Bungie hiring PC developers

Xbox-centric studio wants PC game, graphics, and audio programmers--will they help port Halo 2?

Before Microsoft bought Bungie Studios in 2000, the developer made a series of successful games for the PC (Myth) and Macintosh (Marathon). Since then, it has had one dalliance with the PlayStation 2, Oni, and produced the two highest-grossing Xbox games of all time, Halo and Halo 2. While Halo has been released for the PC and Mac, Bungie left porting duties to outside developers Gearbox Software and MacSoft, respectively.

Given that Bungie has ignored the PC and is currently concentrating on Halo 3 for the Xbox 360, many were surprised to discover that the studio is hiring PC developers. The jobs page on Bungie.net is sporting listings for an audio programmer and network programmer with "previous experience writing PC audio engines." It also has posts seeking applicants for "Game Programmer" and "Graphics Programmer (PC)" positions.

Taken in and of themselves, the listings are merely interesting. However, the wording of the graphics programmer job description has many positively convinced that Bungie is porting Halo 2 to the PC in-house. "This is an opportunity to influence the direction of Windows gaming technology in MGS [Microsoft Game Studios]," reads the post after first teasing, "Want to work on the biggest franchises for Microsoft Game Studios?" Since becoming part of Microsoft Game Studios, Bungie has worked on only one franchise for the division--Halo.

The programmer listing goes on to say that "a background working with other people’s code...is essential" and that any candidate should have experience with DirectX 9 and Xbox software development kits. Many readers took those two statements to mean candidates will need to be able to look at previously built Xbox Halo 2 code and help tweak it for a PC version.

For most PC gamers, the icing on the Halo 2-port-theory cake came at the end of the listing, which said being "an avid PC gamer" is a "definite plus." But, as usual, Microsoft is remaining mum on all things Bungie. As of press time, reps for the corporate giant's game division had not returned a request for comment.

77 Comments

  • gaiden1024

    Posted Mar 19, 2006 8:48 am PT

    I think user expandible content is probably most important , and as for the game , the graphics engine may be in for a huge overhaul in the transition to pc , along side with models etc.

    All in all i think it'll be really fun however they do it as graphics haven't been as important to me over time , as long as the gameplay and controls are in well just like the first one I should finish this

  • dbowman

    Posted Feb 5, 2006 3:27 am PT

    Halo 2 on PC would be sooooooo awesome

  • XlpranksterlX

    Posted Feb 3, 2006 2:54 pm PT

    I dont think they would recycle hale 2 and do a strait up port for the PC. At least give them new maps or something.

  • damned_beast

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:26 pm PT

    they need to it makes more money for the next game

  • whofiredthat

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 3:12 pm PT

    Yeah, that sounds like Halo 2 on PC to me. And for all those people that think its a bad game and all that jazz... we people like it and have an interest in it.. Alot of people do like playing Halo 2 you know. And i can say that there are some aweseom PC games out there for PC's whivh consoles dont have.... But yeah that is definately Halo 2 on PC, and i can't frikin wait!

  • moocow21

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 2:47 pm PT

    That'd be cool to have Halo 2 on PC. The fps that is pretty decent on Xbox could finally break loose from console limitations and perhaps be among the great FPS if it was on PC.

    Mouse + Keyboard = no skill-less auto aiming xbox controls = heaven.

  • Adada2011

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:56 pm PT

    Yea never played it on pc but my neighbor has it it looks pretty cool lol my mom is strict and dont like me playing those games online cause she thinks child molesters are everywhere on those systms but i agree yea awsome halo2 for pc

  • HurleyJos

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:55 pm PT

    Halo 2 was already outdated compared to PC shooter when it came out on Xbox. Now 2 years later It's even more ridiculous when compared to recent shooter.

    I hope they 're hiring developpers for PC next technology, like DX 10 and windows Vista, two things that will make Xbox 360 fall miles behind PC games.

  • runstalker

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:53 pm PT

    ]]]] If you actually played Halo 2 on your PC using a 360 controller and not mouse and keyboard, you should scrutinize the integrity of your FPS gaming soul.[[[[

  • lewser5

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:06 pm PT

    The first port was just passing good, so I hope this one should be better. But why wait so long to have it ported?

  • Brainpr0n

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 10:53 am PT

    I would buy it and so would millions of other people so they would be dumb not to port it. Then there is all that money to be made in bundling it with other hardware. I am still laughing at everyone that says the orginal port was a failure. They made money hand over fist so they could care less if the gameplay itself was nothing special.

  • SuperVegeta518

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 10:29 am PT

    How would they do the controls though?

  • Plays_4_Pants

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 10:04 am PT

    hate to break it to both pc and xbox fans but hl2 was a disappointment and so was halo 2. They both revealed that games are in a rut and can only look at nostalgia to survive. You can port both of them both ways and that doesn't change anything. It's about the $$$ not the fanbase...unless the marketers think the fanbase = more $$$

  • zhuojloh

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 10:01 am PT

    HALO 2 PC will kick ass....

  • mobber

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 9:59 am PT

    i bet the 360 controller would be encouraged to play it...

  • ChipsDubbo

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 9:48 am PT

    Hire me! Hire me!

  • jaefrmbk2k

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 9:46 am PT

    I'D copp that $hizz-but then again, i finished it with a friend areddy and plus i still use dial-up.

  • supine

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 8:43 am PT

    what do we need Halo 2 for when we have Battlefield 2?!

  • syx

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 8:39 am PT

    "Ha! Now PC gamers can't be jealous anymore, now nobody will say Halo 2 sucks except for the dang sony fans..."

    Since when were PC gamers jealous of halo2?

  • Deiuos

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 8:19 am PT

    We'll just have to wait and see.

  • decebal

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 7:23 am PT

    Halo 2 will not arive on PC. The first one did and it was a disaster. While a console shooter might be great for a console, they simply have no chance compeating against any of the PC shooters. Console shooters simply suck. But if a console is all you have, then you'll never know that. And you'll go on prasing the "best shooter of all time."

  • SoralinkGS

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 7:06 am PT

    Halo 2 on PC sounds cool, but I would rather see Pimps at sea*crosses fingers*or a Marathon revival.

  • andre29125

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:51 am PT

    Hmm, so left mouse button to fire right weapon or right mouse button to fire right weapon?

    And why cant they port Halo 3 to the PC? Kinda evil making us pay $399 for the console just to find out the ending....

  • Agent3sephiroth

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:41 am PT

    dammit enough with the ports alredy. cant they make a new game or sumthng 4 the pc. If any1 wanted Halo 2 they would've got it by now. like i got it 4 my xbox. i mean the only difference would probably be new maps and better graphics. sure the online gameplay was asum but the pc already has plenty of that.(half life2,BF2 Quake4). but this is jst my opinion so..............

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:34 am PT

    let's hope halo 2 does comes out for the pc

  • Ontario21

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:20 am PT

    How hard is it to port an XBOX game to a PC anyway??? The XBOX is made up of PC components, how different is the OS???

  • DJTOMMY812

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:20 am PT

    let Halo 2 die already!

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 5:17 am PT

    it'd be sweet if halo2 was ported. i'll wait until it's $30 to buy it though!!!....... also, it'd be fine with me if they are just creating a myth-based RTS game too.

  • jcwillia888

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 4:47 am PT

    do u guys seriously not listen to what MS says?

    J Allard during last year's GDC said the next generation of gaming would support gaming across multiple platforms, so that "soldiers in the battlefield could receive their orders from strategic commanders" or something like that where the soldiers are the console players and the commanders are the pc players.

    Bungie is the company that makes the most sense to do that, but imho it won't have anything to do with halo 2 or 3 - it will be their second or third 360 project.

  • cqdemal

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:18 am PT

    Finally.

    A pity the game is so overrated.

  • durnholm

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:15 am PT

    intresting. i did enjoy the pc port, though it was lacking in some departments.
    Bring it on bungie.

  • placksheep

    Posted Feb 2, 2006 12:17 am PT

    Wow! Halo 2!? And it only took two years! AMAZING... Why even bother?

  • sunrire

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 11:43 pm PT

    yea but if it comes to the PC there be more hackers

  • SiBaba

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 11:36 pm PT

    Whats the point?? PC already has awesome FPS's which are leagues ahead of the overhyped casual trash that is Halo.

  • Game-o_O

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 11:14 pm PT

    I bet their doing it just for the EA employes.. anyone smell a new franchise of Sports with Master Chief? Lol, now instead of aiming with a an analog stick [the best], you'll be aiming with a gay mouse lmao! - I'm betting thats the reason why the first one bit the dust. Or maybe real gamers don't appriciate games that have their story cut up into sections of play.

  • guiltygamer

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 10:23 pm PT

    halo isnt close to as good as most pc shooters so who cares

  • kaito2

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 10:23 pm PT

    "Xbox gamers who were jealous of Half Life 2 and Doom 3." Half-Life 2, maybe, but Doom 3? Doom 3 just played into every PC game stereotype: all flash and no substance, another way to sell graphic cards. I'll take Halo, or virtualy any other console FPS, over Doom 3 anyday.

  • RinoaUltemicia

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 10:03 pm PT

    Who cares? The only people who care about this crappy shooter are the people who already have it for Xbox

  • TongLong

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 9:28 pm PT

    Well, they have 300 possible candidates from EA to look at...

  • tidusjeff

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 9:20 pm PT

    I bet they are resurrecting the Marathon series.

  • azizrulez

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 9:17 pm PT

    the most exciting news of 2006 yet
    i hope its true and halo 2 is ported to the pc

  • wytefang

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:57 pm PT

    Halo 2 to PC? No thanks, BF2, COD2, UT2K4..these are all ten times better than the over-rated crap that is Halo anything. Yawnage.

  • Natdaddy

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:57 pm PT

    sausauge halo 1 sold xbox's as well but it ended up on pc so it doesnt matter....

  • tomwdavis

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:49 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • cyprus646

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:48 pm PT

    Halo 2 is finally coming to the PC...SIKE !!!!!.

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:42 pm PT

    Halo 2 coming to PC... more news on this matter at E3 2006.

  • o_sausage

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:40 pm PT

    they won't port halo2 b/c that's whats selling x-box's

  • ufopuller

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:26 pm PT

    Sweet. I'll quite my day job!

  • Arisugawa00

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:20 pm PT

    I cound care less about Halo 2 for PC i played though it at my friends house and it was nothing major.

  • Natdaddy

    Posted Feb 1, 2006 8:16 pm PT

    funny how I was just told that it would never come to PC - I knew it was just a matter of time.

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