 After Microsoft acquired Bungie in 2000 , Bungie developed the original Halo : Combat Evolved as a 2001 launch title for the Xbox . Bungie and Microsoft split in 2007 , but the rights to Halo remained with the latter , which formed an internal division to oversee Halo franchise development . 343 Industries , the internal division , approached Saber Interactive with a proposal to remake Combat Evolved for the game 's tenth anniversary . Saber 's Chief Operating Officer Andrey Iones recalled that the offer was " an opportunity we [ could not ] miss " , as Saber had never before worked on a major game franchise and many team members were fans of Halo . Saber developed concept art to form visual ideas for the remake and then flew to Seattle , Washington , to meet with 343 Industries . 
