch content, including a campaign expansion featuring the dreaded Flood, new modes, and playable heroes. Lately, though, development has practically dried up.
Halo Wars 2 fans started a petition on Change.org to try and get noticed by 343i, requesting further development, much-requested fixes and balance changes, as well as a Steam version – something we'd heard a long time ago, was on the cards. Sadly, 343i responded today to say that the studio is not committing any more resources to Halo Wars 2, as it puts its focus on the Master Chief Collection. The full statement is as follows.
It's a crushing shame that Microsoft isn't prepared to invest in its Halo Wars 2 franchise, particularly since the company seems to want to tout itself as a games-as-a-service company. No games last forever, but Halo Wars 2's abandonment seems premature, especially in a world where titles like No Man's Sky, Final Fantasy XIV: Realm Reborn, and Rainbow Six Siege were all able to turn around and become big success stories.
Steam at the absolute minimum could've breathed new life into Halo Wars 2, allowing for mods and that sort of thing. At least at the moment, it looks like it's simply not meant to be.
Console strategy
Halo Wars has never been better
Halo Wars 2: Complete Edition offers a staggering amount of quality content at a great price, giving you access to what is, without a doubt, the best RTS game on Xbox Live.
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Jez Corden is the Executive Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter (X) and Threads, and listen to his XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!