MS: We'll "explore not exploit" Halo

By Johnny Minkley Published 25 July, 2008

No Halo Kart, then.

With a spin-off RTS game, multiple novels and an expanding range of figurines all on show this week at Comic Con 2008, Microsoft has insisted that its strategy is to "explore not exploit" the Halo universe.

Frank O'Connor, who oversees the franchise at Microsoft Games Studios, headed up the Halo Universe panel at the geek-packed San Diego event, in which representatives of Halo Wars developer Ensemble, Bungie and toy manufacturer McFarlane joined Halo novelists to discuss the future of the franchise in front of a packed audience of ecstatic fans.

Speaking to Eurogamer immediately after the session, O'Connor, former Bungie community manager, said that content so far had only scratched the surface of what is possible.

"The Halo universe is really, really big now," he said. "Literally the Halo games have only covered one year; a couple of months within a year in fact.

"We have a really detailed story bible, we do really have it all planned out. There are so many areas of the universe to explore, the real challenge is picking which is the most exciting area for people. Is it UNSC Marines fighting alongside Spartans against the Covenant? Or is it what happens next after Master Chief's appearance in Halo 3?"

O'Connor and the other panellists, including Tobias Bucknell, author of upcoming novel Halo: The Cole Protocol, spent most of the hour-long session fielding questions from fans, many of whom had squeezed into their favourite Master Chief costume for the day.

"We have a well defined, carefully orchestrated, properly planned universe to explore not exploit," O'Connor added. "And that's the tricky part: what are the things people want to do? We have to pick things that people want. That's what you see with the range of McFarlane toys - people want their armour permutation.

"Give them things they really want and make sure they're high quality is the formula."

Picture of Johnny.

About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (33) Latest comment 4 years ago

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

  • Redeye #1 4 years ago

    Give us your fokkin' money!

  • kingdumpalot #2 4 years ago

    I dunno, I've heard good things about Paper Halo and Masterchief Tennis.

  • des #3 4 years ago

    Why not?

  • Lukus #4 4 years ago

    Warthog GP would be fun. Maybe.

  • Xerx3s #5 4 years ago

    "No halo kart."

    But...but...but... ;_;

  • Xerx3s #6 4 years ago

    "Warthog GP would be fun. Maybe."

    This was already done in halo 1. Get with the times man!

  • NegativeZero #7 4 years ago

    Halo the T-shirt. Halo the colouring book. Halo the lunchbox. Halo the breakfast cereal. Halo the flamethrower...

  • belziah #8 4 years ago

    Halo Covenant Hold'Em

  • siro #9 4 years ago

    Halo Kart sounds frickin' awesome.

  • smelly #10 4 years ago

    I thought they'd already exploited halo what with 3 of them out in such a short time..

  • peterfll #11 4 years ago

    maybe they can start by explaining the so called plot of halo 3. cos that was a crock o shite.

  • peterfll #12 4 years ago

    the plot not the game.

  • theindustrialone #13 4 years ago

    My guess is we will play a game where the UNSC Marines fight alongside Spartans against the Covenant. And possibly find out what happens to Master Chief after his appearance in Halo 3.

  • Moonprince #14 4 years ago

    Got to be shitting me. Love Halo but that rts looks wank. Of course its cashing in...

  • Xerx3s #15 4 years ago

    "maybe they can start by explaining the so called plot of halo 3. cos that was a crock o shite. "

    What was there not to understand?

  • zisssou #16 4 years ago

    I dont get it. Halo as a story is rubbish. Id rather watch Battlefield Earth.

  • kingdumpalot #17 4 years ago

    woah now. Let's not say things we can't take back...

  • vegard #18 4 years ago

    "Paper Halo and Masterchief Tennis"

    that made me lol

  • dirk_aircool #19 4 years ago

    COOKING HALO with master chef .
    Edited by 1 at 26/07/08 @ 11:39

  • Markusdragon #20 4 years ago

    @Smelly
    It's been seven years, man! 4 games in seven (eight? When's Halo Wars due?) years is nothing. Even the supposedly unexploited GTA series has had 7 games out in that time frame.

  • chris_ace #21 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • busboy33 #22 4 years ago

    Key word in the quote was "exploit". Something tells me when we DO get Halo Kart/Lips (drive! sing! save the world!), they'll be proud to tell us its considered "developing/evolving/exploring/enhancing the property", and so everything will be groovy.

    Not gonna exploit the IP? So when Ryu the ninja was fighting a Spartan in DOA that was just my imagination? Or was that in the Bible?

    "See, the Overmind was grown from a seed planted during the Han Dynasty, and he was protected by a spider as a sapling, so that's why its allied with the Spider Clan and Ryu is its sworn enemy. Ryu starts off fighting the Spartan, but then they become lovers and fall through a space-time warp created by Cortana, almost landing on Marcus Fenix (hilarity ensues). Then the Flood mistook Professor Pester for their God and, following his bidding, infected Pinata Island. Now, only the Spartan, Ryu, Delta Squad and Banjo-kazooie can rescue them!"

    Something tells me the Halo Universe Bible is a napkin with three words on it: "MILK THIS SH!T"

  • Trikk #23 4 years ago

    I've played 5 Halo games so far (3 on console and their 2 PC ports) and I've yet to be impressed by any of them. I'd rather play Marathon tbfh.

    It's run and gun FPS without any finesse or flavor.

  • Daikon #24 4 years ago

    Super Spartan Bros. I'd buy that for a dollar!

  • Stuz359 #25 4 years ago

    I think this maybe a two edged sword. On the one hand, if the books had not been done for example, there would have been a demand for them, because, for whatever reason a lot of people became engaged in the Halo universe. So attempting to exapnd the story and flesh it out is a good idea.
    Making gratuiously bad games for the sake of it is a very bad idea.

  • The-Bodybuilder #26 4 years ago

    As great as this is from a business prespective, MS should not be crying and wondering why the mainstream view the x360 as a console for the hardcore, not when they push it with the halo juggernaut, a universe aimed solely at hardcore nerds.

  • rawburger #27 4 years ago

    The only thing they have to do is make a Halo Kitty game.

    Japanese market = sold.

  • Xerx3s #28 4 years ago

    "I dont get it."

    Yes, WE got that.

  • stuarty_2003 #29 4 years ago

    Stuz359: "I think this maybe a two edged sword. On the one hand, if the books had not been done for example, there would have been a demand for them, because, for whatever reason a lot of people became engaged in the Halo universe. So attempting to exapnd the story and flesh it out is a good idea.
    Making gratuiously bad games for the sake of it is a very bad idea."


    Couldn't agree more.

    To be fair though, MS have given Ensemble the time they need to not only build a good Halo RTS, but hopefully, give them enough time to develop a good control system for a console - which is the biggest part of the battle (no pun intended) for a console RTS!

  • Trikk #30 4 years ago

    Making an RTS controlled with a gamepad is even more retarded than making an FPS controlled with a gamepad.

    They have to dumb it down ridiculously much for it to work.

  • busboy33 #31 4 years ago

    @rawberger:

    "The only thing they have to do is make a Halo Kitty game.

    Japanese market = sold."

    The most disturbing thing about that is its such an Apocalyptically bad idea you have a 95% chance of being right.

  • chrisjm #32 4 years ago

    lego halo kitty kart

    best game ever.

  • cyber_nicco #33 4 years ago

    You know, obviously some people don't like Halo, and that's fine. However, to the world at large the Halo games have been very well received - receiving high marks from all corners. So, saying stuff like "making another rubbish Halo game" just makes one seem very myopic, or, as is probably the case, disingenuous.

    If the games are well made, then there is really nothing to complain about here. My god, it couldn't possibly encroach on the title of most spin-offs that Nintendo holds. Many of the Nintendo spin-offs are good games and are then well received, fairly. Give the Halo games the same courtesy and reserve you judgement for the games themselves.
    Edited by 1 at 28/07/08 @ 17:03