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Microsoft reveals future plans for Halo universe
- November 02, 2009 14:46 PM PST
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A recent interview with 343 Industries' Frank O'Connor details where the Halo franchise is headed over the next six years.
Halo 3: ODST has already generated more than $125 million in sales it's first two weeks, and with almost 2.5 million copies sold the Halo franchise is rapidly approaching the 30 million sales mark. Though Bungie may be getting tired of cranking out games featuring massive floating ringworlds, Microsoft's 343 Industries makes it clear in a recent interview with USA Today that there will be new Halo products for at least another six years.
ODST has earned $125 million since launch. "Pretty good for a game that most called an 'expansion pack,'" says analyst Michael Pachter.
Bungie's final contribution to the series, Halo: Reach is the story of what happened when the Covenant first attacked humanity on the planet Reach. A prequel to the Halo trilogy, Reach is scheduled to release in fall of 2010.
No news yet on the stalled Halo feature film, though rumors of a new director have repeatedly popped up since Peter Jackson abandoned the project. "We're being very careful to pick the right time and the right partner,"said Frank O'Connor, creative director for 343 Industries (which manages the Halo franchise.)
In the meantime Halo Legends is coming to home theaters in 2010, collaboration between five Japanese animation studios to create a series of seven short anime films that flesh out the Halo universe (much as the Animatrix did for the Matrix trilogy.) The Halo Waypoint channel on XBL will begin offering previews of the films this fall.
The Halo universe already hosts two comic series (Halo: Uprising and the current ODST-focused Halo: Helljumper) and Marvel plans to bring a third to market this holiday season. Tentatively titled Halo: Blood Line, the newest comic line deals with Spartan team Black, the UNSC's " top-secret unconventional warfare unit."
If comic books (sorry, graphic novels) aren't your thing keep an eye out for Halo: Evolutions, an anthology of short stories set in the Halo universe. The collection features fiction from previous Halo universe contributors like Tobias Buckell and Eric Nylund (who wrote the Halo: Fall of Reach novel) and is expected in stores November 24th. Another trilogy of prequel novels is planned that deal with the Forerunner civilization, though no release date is currently available.
The release of ODST brings with it another slew of Halo toys from Todd McFarlane, including a model of Spartan Recon Armor and a painted plastic version of "the Rookie."
Microsoft continues to cash in with a new line of Halo action figures, due out in November.
O'Connor makes it clear that the Halo series will continue even after Bungie releases their swan song next fall. "We do have a plan that goes out at least six years," he says. "Eventually, it will become very apparent that there is a plan for the way the canon all ties together and the way the comic books and the novels all tie together."
Halo has become a cultural icon, and though Microsoft's plans to expand the franchise are great news for fans I'm nervous about what will happen to the series once Bungie moves on.
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- Oct 08 2009 at 01:34:30:PM PST
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Yea this series definately was bound to have many games. There's novels and comics, and even an animated series on the way so the story will have a lot of depth from all of them combined, the games are just a small part. The games sell so well it would be a surprise if they weren't making any more after Reach.
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I haven't played ODST yet, but I really liked the other three, and I have no qualms with continuing Halo games, as long as they continue to be good. Without Bungie, who knows what will happen, but any franchise that keeps pumping out games is fine by me as long as they pump out good games.
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I love all the Halo games, except Halo Wars because I haven't played it yet. But I'm very curious to see which studios start making Halo games once Bungie moves on. Maybe Valve, Epic or Infinity Ward can make some.
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im burned out on halo,but i can say i will get odst because its a fresh approach to the series.ill continue to support the series as long as they are good.because lets face it its stale and getting repetitive.the series needs a reinvention and in a good way.im sure ms has the deep pockets to lure a proven dev team to take over."OH AND DONT BE STUPID AND SAY ARENT YOU TIRED OF PLAYING HALO"BURNED OUT YEAH TIRED OF IT NO.-arent you tired of mario after all these years or final fantasy?im sure your answer is no.as long as its good people will play it,and it will sell like crazy.but they do need to cut back on the oversaturation.HALOS BECOMING THE LIL WAYNE OF VIDEO GAMES LOL.GOOD BUT TOO MUCH OF IT
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After Bungie moves on, then George Lucas will pick up Halo and explain how Master Chiefs midichlorien count is really high and that he was meant to bring balance to the Spartan program.
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shutyourpiehole wrote:
Geez, don't people ever get sick of playing Halo all the time?
i doubt it, i mean if thats the case people should be sick of Mario & GTA
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i can see all y'all HALO GEEKS going to Halo Conventions in about 5 years dressed in Cosplay. and i thought Star Wars and Star Trek Geeks were bad lmao.
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neji64 wrote:
i can see all y'all HALO GEEKS going to Halo conventions in about 5 years dressed in Cosplay.
and beating you up while your wearing your final fantasy costumes.im sure this comment comes from you still being sour about being whipped on a few times by by star wars fans while you where dressed as a klingon.do you still cringe every time you watch fanboys.brings back horrible memories huh
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