"Maddie" still appearing in Halo 3 Recon

By Ellie Gibson Published 10 October, 2008

But has nothing to do with missing girl.

Bungie has said a character called Maddie could "potentially" feature in the new Halo 3 expansion pack - but confirmed there's no connection with missing five year-old Madeleine McCann.

Controversy kicked off last month after a trailer for what's now known to be Halo 3 Recon featured the message, "Maddie, where are you?"

Speaking to Eurogamer at the Tokyo Game Show, Bungie writer Luke Smith described the incident as an "unfortunate coincidence", adding, "Because of that coincidence, we've pulled that slide."

However, said PR and community manager Brian Jarrard, the content of the expansion pack will not be changed. "We're not altering the game, the fiction, the story or the script," he stated.

"There will potentially be a character named Maddie that has something to do with our game, but just to respect the sensitivities around this issue... I mean, I've read the Eurogamer forums. I've seen how polarised with this issue.

"It was regrettable," he continued, "But hopefully it's behind us. Next time people might want to do a bit more diligence." A bit more Googling, perhaps? "Yeah, maybe."

Halo 3 Recon is down for a release in autumn 2009. For more from Bungie, including what we can expect and why it'll probably cost more than a tenner, read the full interview.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • evilashchris #1 3 years ago

    Fluffy has Maddie, they have tea parties because he doesn't like proper games.

  • Royal Fool #2 3 years ago

    I honestly do not understand the anger over this. Did someone copyright the Maddie name and now it can't be used for anything again ever without being considered a rude and insensitive reference to that one kidnapping case? Really?

  • stevetuck #3 3 years ago

    :3

  • IMO #4 3 years ago

    Why should they rename the character?

  • t8yman #5 3 years ago

    I didnt see any controversy other than the tabloid style writings from EG staff.
    what a shite premise for an article.
    more click = more cash eh EG?

  • the_dudefather #6 3 years ago

    Can't they change the backstory of the character in the game so she is actually Maddie?

  • CreepinJesus #7 3 years ago

    @dream - you got it spot on. And somehow, my post comes up before yours.
    Edited by 1 at 10/10/08 @ 07:22

  • m0thr4 #8 3 years ago

    "I've seen how polarised with this issue."

    What you say? Engrish please.

  • m0thr4 #9 3 years ago

    Who exactly is offended by this anyway? I haven't seen any comment from the McCann family who, in my opinion, are the only people that have any right to be offended.

  • monkeylite #10 3 years ago

    mothe4, why exactly should the Mccanns be upset for? They do not own the name Maddie.

    This news is shit, just tabloid style reporting about nothing.

  • DFawkes #11 3 years ago

    This isn't news. It is not news. Oh, and it IS NOT NEWS.

    Shouldn't someone publish a list of the names of all children who have went missing, so we can avoid using them ever again in films, games and TV? No, because then you'd end up with few names useable and a society of morons who get offended by everything. I for one am offended by apostrophes.

    Edit: Why are dream, Mentalist, Evolution and curtliikes meat all time stamped 9:10am and laterr, considering the time is only 9:07 (or whatever it says in the "Time Edited" bit).
    Edited by 1 at 10/10/08 @ 09:07

  • Triggerhappytel #12 3 years ago

    EG, you are yet again reporting on a story of little or no consequence. This is, what, the third or fourth news piece you've got from this? It really doesn't warrant all this attention.

    I agree with Royal Fool's comment.

    ""There will potentially be a character named Maddie that has something to do with our game, but just to respect the sensitivities around this issue... I mean, I've read the Eurogamer forums. I've seen how polarised with this issue."

    EG, either someone has quoted that wrong or yer man cannot speak.

  • Riggers #13 3 years ago

    "Since it's a year until you release the game, couldn't you just rename the character? Surely you haven't finished the voice over recording yet?"

    Actually, depending on their schedule, they may have already completed the script and started localisation, or started voice recording. And besides...why should they rename the character? If the character is a little girl who's been kidnapped on holiday, then yeah, it'd be insenstive, but somehow I doubt it, unless Halo's had a change in direction...

  • Brodie #14 3 years ago

    In other non-news, the Royal Family were completely uninterested in the "singer" Fergie sharing a name with the erstwhile ginger monstrosity married to one of their sons.

    "No-one was shocked that someone had a similar name somewhere in the entire world" said a Palace spokesman. "It is after all, a big place."

    The Daily Express stated "Fergie? Who cares. But if some rapper slut calls herself after Diana, our People's Princess, there'll be an outcry."

    No missing children have ever been called Fergie. It is a dog's name.

  • The_Inquisitor #15 3 years ago

    Is this still news?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #16 3 years ago

    They were planning to rename him Lucky, but then it turned out that get them in just as much trouble...

    [link url=http: //news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1514765.stm
    ]http://ne ws.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1514...[/link]

  • Evolution #17 3 years ago

    Polarised? Really? Is there really an issue here?

  • spudsbuckley #18 3 years ago

    The quality of reporting on EG has really taken a nose dive lately what with crap like this getting reported numerous times and poorly written articles like the one comparing the big three consoles downloadables the other day which omitted numerous big titles for the PS3 for no good reason.

    Plus some of the reviews of games lately have been atrocious, with the text not relating to the final score awarded at all.

  • curtlikesmeat #19 3 years ago

    Please stop reporting stuff like this, is this The Sun?

    Absolute bilge.

  • sneetch #20 3 years ago

    @disc
    "Since it's a year until you release the game, couldn't you just rename the character? Surely you haven't finished the voice over recording yet?"

    Why? Because of a dozen or so people who can't see past the "unfortunate coincidence"? Who are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill? There has been no national outcry over this, unless it happened when I was in the shower or something. Frankly I'm amazed they (Eurogamer) are continuing to run with tabloid crap. I'm surprised that Ellie didn't refer to her as "tragic tot Madeleine McCann"; if you're imitating the Sun you should go all out.

    @DFawkes
    "I for one am offended by apostrophes."

    Getta load of this then: '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''.

  • MGG #21 3 years ago

    Oh great, here comes the UK tabloid "our problems are more important than anythingggggg". Are we no longer allowed to use the name "Maddie" cos some poor scouse kid was the victim of terrible parenting (sue me)? Get off your fucking high horse and stop this non-story shit reporting that is bringing this site down. Fast.

  • m0thr4 #22 3 years ago

    @monkeylite

    "mothe4, why exactly should the Mccanns be upset for? They do not own the name Maddie. "

    I wasn't saying they should, I was just saying that they are the only people who could conceivably be upset by the original "Maddie, where are you?" advertisement.

    But I agree with everyone else who says this whole thing is a ridiculous non-story cooked up by the gutter press.

  • metalangel #23 3 years ago

    Since when is the real Maddie five?

    Heck, given Halo: Recon takes place in what, 2552, does that mean the Daily Express of the future will still be searching for "tragic tot Madeleine McCann, aged 549?"

    There might also be room for a few articles on Princess Diana... perhaps debate whether she'd have died had she been in a Warthog instead of a Mercedes, if she'd crashed in a tunnel in New Mombasa instead of Paris...

  • RustyBullet #24 3 years ago

    @the_dudefather Man you are a real fukwit. Think its funny do you? Or are you a jaffer? Lets hope you are never blessed with children.I couldent give a shit how old you are either. TWAT

  • Totoriko #25 3 years ago

    So, there should only be one Maddie in this world? That McCann girl isn't even called Maddie.

    If it hurts them, don't play the game. But as it's already been stated above, we haven't heard the McCann complain about it.
    Edited by 2 at 10/10/08 @ 14:15

  • theindustrialone #26 3 years ago

    FFS

  • haldier #27 3 years ago

    Thing is, if they rename the character what should they rename her to, Eva Braun, you are allways gonna have coincidenses like this, shure this is a little close in time (all respects) but they canīt rework a hundreds of hours just becaus of a name.

  • Razorus #28 3 years ago

    HOW DARE THEY? It's like when Peter Jackson has the sheer AUDACITY to call Lord of the Rings 2 "The Two Towers" after 9/11. These people make me sick.

    Sarcasm ftw.

  • Dark_Wolf_1991 #29 3 years ago

    Fucking madie story...... give it a fucking rest... It's just another kick ass game game from bungie geeez.......... Before you know it. It will be illegal to call your kid maddie.

  • $olokid #30 3 years ago

    Who the heck is Maddie!?!