Support NeoGAF

[Mister Wolf]

I miss Halo. Was hoping we at least got a story expansion for Infinite.

 

[kiphalfton]

Why should have a Halo thing now anyway?

Infinite has a new already announced update, and people are still thinking about how to best this. Guess what? Takes time, guys

[Contestant on Jeopardy]

"What is Microsoft's favorite excuse"

 

[Ev1L AuRoN]

Thank god for that. Let Halo rest for a while, and bring it back when you have a fresh angle for it. Give it to Id software while you're at it..

 

[feynoob]

[Contestant on Jeopardy]

"What is Microsoft's favorite excuse"

It's great excuse. Works well.

 

[TikiLagoonSam]

With every damn Forza and Gears Of War, there should be a Halo.

 

[feynoob]

With every damn Forza and Gears Of War, there should be a Halo.

Who is going to do halo after 343i changes?

 

[DeepEnigma]

Who is going to do halo after 343i changes?

id

Or, they can sub it out to the greats, Bungie.

 

[TikiLagoonSam]

Who is going to do halo after 343i changes?

ANYONE. I don’t care. Anyone can do that shit. If that trash 343 can do it, anyone can. The base gameplay loop and world is so good, you just need a competent developer to do it. I don’t want to hear another word about a Forza or Gears until I hear about a Halo.

 

[Diddy X]

You can't rely on a single IP like MS used to on Halo, just leave the IP alone and move on, look to make better games.

 

[Moses85]

20 Studios

1 Game with a Release Date (Starfield)
1 Game (hellblade) with Zero gameplay since its announcement


Sorry, Phil is a

 

[BrutalTruth_]

LMAO. The thread is a total none starter and this is what comes out of your mouth?

Lmao I love how he said MS showed more third party

They showed more first party games than Sony.

Some delusional folks out there.

 

[feynoob]

20 Studios

Math is not right

 

[Ozriel]

20 Studios

1 Game with a Release Date (Starfield)
1 Game (hellblade) with Zero gameplay since its announcement


Sorry, Phil is a

Starfield and Forza with confirmed release dates. Three other first party AAA releases with confirmed 2024 release windows. You might want to try on that mask yourself.

That’s no worse a roadmap than any other console maker out there. Better than some, too

When it comes to Spencer, lots of illogical, ‘bitch eating crackers’ vibes here.

And it’s 23 studios

 

[Salz01]

You have to give the man credit where credit is due. I mean it takes some serious business acumen, and talent to take a strong IP like Halo, that sells millions, and in a few years time, have it be in the shitter. Not too many people can do that. It’s commendable.

 

[Ozriel]

Phil sure does talk a lot.

Still waiting for actual evidence of these 20 studios and their quality when they actually release games.

Starfields up first!

I know, right?

Top quality Studios that existed before acquisition (iD Software, Tango, Coalition, Ninja Theory, Obsidian, Bethesda, Playground, Turn 10 and Mojang) suddenly need reaffirmation of their existence and quality after Microsoft acquired them.

anytime you see “xyz talks a lot” here, you know you’re in for a weird post

 

[mckmas8808]

I don’t want it be that guy, but why would you call your historically 4 big IPs the four horseman of the apocalypse?

It's just so stupid! He didn't think that one through.

 

[Ozriel]

? This doesn’t make sense. Even if you have 100 studios. People are expecting to see one of your biggest franchise in your big reveal. This is like if Nintendo had a major Direct with all studios games and they don’t show Mario because they have too many studios.

Did Microsoft ‘have a major Direct with all their studios games’?

There’s no new Halo game in the near future. Infinite was released two years ago, and they’re in the live service mode. They could have shown the Season 4 trailer, but that would have been the most they’d show.

It makes perfect sense to keep it out from everything we know. Schreier claims it’s being rebuilt in Unreal Engine, and we know there’s a BR mode in active development from CA.

More likely they’ll show the revamped game when it’s closer to release.

 

[hemo memo]

Did Microsoft ‘have a major Direct with all their studios games’?

There’s no new Halo game in the near future. Infinite was released two years ago, and they’re in the live service mode. They could have shown the Season 4 trailer, but that would have been the most they’d show.

It makes perfect sense to keep it out from everything we know. Schreier claims it’s being rebuilt in Unreal Engine, and we know there’s a BR mode in active development from CA.

More likely they’ll show the revamped game when it’s closer to release.

This is their big Xbox showcase. Halo is Xbox biggest franchise. You at least expect a teaser with “Halo X in development”.

 

[Clear]

I wouldn’t say Halo is of lesser importance, but we have over 20 studios now. l go back to the years where I had basically four games – Fable, Forza, Halo, Gears, the four horseman of the apocalypse. We have a lot more games now.

This kinda says it all, and its especially funny as I've taken tons of flak in the past for pointing out that the biggest problem with Xbox over the years is that it was the same franchises over and over again. Because that's only a good offer if you're already bought-in, the same people who gave that line-up a hard pass, aren't likely to change their minds despite a generational changeover.

The bigger question is why that situation persisted for so long, and why the only way out of it was to go on a shopping spree of developers and publishers the like of which the industry has never before seen?

 

[feynoob]

This is their big Xbox showcase. Halo is Xbox biggest franchise. You at least expect a teaser with “Halo X in development”.

You won't see halo news in 2-3 years.
Xbox did teaser and got burned by it from the media. Safe to say, they won't do it unless it's game of year or other events.

 

[EverydayBeast]

The halo hate is severe, but bungie leaving was devastating.

 

[feynoob]

This kinda says it all, and its especially funny as I've taken tons of flak in the past for pointing out that the biggest problem with Xbox over the years is that it was the same franchises over and over again. Because that's only a good offer if you're already bought-in, the same people who gave that line-up a hard pass, aren't likely to change their minds despite a generational changeover.

The bigger question is why that situation persisted for so long, and why the only way out of it was to go on a shopping spree of developers and publishers the like of which the industry has never before seen?

Lack of studios And strong IPs.
With Bethesda, they have elder scrolls, fallout, starfield and doom, plus other Bethesda/zenimax games.

 

[Clear]

Lack of studios And strong IPs.
With Bethesda, they have elder scrolls, fallout, starfield and doom, plus other Bethesda/zenimax games.

Do you think the Xbox division was perennially underfunded? Or do you think they were serially unlucky? The question needs to be asked as to why over such a long period of time they didn't create more popular IP?

Was Steve Jobs right on the money in 1996?

 

[Ozriel]

This is their big Xbox showcase. Halo is Xbox biggest franchise. You at least expect a teaser with “Halo X in development”.

Yea, this was their big showcase. And they sure lived up to that by showcasing Starfield, one of the biggest games ever made. And that paid off for them.

By any metric, Halo’s popularity has waned significantly, and it makes no sense to hype up a new feature for a live service game that isn’t coming soon.

You’ll have noticed all their DLC/expansion content announcements at the showcase (for Fallout 76, ESO and Sea of Thieves) are coming within weeks and months.

Microsoft has long been derided for Halo, Gears and Forza carrying the load for many years. Now they’re diversifying and you’re saying it makes no sense?

I think you’re misguided into looking at things the wrong way. They’ve had a very well received showcase without having to blow their load. Lots of big studios making big games that haven’t been put in the limelight yet. Halo included. And that’s a win.

 

[LordOfChaos]

Nothing statement. Just tell us if Halo Infinite single player expansion is still happening and about when to expect it.

 

[Ozriel]

The bigger question is why that situation persisted for so long, and why the only way out of it was to go on a shopping spree of developers and publishers the like of which the industry has never before seen?

Really? Doesn’t hold a candle to stuff Tencent and Embracer has done. At all.

 

[Ozriel]

Do you think the Xbox division was perennially underfunded? Or do you think they were serially unlucky? The question needs to be asked as to why over such a long period of time they didn't create more popular IP?

Was Steve Jobs right on the money in 1996?

They were certainly underfunded for much of the Xbox One generation, and had only a limited number of first party studios. 6 in total, I believe.

 

[BlueLyria]

It should've been there because it's a live service game and those live through mind share

 

[Isa]

I like having a break from the old stable of Halo and Gears. New IP is needed to keep things fresh and thankfully they brought quite the show. The lineup they have in the works has me quite happy.

 

[Clear]

They were certainly underfunded for much of the Xbox One generation, and had only a limited number of first party studios. 6 in total, I believe.

I still think there's an argument to be made that Xbox needs, for want of a more accurate description, a better culture for fostering creativity.

 

[flying_sq]

Just make an ODST extraction shooter, MC should have stayed dead.

 

[Ozriel]

I still think there's an argument to be made that Xbox needs, for want of a more accurate description, a better culture for fostering creativity.

That would have been a strong argument years ago, I’m not sure where that argument can come from anymore, since they’ve acquired enough talent to bring a crazy amount of creative diversity to their first party lineup, and the creators themselves say they’re being empowered to make creative, risky stuff.

Grounded, Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, South of Midnight, the new Fable, Clockwork Revolution etc.

When we heard heard from a well respected dev that Xbox and GP is allowing him much more creative freedom, it caused a lot of uproar here.

Did you really look at the games shown off on Sunday and leave away with the impression that these were ‘safe’ sequels and by the numbers games?

 

[oldergamer]

...And an unknown mod deleted my post. What's the point of posting at all if there isn't a difference in opinion???

Fact is they showed a lot of games and more first party titles co pared to other shows.

 

[SteelCurtain 59]

Xbox: Shows Halo
Gamers: "Ugh move on from Halo already"
Xbox: Shows several games and doesn't show anything Halo related
Gamers: "Why didn't you show something from Halo?"

 

[Clear]

That would have been a strong argument years ago, I’m not sure where that argument can come from anymore, since they’ve acquired enough talent to bring a crazy amount of creative diversity to their first party lineup, and the creators themselves say they’re being empowered to make creative, risky stuff.

Grounded, Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, South of Midnight, the new Fable, Clockwork Revolution etc.

When we heard heard from a well respected dev that Xbox and GP is allowing him much more creative freedom, it caused a lot of uproar here.

Did you really look at the games shown off on Sunday and leave away with the impression that these were ‘safe’ sequels and by the numbers games?

Acquiring is fine, but it'd be better if they could use these seeds to grow something more than what they started with.

I don't believe they lack talent or the resources to support, my sense is that far too often Xbox and Xbox product feels guided by larger business concerns, strategic concerns, anything but artistic impulse.

Let me just add that there are definitely signs of improvement, I just kinda wonder how resolutely they'll stick to a hands-off policy with their acquisitions over the long-haul.

 

[RoadHazard]

I don't understand why anyone would expect it, the last one isn't even two years old.

 

[Ozriel]

Acquiring is fine, but it'd be better if they could use these seeds to grow something more than what they started with.

I don't believe they lack talent or the resources to support, my sense is that far too often Xbox and Xbox product feels guided by larger business concerns, strategic concerns, anything but artistic impulse.

But that’s precisely what they’re doing, isn’t it?
Greenlighting Pentiment, supporting Mojang as they spinoff Minecraft into multiple genres, funding InXile to make their first ever AAA title, setting up The Initiative, greenlighting Playground’s Fable pitch and setting up an entirely new team within Playground with massive hiring, expanding Compulsion Games to make their first AAA title…we’ve got word from Double Fine about creative freedom…

Let’s put it this way. There’s a reason the Halo, Gears, Forza meme is pretty much dead in the water.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

There isn’t even anything to explain. Not every franchise is expected to appear at every e3. Games take years to make, and Infinite was only Dec 2021.

 

[93xfan]

I just want to know how Craig is doing. He hasn’t been returning my calls.

 

[Feel Like I'm On 42]

I don't understand why anyone would expect it, the last one isn't even two years old.

People want to know that Halo isn't dead. That it's at least moving in the right direction. That there will be some content coming for Halo Infinite at least in the meantime.

 

[Feel Like I'm On 42]

I really don't understand why MS has been treating Halo with such disregard

 

[SHA]

I agree. Halo/Gears/Forza are not main pillars for Xbox anymore. Halo now can have enough time to cook and come out with something big - they don't need to push it anymore.

Progress doesn't count for haters, it doesn't take a 1000 ops to acknowledge halo is lacking and underperforming but for haters it does.

 

[Ozriel]

People want to know that Halo isn't dead. That it's at least moving in the right direction. That there will be some content coming for Halo Infinite at least in the meantime.

They’ve had a content roadmap the community has long been aware of, they released the trailer for Season 4.

Halo Infinite Season 4 launches June 20 with Infection mode, new maps and more

The popular Infection Mode returns for Season 4 of Microsoft's Xbox and PC game Halo Infinite, along with some new multiplayer maps, some new custom skins for weapons and more content.

www.neowin.net

Much ado about nothing. It does seem like you’re accusing them of something when you seem to have very limited interest in the title itself.

 

[Feel Like I'm On 42]

They’ve had a content roadmap the community has long been aware of, they released the trailer for Season 4.

Halo Infinite Season 4 launches June 20 with Infection mode, new maps and more

The popular Infection Mode returns for Season 4 of Microsoft's Xbox and PC game Halo Infinite, along with some new multiplayer maps, some new custom skins for weapons and more content.

www.neowin.net

Much ado about nothing. It does seem like you’re accusing them of something when you’re not even following the title at all.

I want to know about single player content. The campaign felt so under developed, like a shell of a real Halo game. If you read most peoples comments today about tge campaign you'll see most did not think this was a good campaign, contrary to the hype assissted reviews of mainstream reviewers at launch.

The story was paper thin. The world with its one biome and nothing to do outside of taking down mini bases shouldve been the backdrop for a much fuller game. The open world was a cool idea and the best part of the game, along with tge great feeling combat but theres so much more needed in a Halo game. Halo needs to be the total package. Where is the variety in this game? The padding and repetition towards the end of the game was extreme.

I care about only 2 things when it comes to Halo: campaign and multiplayer. I hate that they made it "free to play" and now has all this focus on stuff that doesn't matter. "Seasons, skins, etc"

Also, Cross Play is hurting Halo. There needs to be an option to turn it off for casual matches not just ranked. It shouldn't be the default setting it should be something you opt into. This is the biggest disrespect 343 and MS has done to Halo fans. Making the playing field unequal from the start is a gaming sin. People wonder why this games multiplayer no longer has the magic and sense of community? Look no further than forced crossplay.

I'm not even going to say my personal opinion on which side its unfair to. It's unfair to both console and PC players actually. Halo was built on a level playing field. Fuck, multiplayer is built on an equal playing field. It's compete disrespect just because of the greed in eyes of the executives that thought about how much Halo could make them if they turned it into a "free to play, open platform". It's all about having more player populations to drive sales of seasonal bullshit.

So back to my original point. I along with many people don't feel like there's a GOOD plan for Halo going forward despite them having a "roadmap" for some bare minimum seasonal content.

 

[Ozriel]

I want to know about single player content. The campaign felt so under developed, like a shell of a real Halo game. If you read most peoples comments today about tge campaign you'll see most did not think this was a good campaign, contrary to the hype assissted reviews of mainstream reviewers at launch.

The story was paper thin. The world with its one biome and nothing to do outside of taking down mini bases shouldve been the backdrop for a much fuller game. The open world was a cool idea and the best part of the game, along with tge great feeling combat but theres so much more needed in a Halo game. Halo needs to be the total package. Where is the variety in this game? The padding and repetition towards the end of the game was extreme.

I care about only 2 things when it comes to Halo: campaign and multiplayer. I hate that they made it "free to play" and now has all this focus on stuff that doesn't matter. "Seasons, skins, etc"

Also, Cross Play is hurting Halo. There needs to be an option to turn it off for casual matches not just ranked. It shouldn't be the default setting it should be something you opt into. This is the biggest disrespect 343 and MS has done to Halo fans. Making the playing field unequal from the start is a gaming sin. People wonder why this games multiplayer no longer has the magic and sense of community? Look no further than forced crossplay.

I'm not even going to say my personal opinion on which side its unfair to. It's unfair to both console and PC players actually. Halo was built on a level playing field. Fuck, multiplayer is built on an equal playing field. It's compete disrespect just because of the greed in eyes of the executives that thought about how much Halo could make them if they turned it into a "free to play, open platform". It's all about having more player populations to drive sales of seasonal bullshit.

So back to my original point. I along with many people don't feel like there's a GOOD plan for Halo going forward despite them having a "roadmap" for some bare minimum seasonal content.

The game got great reviews at launch. Conspiracy theories about 'mainstream press' artificially hyping the title aren't plausible, since it's at 87% with 98 reviews. That's a lot of reviewers, many of them decidedly not mainstream.

Were there flaws? For sure. limited biome diversity among others, but that's probably the reason why it's an 87% MC game and not a 94% MC title.

I really don't understand how you can go from one post claiming fans have had no news about any content update whatsoever, then pivot to claiming you were talking about campaign updates that you knew for sure weren't coming. Schreier's reporting made that clear that there's no campaign expansion coming anytime soon.

I don't think there's much room for good-faith discussion on Halo here. But I'll say it's probably much better to showcase the game again when there's some major changeup - for example an Xbox Series only upgrade to UE5 + the Battle Royale mode being worked on by Certain Affinity. That's probably the best chance to bring back a lot of players.

 

[Deputy Moonman]

Eh, while they could have actually included Halo Infinite and shown off the new season 4 content, I think the exclusion makes a lot of sense. For years now one of gamers' favorite knocks on xbox was that it's always Gears, Halo, Forza every year. I'm sure execs were like let's leave it out and let some of the negative views of the game die down. So Microsoft did their showcase without two of their three traditionally heaviest hitters. It'll be back at some point.

 

[ZehDon]

Was anyone seriously expecting Halo at this show? The best you're getting for the rest of this gen is the release of the Battle Royale whenever they try to re-launch Halo Infinite's F2P multiplayer.

The damage 343i has done to Halo is catastrophic, and they just finished losing half their staff as a result of that. 343i are relegated to live service hell for the rest of this generation as try to un-fuck their studio, meaning Halo's out of the game for a long, long time.

 

[Knightime_X]

That's fine.
Halo is riddled with cheaters and excessively sweaty players.
Knock it down a notch and let it cool off.

 

[In Cold Blood]

Xbox Studios are so big now that they can give 343 the time they need to get Halo back to form.
The campaign for Halo Infinite was excellent, but their output sucked for the amount of money and resources they were given.
MS probably owns the greatest IPs of any publisher now, so Halo can take a rest while other games entertain us.

 

[Team Andromeda]

I would say it's more because it takes 3 to 4 years at the very least to make a Halo campaign.