Secret Ensemble project a Halo MMO?

By Robert Purchese Published 23 September, 2008

Leaked prototype images suggest so.

Ensemble Studios may have been secretly working on a Halo MMO for Microsoft.

That's according to leaked prototype images found on an Ensemble-linked artist portfolio website by Gamasutra.

The pictures show a typical MMO user interface of chat box, health bar, skill bar and mini-map, with a character sporting the Halo Spartan armour made famous by Master Chief.

A separate still illustrates a melee-focussed hero alongside a magic-wielding character, with yet another image picturing a scenario containing some overturned Warthog vehicles.

The evidence is far from conclusive, but backs up comments made by Ensemble boss Bruce Shelley about work on secret prototypes at the studio, plus job vacancies seeking developers with MMO expertise.

Microsoft's Phil Spencer also told GamesIndustry.biz recently that there were "more than two or three teams building Halo things right now".

Ensemble won't be one of them, as Microsoft has decided to close the studio after it finishes work on Halo Wars. However, parts of the team may cross over into other areas and so keep the dream alive.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (27) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Xerx3s #1 3 years ago

    Live from the forum!

  • mazzl #2 3 years ago

    so ensemble is putting out all the dirty laundry ;)

  • InfiniteFury #3 3 years ago

    If you'd like the experience now evilfoxhound I can take you to Warsong Gulch.

  • ThePissartist #4 3 years ago

    Thank fuck that got cancelled - looks utter toss.

    How about moving FORWARD with MMOs. I don't wanna be looking at a bar at the bottom of the screen with little icons and hunting little creatures until a big enough level to hunt biggers ones. UTTER TOSS.

    Game devs need to innovate on MMOs.

    If this is true MS were right closing Ensemble.

  • GODofDOOMS #5 3 years ago

    OMFG EVILFOXHOUND YOU SAID THE "N" WORD HOW COULD YOU!!! N33B HALO MMO = EPIC FAIL THEY JUST TRYING TO MILK THE FRANCHISE AND THEY MAKING IT FAIL ALONG WITH IT CAPS LOCK ROCK!!!

  • Monkey_Puncher #6 3 years ago

    The only thing abusive about WOW is the monotony. Though bringing Halo kiddies into an MMO space would be akin to gaming hell "OMGZ REZ PLZ YOU FUCKING FAGZ"
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/08 @ 16:07

  • Eraysor #7 3 years ago

    Halo would not work in its current form as an MMO. And it certainly woudln't work when it looks as ridiculous as those pictures show.

  • Rash' #8 3 years ago

    Why? Simply, why? I still don't understand why they bothered with the RTS thing. Do they really believe gamers brought in on a an FPS frachise will migrate because it has the Halo name on the box? I just think MS has the dumpest first party strategy and really need to wake up and smell the coffee.

    Some comedian here must be able to come up with a joke related to 360, Red Ring and Halo. Ring being the obvious common thread between them...
    Edited by 1 at 23/09/08 @ 16:14

  • aldo_14 #9 3 years ago

    Do they really believe gamers brought in on a an FPS frachise will migrate because it has the Halo name on the box?

    In a word, yes.

  • Thunderbolt #10 3 years ago

    jokes on you Rash,


    'dumpest first party strategy' Indeed

    ;)

  • ThePissartist #11 3 years ago

    "I still don't understand why they bothered with the RTS thing."

    I'm waiting for the Halo platformer.

  • iokthemonkey #12 3 years ago

    The only thing abusive about WOW is the monotony. Though bringing Halo kiddies into an MMO space would be akin to gaming hell "OMGZ REZ PLZ YOU FUCKING FAGZ"

    ----

    You'd be surprised how many players there are in WoW like that.

    My favourite was the kid who ran up to me, stood for about 5 minutes and then said "u r gay" then just ran off.

  • ThePissartist #13 3 years ago

    "My favourite was the kid who ran up to me, stood for about 5 minutes and then said "u r gay" then just ran off."

    Ha! That's hilarious!

  • iokthemonkey #14 3 years ago

    The other one - which was funny - was in Star Wars Galaxies. They'd just introduced vehicles and everybody was very excited about it. I was in the desert and I saw a landspeeder heading toward me. The driver - a Trandoshan(?) (they're those reptile guys, like Bossk) - rode around me in circles for ages, stopped and announced "I'm not wearing any pants" then vanished before I could even respond.

  • Triggerhappytel #15 3 years ago

    I really can't see that MS would disband Ensemble if they really were working on a Halo MMO. Changing developers part way through a project rarely - if ever? - turns out well.

    I really don't think this is true.

  • Dizzy #16 3 years ago

    "How about moving FORWARD with MMOs. I don't wanna be looking at a bar at the bottom of the screen with little icons and hunting little creatures until a big enough level to hunt biggers ones. UTTER TOSS. "

    I think MMOs have had this since Ultima Online.

    Sometimes there are just a few way to do a certain genre. RTS certainly has not upgraded their UI a lot last 10 years. Same with FPS games. We have seen some changes in the way the MMOs make the grind less serious, LOTRO deeds and WARs quest system so there is a slow innovation.

  • Shrui #17 3 years ago

    In WoW I remember when my black human warrior beat another character to a mining node. He shouted "White power, midnight!" and ran off.

    And yes the battlegrounds there are full of idiots. Usually on your own side and twinked to hell cause he bought a load of gold off the internet: "OMFG! u all sux azz!!11!! why do u ply??? etc etc."

    I think you can apply the simple formula for tards: If you play it online, they will come.

  • Dafridge #18 3 years ago

    Ensemble were disbanded not because they were poor quality its because they were high quality!

    Shelley said it himself that they were 'low turnover' which inevitably means that the staff were highly skilled, therefore highly paid! To Msoft that means I get good games for extortionate money or make average games for average money but increase volume. Its a no brainer for a publisher and part of the decay of the industry thats been happening for a long time.

  • SEVQA #19 3 years ago

    AMEN!

  • Tzetrik #20 3 years ago

    You really shouldnt link to Gamasutra so much, soon pretty much everyone'll know you just copy and paste for a living

  • RedPanda #21 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • Dafridge #22 3 years ago

    Who linked to Gamasutra?

  • Freek #23 3 years ago

    I really can't see that MS would disband Ensemble if they really were working on a Halo MMO. Changing developers part way through a project rarely - if ever? - turns out well.

    I really don't think this is true.

    The project was supposedly already canceld last year. It looks verry legit, closing down a studio is probably going to bring out allot of these sort of things. Might aswell, what are they gonna do, fire you?

  • Chauncy #24 3 years ago

    I don't understand why they hadn't started on something Planetside-esqe. Seems like a wasted opportunity to me.

    Not that it matters now of course.

  • Nithron #25 3 years ago

    Best part of those screenshots:

    "Space Planet"

    Best setting EVAR!

  • Skywise #26 3 years ago

    I'd love the character customization options in a Halo MMO, great idea that game!

    "What colour armor shall I wear today to be unique in the game world?" :p

  • SilentScream #27 3 years ago

    @ EvilFoxHound: Don't forget Halo Kart!

    Don't give them ideas! You should at least claim copyright.

    I agree with GODofDOOMS on milking the franchise comment though.

    Wasn't there news where they said they weren't going to abuse it?.. stupid

    If they were clever they would just leave Halo as a TPS.

    For an example Gears of War is a really popular game, but if they made a racing game from it people would go mental (i know some people would like that idea but seriously)