Halo developer 343 industries has confirmed that next year’s release of Halo 4 will be a direct sequel to Halo 3 during the Halo 4 panel at PAX. In addition to it being a direct sequel to Halo 3, we have also learned that the new series will be called the Reclaimer Trilogy.

The new trilogy will heavily emphasize Master Chief as the main character, which is exciting news for Halo fans. 343 also let the news out that Cortana will be a big part of the Master Chief storyline in the upcoming trilogy. Exactly how was unclear, but 343 says that they will address the “unique relationship that hasn’t been addressed in other Halo titles.”

Look for Halo 4 to attempt to strike a balance between the new and the old. It should deliver innovations in weapons and abilities, but will be faithful to the Halo gameplay that fans want. It is still on track for release in 2012, but exactly when is still a mystery.