Rumour: Microsoft remaking Halo 1

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 30 November, 2010

Using the Halo: Reach engine.

Microsoft's Halo studio 343 Industries is remaking Halo: Combat Evolved using the Halo: Reach engine, Games Master magazine claims.

"Industry chatter" suggests the game will release ahead of the late 2012 launch of a full Halo 3 sequel – presumably Halo 4.

The Halo 1 remake, then, could release on the original game's tenth anniversary in November 2011, said the magazine (reported by CVG).

This latest rumour contradicts public comments made by high-ranking Microsoft executive Phil Spencer.

Last month the Microsoft Game Studios Corporate Vice President said of the rumoured Halo HD remake, "I'm going to think about it from the customer's perspective, and are we really delivering something of value to the customer at a price that they want?

"We obviously have a lot of new things going on, so the thought of re-doing a bunch of things is probably difficult to just weave into the overall portfolio.

"If you can provide real value to the customer, there could be possibilities for that, but I don't spend a lot of time thinking about it."

The question now is, will the Halo 1 HD remake be better than Halo?

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (72) Latest comment 1 year ago

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  • ecureuil #1 1 year ago

    I'd buy it.

  • CharlieStCloud #2 1 year ago

    8/10...?

  • coolbritannia #3 1 year ago

    Yeah here's your chance to regain credibility, 11/10.

  • Timbercottage #4 1 year ago

    http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

  • Dizzy #5 1 year ago

    Would buy this in an instant.

  • Negotiator #6 1 year ago

    Don't think this is true, but it would be good if it was.

  • Jay-ITFC #7 1 year ago

    Let this franchise die already...

  • eiocreative #8 1 year ago

    Do it!

  • lordofthedunce #9 1 year ago

    They should remake it/update it and give it away free with Halo 4 imo.

  • retr0gamer #10 1 year ago

    Should be easy enough. Sure half the levels are the same rooms and corridors copy and pasted multiple times.

    In non-trolling news, it seems like MS desperately trying to get some mileage out of Halo since Bungie have finally moved on from the creative shackles of the series. It might get farmed out to some second rate developer if worst comes to worst.

  • Markitron #11 1 year ago

    Thats not a bad idea, Halo 1 and Reach had by far the best campaigns. make it a budget release and get rid of the excessive backtracking toward the end and I'd buy it

  • roquey Verified Lead Quality Assurance Tester and Compliance Specialist, Universally Speaking #12 1 year ago

    "I'm going to think about it from the customer's perspective, and are we really delivering something of value to the customer at a price that they want?"

    You mean by remaking a game that feels like all the rest anyway and a new halo that again will feel like the rest. Do something new. Go on i dare you.

    And yes i have played all the halos and quite like 3 and Reach.

  • MaFlippinHeadHurts #13 1 year ago

    I'm just made up to hear they're doing a Halo 4. I love Reach but miss Master Chief as a character

    ....providing he's in 4 like!

  • tossetaz #14 1 year ago

    Dammit, just bought Halo 1 for 400 MSP from Xbox Originals!!

  • muscleblade #15 1 year ago

    Im in.

  • JonFE #16 1 year ago

    Halo: CE remake for its tenth anniversary, you say???
    Bring it on, I say!!!

    You *know* it makes sense.
    Edited by JonFE at 30/11/10 @ 14:53

  • StooMonster #17 1 year ago

    Do 2 too, haven't played that one.

  • Crea #18 1 year ago

    I'd buy this, simply because none of the sequels managed to equal or better the high point that was The Silent Cartographer.

  • jstar #19 1 year ago

    In theory this could be amazing... but my cynicism is too unwieldy for me to put aside.

    Plust there's also the fact that I'm fucking bored of Halo. I can't be the only one.

  • The-Bodybuilder #20 1 year ago

    @jstar

    You must be, because I've NEVER EVER heard someone complain about being bored of halo here...

  • StolenGlory #21 1 year ago

    Fuck me, the well has gotten dry hasn't it?

  • ubergine #22 1 year ago

    I didn't even LIKE Halo 1 and I want them to do this. Reach was the first in the series that I really warmed to, and if they did the first "in spirit" but with co-op, better graphics, vehicles, replace bad sequences with good new sequences, it would be worth it for sure. Or cut the crap out of it's most worthless corridors and charge less.

  • StolenGlory #23 1 year ago

    "Halo: CE remake for its tenth anniversary, you say???
    Bring it on, I say!!!

    You *know* it makes sense."

    And canabalise (or vice-versa) Halo: Reach's MP in the process.

    No. I don't *know* how that makes sense.

  • DDevil #24 1 year ago

    Do a HD update to 1 and 2 like the God of War and Prince of Persia PS3 releases. I'd buy that.

  • Stuz359 #25 1 year ago

    From a customers point of view? Forget 90% of the library.

  • geeza2020 #26 1 year ago

    Microsofts new IP department must be feeling the credit crunch still....

  • jag10 #27 1 year ago

    after 50 versions back to the start.

  • Anciegher #28 1 year ago

    Why can't they release a new IP instead? Seems like a waste of time and effort to remake a game we have all played already...

  • Ashcroft #29 1 year ago

    Shouldn't take too long, the first game only has about 5 different areas copy-pasted 1000 times each.

  • ubergine #30 1 year ago

    New IPs are great but I've no issue with continuing existing story-based IP at tye same time:

    I think it was Penny Arcade who said "at first I though the Halos had a crap story. Eventually I realised it has a GREAT story, just very badly told." I feel the same and think Reach, while winning no Pulitzer prizes, was a marked improvement for the series that I hope can continue.

    Halo universe games don't require Human/Covenant/Flood triangles each time, and there's no reason why Battlestar Galactica quality scripts couldn't emerge for it. If a good tv series can have 10+ hourly episodes a year, why can't we have a worthwhile, story-driven game every year or two?

  • Dizzy #31 1 year ago

    Some other consoles have shitloads of HD recycles... why not 360?

  • CaptainQuint #32 1 year ago

    /Head explodes

  • JonFE #33 1 year ago

    @StolenGlory:

    This remake could be a great way for 343 Industries to taste Halo’s waters, get to know what worked for Halo in the first place, build necessary experience for / bridge the gap until Halo 4. That's why it makes sense in my book.

    As for cannibalizing Reach's MP, well, they'll probably do that anyway at some point, whether they remake Halo: CE or not...

  • Koborover #34 1 year ago

    Then Halo 3 and ODST need a HD remake as well (they're 640p) :D

  • Widge #35 1 year ago

    Id play it again! They should keep the mp the same, stripped down and raw.

  • coolbritannia #36 1 year ago

    In all likelihood I'd want a remake of 1 and 2, but the multiplayer would probably not contain 1 and 2's multiplayer content, it would be a disc featuring the complete Reach multiplayer, like ODST was to Halo 3.

  • intpleeus #37 1 year ago

    I bet they drop the silly "Combat Evolved" subtitle. What does that even mean?

    The irony is that evolution is an slow and incremental process, i.e. nothing much changes very quickly -- like Halo. In any case, surely "Soldier Evolved" would make better sense, in a reference to Master Chief, right? Perhaps "Combat Evolved" refers to Halo itself as an evolution in gaming? That would be an even bigger irony, because, y'know, space marines fighting aliens: that's never been done before.
    Edited by intpleeus at 30/11/10 @ 16:00

  • Feanor #38 1 year ago

    Make The Library twice as long.

  • EVERYGAMER #39 1 year ago

    I waited and waited for years for them to re-release Goldeneye in some form and when I heard about the Wii version I was more than a litttle excited! Then I found out about all the changes in order to provide gamers with a new experience while maintaining the feel of the original. I gave it the benefit of the doubt, bought it, played it and was non plussed. it wasnt Goldeneye., it felt like something dressing up in what it thinks Goldeneye was and getting it sooo wrong. What I wanted was simply a HD remake of the original with updated controls and I would have paid full price for such a thing.
    I am willing to bet money that this is the route that Microsoft will take with the Halo remake and I can't urge them enough not to. I dont want one of my fondest gaming memories to just become a shit half arsed re-imagining with online multiplayer tacked on. I hate that Halo has smply become about the multiplayer and say what you will there is no denying the fact that the multiplayer side of the game now accounts for the lion share of each games high review score. Either remake it exactly the same as the original (including the Library, the re-use of levels and the back tracking) or just leave it be. I loved Halo Combat Evolved and no sequel or spin off has come close to giving me the joy of this game when I purchased it all those years ago.
    Edited by EVERYGAMER at 30/11/10 @ 16:09

  • Benno #40 1 year ago

    halo 4? i thought they weren't making any more halos?

  • lordofthedunce #41 1 year ago

    @EVERYGAMER

    I feel your pain. If it's a simple HD makeover you're after then Perfect Dark is a good bet

  • galerian86 #42 1 year ago

    Why don't they just make Halo: Trilogy? That should be swell

  • man.the.king #43 1 year ago

    I have not played 1, and would definitely buy it if it were remade.

  • Skooch #44 1 year ago

    I vote for the same game, remade with HD graphics.

    I agree with EVERYGAMER that trying to get too clever with it just won't work and will actually devalue the original. Taking a 10yr old game and chopping and changing bits just won't work, and in the end it will just be a shoddy Halo game, or rather the first shoddy Halo game.

  • EVERYGAMER #45 1 year ago

    @lordofthedunce

    HD perfect Dark is already safely downloaded on my Xbox :-)
    I should clarify that I was just using Goldeneye on the Wii as an example as it is the most high profile re-imagining currently available.

  • GamesConnoisseur #46 1 year ago

    People complaining about Halo franchise continuing missing a major point, now a separate matter of the new games being made well or cheaply, what genre or challenges they present to gamers etc.

    Going back to Halo as a franchise, look at Star Trek, Star Wars, even James Bond. The advantages of using these recognisble franchise is you know basically what to expect, know the key back stories, elements of the universe.

    Okay, so what wrong with continuing with the Halo universe? Damn lots of stuff in it would be going to waste if we let its die out. I even see the sense of making it full fledged TV series and forgot about the games!

    As its the potential of well told engrossing stories that is much highly mineable in Halo, and I just hope that in hands of the right people.

    Only real major negative issue that I could see is that the universe is almost exclusively associated with X360, therefore non X360 owners would more likely detest this universe. Just as a good number of only X360 owners would hate the Star Wars franchise IF its was from the start quite exclusive only to the Sony platforms.

    That didnt stop Uncharted movie, but here even more of the X360 or Nintendo only etc fans do have lots of respect for the Uncharted brand.

    Hopefully non X360 owners would at least respect that the Halo universe DOESNT totally stink!

  • SilverInfinity #47 1 year ago

    I hope this is True :) I am big halo fanboy and would love to play it again with updated visuals!

  • EVERYGAMER #48 1 year ago

    @GamesConnoisseur

    "Going back to Halo as a franchise, look at Star Trek, Star Wars, even James Bond. The advantages of using these recognisble franchise is you know basically what to expect, know the key back stories, elements of the universe."

    Look at the franchises you have chosen to prove your point and now think aboput the amount of backlash from fans that all have recieved at one time or another because the owning companies and creative teams just relied on the brand and fans base to cover over bad scripts, poor games, failed spin-offs.

    "Okay, so what wrong with continuing with the Halo universe? Damn lots of stuff in it would be going to waste if we let its die out. I even see the sense of making it full fledged TV series and forgot about the games!"

    Nothing is wrong with the idea at all. As long as the material is strong and new and well written I'd watch. But we are talking about taking an existing well loved game and potentially butchering it and the fond memories it engenders in gamers.

    "Only real major negative issue that I could see is that the universe is almost exclusively associated with X360, therefore non X360 owners would more likely detest this universe. Just as a good number of only X360 owners would hate the Star Wars franchise IF its was from the start quite exclusive only to the Sony platforms."

    I think the idea of exclusivity is dieing out. Its only a mater of time until almost every games finds its way onto rival systems. Exclusivity is not a financially viable business model these days. No pay out can cover the amount of revenue available from making your product available cross-format. I do believe Halo will stay with Microsoft but thats also why I believe Bungie left.

    "That didnt stop Uncharted movie, but here even more of the X360 or Nintendo only etc fans do have lots of respect for the Uncharted brand."

    Seriously all PS3 gamers are not excited about the uncharted film. Its got Marky Mark instead of Nathan Fillion as Nathan Drake and will undoubtedly have about as much to do with the actual story and character progression in the game as Street Fighter the Movie did!


    Edited by EVERYGAMER at 30/11/10 @ 16:57

  • Retroid #49 1 year ago

    HE PRINTS MONEY

  • TonyCocaCola #50 1 year ago

    Yeah man that would be cool. As long as they keep the original pistol.

  • TheApologist #51 1 year ago

    It guess this is great for the fans, but honestly, given that the modern Halos on 360 are not significantly different to the original, what does this add to anyone's game collection? Other than to point out how little the series evolved, that is...

    Then again, I was always pretty underwhelmed by Halo, so I guess this one just isn't for me.
    Edited by TheApologist at 30/11/10 @ 16:56

  • coolbritannia #52 1 year ago

    KEEP EVERYTHING. I loved the flood levels, after the technical weapon specific takedowns on the Covenant (plasma popping shields) having the zombie flood attack is a nice change.

  • telboy007 #53 1 year ago

    Combine the best bits from the control / combat systems of all the games and put that into the Halo remake - armour skills & such like. Take the best guns from all the games and put that into the Halo remake - the ODST pistol, etc.

    Thats what I'd do.

    Like they did on the gamecube twin snakes - that was a stonking "remake".

  • EVERYGAMER #54 1 year ago


    @ Argentlupine

    Sorry Timbercottage but I need to borrow this <a href="http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/
    ">http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/
    </a>
    Edited by EVERYGAMER at 30/11/10 @ 17:01

  • EVERYGAMER #55 1 year ago

    @telboy007

    I find your suggestion acceptable. Please make this happen ;-)

  • Centrifugal #56 1 year ago

    I'm of two minds on this.

    Now there's a chance that 343 would screw this up. Badly. Adding armour abilities, newer weapons, and changing the look of the environments too much would ruin CE for me.

    On the other hand, playing through the greatest Halo game in HD with Reach visuals would be fantastic. Especially if multiplayer is included as well.

    We'll just have to see if this rumour holds any truth.

  • solidSnake04 #57 1 year ago

    Definitelty better than halo. So MS is jumping into the HD remake band wagon hey ?

  • linksdad #58 1 year ago

    Screaming out to be released as DLC for Halo Reach, seeing as you'd have the engine already. 800MSP please!

  • davisorle #59 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • RevanEleven #60 1 year ago

    I'd buy that for a dollar!! Or 800-1200 msp in fact.

  • TonyB #61 1 year ago

    To re-use a joke I made in another Halo thread: As the story has come full circle as of Reach they should call the remake "Halo: Combat Revolved".

  • coolbritannia #62 1 year ago

    TonyB, I'd call that 'Halo: Punchline Recycled'

  • StooMonster #63 1 year ago

    Rather than Halo CE meaning Halo Combat Evolved, I think they are going to do Halo KE meaning Halo Kinect Edition.

  • AHiFi #64 1 year ago

    I had heard this from an industry source a wee while back...not that it means much, but I trust the guy. Doh, I just said 'guy'...Gerald's gonna be pissed! ...GAH!

  • dmt2 #65 1 year ago

    Do it, and Halo 2 too which always looked too taxing for the original xbox.

    MP aside, Halo 1 is so much better than Reach... Firefight on ODST is the best

  • hiddenranbir #66 1 year ago

    Awesome the copy-paste rooms will look much better in the Reach engine!

  • powderfinger1971 #67 1 year ago

    Please be true, & add online campaign co-op. No need for Halo 4 then!

  • Climhazzard #68 1 year ago

    Please please please, would be great just dont change it very much.

  • penhalion #69 1 year ago

    Halo 4....why is that not filling me with excitement. Must admit to looking forward to seeing the chief again instead of these characterless fill-ins that have graced ODST and Reach.

  • NegativeZero #70 1 year ago

    Why bother? Just release a Reach DLC pack with an updated Hang 'em High netmap and a co-op capable rebuild of the Silent Cartographer level. The rest of the game isn't worth the time to update.

  • thedgam #71 1 year ago

    Start Spreading the news!
    We're milking todaaay!

  • jamesisaacs #72 1 year ago

    I'd buy it too but i'd rather see some more IP's on the Xbox than the same tripe all over again!