Halo 5 Release Date Rumors: Could the Title Launch in 2013?

After Halo 4's successful launch and critical reception, conversation revolving around Halo 5 has already commenced.

Little is known about the title, but developer 343 Industries has stated that development is already underway for the upcoming title. However a number of rumors from different news outlets seem to hint that the title may come out as early as next year.

According to Trusted Reviews, "Despite a Halo 5 release date being far from confirmed, if recent Xbox 720 rumours ring true and we see Microsoft's third-generation console officially unveiled at E3 ahead of an autumn 2013 Xbox 720 release date, it is not unreasonable to expect the next addition of the Halo franchise to follow the same path."

Gaming Illustrated's Kevin Hunter also states that there is a possibility of seeing the title as early as fall 2013 but feels that it may be too soon considering the recent launch of Halo 4.

Product Review Gaming went further and speculated their own timeline for the title. The publication took a look at the history of the franchise and the gaps between the major titles' releases to determine a release date in 2014. The original title Halo: Combat Evolved was released in late 2001 and its sequel came out three years later. The final installment in the first trilogy then launched in 2007. After that, a number of spin-off titles including Halo Wars and Halo Reach were released in 2009 and 2010. Anniversary versions of the original and the third installment were also released in the intervening years before Halo 4 launched this year. The publication states that they do not expect another three to five year gap between Halo 4 and Halo 5. They even mention that since pre-production has already started on the game, it is possible that Halo 5 could launch in 2014 if the next Xbox 720 launches then.

The launch title scenario is possible though there is no certainty of when the Xbox 720 will launch. Many believe that a 2013 launch date is likely considering the headstart Nintendo has taken with the Wii U, but a 2014 launch is not out of the question either since Microsoft has spoken about making a revolutionary system. The other major factor to consider is Sony's PLaystation 4. If that launches in 2013, then Microsoft will surely try to match them in order to not risk losing their user base.