In a statement issued to Eurogamer Microsoft has refused to confirm or deny reports that Halo 2: Anniversary is in development.
A company spokesperson said:
"Other than confirming that your Halo journey on Xbox One begins in 2014, we have made no announcements related to specific titles. Any report or listing to the contrary is based solely on speculation and rumour."
Industry insiders last week said Microsoft plan to release Halo 2: Anniversary on November 11th this year and then launch Halo 5 in 2015. Adding weight to the speculation is the fact that Microsoft is pursuing legal options against whomever revealed the information although this isn't exact confirmation of the company's plans.
Microsoft Studios' president Phil Spencer raised expectations that Halo 2: Anniversary is in development when he recently answered a fan's question on the reports saying:
"Never get tired of questions on what's coming. Just can't always answer as we need news at events. Halo 2 is a good game…"
November will mark Halo 2's tenth anniversary; in 2011, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary was launched to mark that game's tenth birthday. Earlier today, Microsoft announced the appointment of Satya Nadella as the company's third CEO.