Malcolm_Roberts July 27, 2009 Xbox 360 137 views Comments Print This Post  Email This Post

In 2001 on the Xbox we were thrust into a world the likes which we had not seen at that time. It would change the face of first person shooters on consoles that had not been done since Goldeneye for the Nintendo 64. The game would be known as Halo: Combat Evolved. Over the years it has turned into one of the biggest videogame franchises with Halo 2 and Halo 3 which was the first on Xbox 360.

After Halo 3 the story was complete, “we finished the fight”. That did not stop Bungie from creating two more entries in the Halo universe, Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach. Halo 3: ODST takes place on Mombasa between Halo 2 and Halo 3 and is due out this September. Halo: Reach will take place on the human world “Reach” and will chronicle the fall of the planet at the hands of the Convenant. We will not get to experience this game the fall of 2010.

With all that said Bungie has announced that Halo: Reach will be their last Halo game. The torch will be passed onto Microsoft’s newly developed 343 Industries lead by former Bungie employee Frank O’Connor. 343 Industries is currently overseeing the Halo: Legends anime and the upcoming Halo Waypoint. Waypoint will be a central hub of information regarding the Halo universe with podcasts, trailers for upcoming games, and episodes of Halo: Legends. Bungie is close to signing a deal involving their new IP but no information is known about it at this moment.

Lars Bakken of Bungie said “After Reach that’s it for us. We’re already working on a new IP that we can’t talk about yet, I don’t know when we’ll be talking about it – when we’re ready I suppose.”

It is hard to imagine that Bungie will not do a Halo game again but it is good to see that they are spreading their wings a little more. It will be interesting to see how the Bungie “feel” will remain intact. 343 Industries has a long road ahead of them but with Frank O’Connor on board the series will be in good hands.