E3 2008: Microsoft behind Bungie misfire

Publisher veep Don Mattrick tells LA Times that developer's new Halo project pulled from press conference due to time constraints; now slated for "more dedicated event."

It's been a turbulent past couple of weeks for Microsoft-emancipated studio Bungie. After churning up a good deal of excitement last Monday with news that an announcement was imminent, the Kirkland, Washington-based outfit proved that its operations are not as autonomous as many may have perceived them to be. In the midst of a teaser campaign, the developer abruptly announced that it would not be revealing its new project as anticipated, at the bidding of "our publisher."

While it was commonly held that the unnamed publisher in question was Microsoft, that fact was confirmed last night by the Los Angeles Times. Speaking to the news outlet, Microsoft senior vice president of interactive entertainment Don Mattrick said that the reveal of Bungie's newest Halo game was pulled from the publisher's E3 Media & Business Summit press conference to keep the event under the 90-minute mark.

"We had an embarrassment of riches," Mattrick told the LA Times. "We felt we could do this game more justice with a more dedicated event."

No other details on what that new Halo game might be were revealed. However, it is likely in reference to the as-yet-unconfirmed squad-based tactical spin-off first revealed on Sunday. According to a GameSpot source, Bungie's next Halo project will be "a cross between Ghost Recon and Gears of War." Also, instead of monolithic franchise protagonist the Master Chief, the game will supposedly follow the exploits of a squad of colonial marines in a "less cartoony" and "more bloody, violent, and grim" tale of a battle between UNSC forces and the pan-racial religious empire known as the Covenant.

241 Comments

  • Pyromaniac210

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 11:34 am PT

    Fyre8892- Although Peter Jackson did describe the games would be a "filmic game experience", he is not working on an interactive film but the yet-to-be-released Halo game in accordance with Bungie.

    "During today's X06 briefing, Microsoft announced that an entire new Halo series is in development. The new Halo games will be codeveloped by Bungie Studios and Wingnut Interactive, an all-new subdivision of Jackson's film production company, Wingnut Films. Not so coincidentally, Wingnut is currently making a big-budget big-screen adaptation of Halo, which will be directed by South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp."

  • fatcat13sep

    Posted Jul 23, 2008 11:27 am PT

    i think there going a little to far with halo now next thing there going to make is a halo mmo and halo tv series and maybe halo land with the scarab coaster

  • m4crz3y

    Posted Jul 23, 2008 10:40 am PT

    Hell, even Bungi recognizes Gears of War and Ghost Recon awesomness and will recreated a game that will use these two game best gimmicks. I always wanted to see a darker more real Halo not that cartoonish violence Halo always had. And this is great since I love my tatical shooters this will make the game better in my opioin. I hope the Head shots on Gears will be in this so in multiplayer I can see Spartan Armor fools heads explodes. Yummy!!!!

  • Zangoose0078 posted Jul 23, 2008 2:38 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Zangoose0078

    Posted Jul 23, 2008 2:38 am PT (hide)

    for the ps3?

  • Fyre8892

    Posted Jul 22, 2008 5:28 pm PT

    @Pyromaniac210 That's not entirely true. Peter Jackson is working on a different title (more like an interactive movie), and the book is Contact Harvest. Nevertheless I'm sure Bungie's new game will be set to very high standards, and I bet Bungie will deliver.

    @scorch-62 It's all about money, mate. MS had plenty of other titles to show at E3. Sometimes it's about not showing your whole hand until the right time. I do think that MS should be more careful about yanking things off at the last minute though. They could really upset some Halo fans (or worse some Bungie employees).

  • scorch-62

    Posted Jul 22, 2008 4:45 pm PT

    "...the reveal of Bungie's newest Halo game was pulled from the publisher's E3 Media & Business Summit press conference to keep the event under the 90-minute mark."

    That's utter bull****. Microsoft is too greedy. They wouldn't put low-budget family-oriented XBLA games ahead of their money-making franchise.

  • knightman

    Posted Jul 22, 2008 11:13 am PT

    more intense, more blood, more violence.. in the halo world... hell yeah...lol

  • padejace

    Posted Jul 22, 2008 6:45 am PT

    @#!! Damn MS !! Leave Bungy alone !

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 8:44 pm PT

    oh man i can't wait. I wanted halo 3 to be slightly gritty. the vidocs showing brutes slaughtering humans and elites using twin blades to slice of opponents arms were amazing. hopefully that gets added this time around

  • Sweendrix

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 7:33 pm PT

    I know what the game is like, what it is about, and even have sampled some of the musical score...and I will tell you that it is going to kick a whole lot of arse. Sweendrix... Just google me.

  • Spartan_418

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 6:31 pm PT

    Yay. So Bungie's sticking with the Halo franchise for now. That makes me happy face

  • snaker49

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 2:33 pm PT

    i didn't see that coming

  • Pyromaniac210

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 10:53 am PT

    Being able to play as Sargent Johnson would be awesome, and is definately possible since the author of the Halo book, Operation Harvest, is also one of the writers for the new Halo game. Aside from Bungie, this game is also being codeveloped by Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings movies, and his new gaming company, so there is a whole lot about this game to be excited about.

  • PaulDixon77

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 6:26 am PT

    Bia Hells Highway + Gow2 X Halo 3 = Halo 4tastic, 8 player cover co-op campaign, + darker grittier setting hyper realistic physics non stop carnage = Best game ever made, ever, period! Nuff said. I'll keep saying it coz its true we love BUNGIE!!!!!!! OMFG. Bring it on.

    Unsc or Odst either way its going to friggen kick ass. Anyone read Contact Harvest we could end up playing as Sgt Johnson, now that would be sweet.

  • pourya_ahmadian

    Posted Jul 21, 2008 12:47 am PT

    GO GO GO GRETA XBOX360 AND MS;we love you and we will take over the others;we are the FIRST and will be
    (WE ARE THE BEST AND WILL BE)

  • LOXO7

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 10:48 pm PT

    Kindof like what Batman Begains did, only Halo. Im liking it.

  • Pyromaniac210

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 9:34 pm PT

    I love Bungie and I absolutely can not wait for this game to come out. What I really want to know is what time-frame of the Halo universe will this game be set in, if takes place before or during the main trilogy, and will the player be facing the Elites, the Brutes, or both at different points in the game.

  • gears90

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 8:38 pm PT

    Im glad bungies going a new direction. even if they stick with the halo universe they need to move away from master chief

  • cheesyone

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 8:07 pm PT

    let me give you all a little clue: playable forerunner in multiplayer. reclaimers....

  • USKB

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 7:05 pm PT

    Does this mean 2 halo (Microsoft's, Halo Wars , and Bungie's new halo)games are going to be on the market...cuz dats weird.

  • X-RS

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 5:27 pm PT

    i woulda preferred an update of halo 1 with better graphics and live.

    id lmao if it was a squad shooter and you were covenant, everyone would be a lil grunt.

  • sirvampalot

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 1:45 pm PT

    khaos_unleashed how does Ghost Recon+Gears of war =Killzone 2,Killzone 2 is rubbish.

  • Cicatraz_ESP

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 1:18 pm PT

    Cannot wait for this.

  • Sameo45

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 10:09 am PT

    If it adds a cover system that will be nice. But it needs to stay pace and in first person view. Maybe not in cover but the majority should be. Blindfiring with the needler will be priceless

  • rileyparrish

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 9:14 am PT

    They didn't feel they had to announce it because Microsoft's PC already destroyed that of Nintendo & Sony....

  • ognen

    Posted Jul 20, 2008 6:40 am PT

    It will be cool.

  • khaos_unleashed

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 9:01 pm PT

    "a cross between Ghost Recon and Gears of War." Does it mean Killzone 2?

  • kratos_karmakar

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 7:07 pm PT

    O_O. now that wat im talking bout!!!! hell yes!!!

  • maverick_76

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 6:14 pm PT

    I can't wait to see what Bungie has up their sleeve!

  • cheesyone

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 5:54 pm PT

    wasnt it bungie that said shooters work best in first person? that they learned that with oni. its gotta be first person. so calm your nerves people. its going to be a continuation of the halo story on "shield world" and not a "ring world" like the legendary ending suggested. and it is more grim and less "cartoony" and who is he to call our game cartoony? anyway were completely re-imagining the halo universe with the start of this new trilogy.

  • icym

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 5:08 pm PT

    Aiming for a cross between Ghost Recon and GoW sounds like a good idea. Halo universe is perfect for this genre of game they're talking about.

  • -HaloHitman-

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 2:21 pm PT

    Looks to me like it will be good.

  • zombieman666

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 2:03 pm PT

    SOunds ok

  • rharrigal

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 10:53 am PT

    So if its a "cross between Ghost Recon and Gears of War" It will be a 3rd person shooter rite?

  • Will47

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 8:34 am PT

    I'm glad they didn't bring it up, they need to do it when they have all the time they need.

  • Kraige

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 7:10 am PT

    X08 Woot!
    Seriously though they cut it because of time problems they could have shortened some other stuff like Your in the Movies.
    Personally I hope it carrys on the story after the Halo 3 Legendary ending that would be sweet and I really want a true end to that story.

  • andalore

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 6:39 am PT

    Well At Least Bungie are still making the halo games, Even if they are independant from microsoft now, It wouldnt feel right if someone else made them, I just hope they dont change the gameplay base too much, and as long as the Elites are in it, I'll be happy

  • tawagivercetti posted Jul 19, 2008 5:25 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    tawagivercetti

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 5:25 am PT (hide)

    halo is dead

  • zbiggie

    Posted Jul 19, 2008 4:43 am PT

    Might be fun, but getting rid of the Master Chief... I think is a bad Idea. I could see though playing as the Covenant, that would make a better game in my opinion

  • ColdGen

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 11:30 pm PT

    Dear Microsoft! Nick off and do not "presume" to know what we want to hear about upcoming games.

  • trw534

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 10:44 pm PT

    cool i guess

  • Hedfix

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 8:51 pm PT

    "I dont think people want to pop out one game , just to play a game that is eriee ly similar."

    Actually they do, especially if they're stuck on 1 game, but enjoying the experience, then they move on to something similar that they can still progress in easily.

  • godzillavskong

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 7:03 pm PT

    I agree ukauka1,
    Anything from Bungie is going to generate a lot of stir. Can't wait.

  • ukauka1

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 6:01 pm PT

    this is smart of bungie, if they announced a new halo, everyone would forget about all the other games at e3 and focus entirely on the new halo universe game

  • homiebo

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 3:24 pm PT

    sounds a little fishy, it sounds like a mouch of other games then actually make their own unique game... like with COD4 and Rainbow six vegas. some differences , same type of gameplay. I dont think people want to pop out one game , just to play a game that is eriee ly similar.

  • dragonsama

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 1:17 pm PT

    they didn't want the screw Square over again like they did by not promoting Final Fantasy XIII. if they revealed a new Halo game then the FFXIII announcement would have been lost and forgotten and Square would never work with them again.

  • Hedfix

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 12:28 pm PT

    They don't want Gears going up against Halo.

    Makes sense.

  • racerx737

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 12:11 pm PT

    I agree with LiveByMeDieByMe, the story at the end of the game was [yet again] left unfinished.

  • LiveByMeDieByMe

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 11:21 am PT

    I want a game, or at least a book explaining what happens to Master chief after Halo 3... as in (SPOILER IF YOU HAVEN'T FOR SOME UNKONW REASON FINISHED HALO 3) What happens after he comes out of cryo

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