Certain AffinitySource: Certain Affinity

What you need to know

  • VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb revealed a new "Monster Hunter"-like game for Xbox on his GrubbSnax show.
  • The game is being built by Certain Affinity, who is known for their work on Halo and Call of Duty as a support studio.
  • We can independently confirm Jeff Grubb's report via our own sources.

Microsoft is working on a veritable mountain of content, with both internal and external partners. Microsoft acquired ZeniMax, and is attempting to acquire Activision Blizzard, and its growing list of upcoming Xbox games is a big driving force for its subscription service, Xbox Game Pass.

In addition to internal games, Microsoft is working on a range of third-parties on titles like Project Dragon, from IO Interactive, As Dusk Falls from Interior Night, and Contraband, from Avalanche. Thanks to the latest episode of Jeff Grubb's GrubbSnax show, we now have unearthed yet another game.

I can confirm via our own separate sources that this game is indeed real, and is currently codenamed Project Suerte. Suerte is reportedly a "Monster Hunter" inspired game, implying big monster battles with multiplayer gameplay. The game is in development by Certain Affinity, which is known primarily as a support studio on titles like Halo and Call of Duty.

According to the information I've received over the last few months, Project Suerte has been in development since the summer of 2020, and is likely slated for a 2023 reveal and 2024 release, although it may come a bit sooner or later depending on the dynamism and variables that often come with game development.

Certain Affinity has long been a close partner of Microsoft, working on various Halo titles from Halo 2, through to the Master Chief Collection to Halo Infinite. I've received some separate hints that Certain Affinity may also be working on a new game mode for Halo Infinite, which could be a take on the popular battle royale formula or something completely different entirely.

Either way, it seems that Microsoft intends to extend their friendship with Certain Affinity by greenlighting this new IP, which CA has been teasing and hiring for some time according to LinkedIn profiles and job listings on their own website. Given the development timelines, it could be a while before we see this game formally revealed, but as a fan of Monster Hunter, I can safely say my interest is piqued.