What you need to know
- 343 Industries has explained that the Halo TV series will take place in a “Silver Timeline” that’s similar to, but separate from, the core Halo canon.
- There is potential for these two timelines to intersect, and everything from objects and equipment to characters and events from the TV show could appear in future Halo games.
- The Halo TV series is expected to premiere in 2022 exclusively on Paramount+.
Ahead of its expected premiere later this year, 343 Industries has released a new “Silver Debrief” blog post that breaks down some of what fans can expect from the upcoming Halo TV series. We finally got a first look at it during The Game Awards 2021, and to hold us over as we eagerly await the arrival of the Halo TV series’ official trailer during the CBS broadcast of the AFC Championship football game on Jan. 30, Franchise Creative Director Frank O’Connor has provided details about the show’s “Silver Timeline.”
According to O’Connor, this timeline will be very similar to the core Halo canon that players have experienced in the franchise’s video games and novels. However, it will deviate from the core canon in situations where it’s necessary for the show’s story.
“The TV show timeline – the ‘Silver Timeline’ – is grounded in the universe, characters and events of what’s been established in core canon, but will differ in subtle and not so subtle ways in order to tell a grounded, human story, set in the profoundly established Halo universe,” said O’Connor. “Where differences and branches arise, they will do so in ways that make sense for the show, meaning that while many events, origins, character arcs, and outcomes will map to the Halo story fans know, there will be surprises, differences, and twists that will run parallel, but not identically to core canon.”
According to O’Connor, there’s also potential for the main timeline and the Silver Timeline to intersect. “The show certainly is built on the shoulders of Halo’s canonical giants. The history, the aesthetic, the narrative underpinnings, and so on, are all directly aligned with, inspired by, based on, or aligned with existing Halo stuff, O’Connor explained. “Of course, there are tweaks … but story differences create great opportunities to make new things that could potentially feature in future games – not just objects or effects, or designs, but people, events, inventions, and more.”
Whether or not 343 Industries has actual plans to weave elements of the show’s timeline into Halo’s core canon remains to be seen, but it’s fun to think about regardless. The show itself is expected to debut later this year exclusively on Paramount+, and according to 343 Industries’ Head of Transmedia Kiki Wolfkill, the show’s producers are “deep in post-production and finishing on the show.” In the meantime, why not try out the Halo Infinite campaign? It features an excellent story and gameplay that’s an absolute blast, making it one of the best Xbox shooters available.
Keyword: Halo TV series 'Silver Timeline' explained in new breakdown