Microsoft reveals plans for Halo through to 2015 and beyond

With total sales in excess of 27 million units, the Halo video game franchise is understandably at the forefront of Microsoft's ongoing plan, as confirmed by Frank O'Connor, creative director for 343 Industries, a division of Microsoft that handles all things Halo. Speaking with USA Today, O'Conner was candid in his admission that "we do have a plan that goes out at least six years... Eventually, it will become very apparent that there is a plan for the way the canon all ties together and the way the comic books and the novels all tie together."

[Masamori Sumimura]

like sonic and mario.

Halo is here 4ever I guess.

[deadpoole]

One word ... Milk Milk Milk Milk ... all scream with me MIIILLLLKKKKK

[JonnyBadfinger]

WOOOO YEAH! MAWR HALOZ!!

Glad to hear it. Halo IS my favourite Sci-fi game/movies/novels of all time.

Some people dont see what the fuss is all about, but thats simply because the story is probably a little too deep and from the begining your thrown into the middle of the story.

Say its milking say it mediocre, but the truth is i am happy to hear that its gunna be around for a further 5+ years.

Just hope to god they dont roll em out the door every year like the CoD franchise. 1 every 2 or 3 years is far more than enough.

EDIT:
What are you muppets disagreeing with? theres absolutely nothing to disagree about with what i wrote. So by this f*cked up logic on N4G. Turds like you people are trying to say i dont like Halo and that im not excited about halo.

Seriously this site is wacked. f'en nuff nuffs running loose on a this sh*t infested excuse for a news site.

Why is the PS3 community in here in the first place?? doing a little damage control i see.

And watch as i am banned for or deleted for posting a proper comment in the right zone.

[AKNAA]

that Halo is MS's one and only mascott, like mario is to Nintendo, Sonic is to Sega and Killzone, LBP, Uncharted, Kratos, GT, infamous, Ratchet and clank, Jak and daxter and Resistance is to Sony...

[AKNAA]

Halo- I mentioned..

Gears- Not a guaranteed exclusive like halo. But I guess for now it does represent the 360...

SplinTerCell- Don't be stupid. this franchise was never a ms exclusive, only up until now that is, which might even be timed exclusive for all we know..
.
Fable- okay, I give you that one.

Forza- sure, I suppose.

MechWarrior- who cares, never played it or even knew it Represented the 360... Cause thats what I'm talking about in case you forgot.

AlanWake- you dumb?! sure its an exclusive... But how is alan wake representing MS when its not even completed and released yet?!
Did you even understand what I ment in my previous comment?!

"they are not exclusives? well jak and dexter is on SONY PSP so is Rachet so is LBP."
ummm.. yeah, those would still be a representation of sony mascots since they are still technically part of Sony, like mario with wii, ds, gameboy, snes, all Nintendo products!! exclusive to nintendo as an example. understand yet?! or is it to complicated for your dumba$$?!

"I guess that MICROSOFT WINDOWS GAMES are acceptable for my list eh?"
sure if automatically when you hear that certain game, it yells out MS!!! all the games I mentioned screams out Sony!!! your list however, No.. Not all of them...

[da720izcumin]

aknaa left out haze and lair...
if your are going to name all the exclusives on your console, then don't discriminate.

[Noctis Aftermath]

@johnny: people disagreeing with you is a problem for you? i think you need to sit down and have a VB mate.
I disagreed simply cause you think the story is "Too deep" for people who don't see what all the fuss is about, it's not to deep, it's just not all that interesting for me.

[calis]

"but thats simply because the story is probably a little too deep"

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Too deep? lol.

Oh man, I needed such a good laugh.

[darthv72]

I would say it with you except you seem to be missing the point of the phrase. Making games based on the same character in the same universe isnt exactly called milking. It is usually called a serial (I know..ironic).

Milking would be the right term to use if there was a multitude of games featuring that character but not related to the universe created in. For example: mario. He could have stayed in the same type of platforming game. Instead he has gone on to do sports (tennis, soccer), rpg (paper mario series, mario rpg), racing (mario kart series), to even things like dr mario and mario pinball.

Branching out into so many different genres like that would be the real example of milking the character for what its worth. Heck even sonic tried his hand at pinball and tennis but found out he was better suited for platform games. Sega just took away what made him great to play which was balls out speed running.

Halo has a vast storyline much like star wars. You could say that series has been milked with all the different types of games based off various SW characters. Some good...others, not so much.

For halo to get milked there would need to be variation in the game types being made (which there could be) but right now I can see only two genres. FPS and RTS (even though halo was an RTS to begin with). If they make a sports game with USNC and covenant teams (like some halo style cyberball) or a racing game with warthogs and banshees then we can all say it together.

LOUDLY too!

[Shepherd 214]

people are just mad that their favorite game isnt becoming just as expansive as, say star wars. Halo has an amazing trilogy, books and comics to fill in the back story, and a growing universe just like star wars does. Its a great franchise, growing beyond the simplicity of video games and entering a more sophisticated level.

[Blaze929]

why is it that there are a bung of none 360 fans/users in here complaining about the series being milked? I'm a Halo fan and personally don't care, bring on the Halos! Just funny to see people who don't even buy the game complaining....just saying.

[NoBias]

Who in the hell are PS3 only fans to say anything? Forget their douchebag opinions because they don't matter not ONE BIT.

It's kinda funny when you think about it... They don't matter or affect anything at all haha. Ahhh the sorry bunch of morons...

[MajestieBeast]

Yeah great the mediocre milked halo franchise thats what gaming really needs...

[JonnyBadfinger]

Ummm you do realise that they arent talking about another five games right??

They are reffering to anime (which is gunna suck), novels, comics and the still possible but doubtful movie, over the next 5 years. Not another 5 years of games.

the books are probably better at explaining the story then the games anyway.

[ULTIMATE_REVENGE]

They're gonna milk the crap out it.

[No FanS Land]

Hope Halo's not going the way of mario. Mario was ok, he's a childish character, but I wouldn't see a Halo kart64.

However on the other hand, it's not like you can pump a plethora of FPS's over the same concept. gee man 2015? Seriously, that's a bit far fetched to me to think this much ahead.

[K-man00]

milk

[Counter_ACT]

Of course. Only an idiot would stop making a series which sells the way Halo does. Even when they launch an OSDT-esque big DLC people still flock in their millions and pay £30 to get it.

[FuckinUsername]

God..just let it die :|

[robotnik]

Nobody cares... really, it is the worst FPS ever... a green guy hunting aliens that look like gummy bears... come on grow up bots.

[N4XBOXG]

kids love power rangers and gummy bears.

[Pirateogta]

The first Halo title is the 10th highest rated game of all time. Both Halo 2 and Halo 3 received exceptional reviews and even more exceptional sales. Halo 3 is the best selling game, not including multiplatform games, of this gen with over 10 million units sold. Halo 3 is also currently the most played online game, 2 years after its release.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

I freakin' LOVE gummy bears!!!

[Droid Control]

M$, you such and have quality control!

[chrisulloa]

You such?

[EpicGamerSwordsman]

Come up with some NEW IP's Instead of More Halo every 1-2 Years.

[chrisulloa]

Oh my god, you guys are so full of fail. You do realize that Playstation has some of the longest running franchises around right? Microsoft has Halo, Forza, Gears of War, etc. but Sony, well Sony has been giving out sequels year after year, not all of them good but most yes. You guys have God of War, Grand Turismo, Metal Gear Solid, R&C, etc. but when Microsoft makes a good franchise, and yes this is in fact a good franchise, you guys are like, "OMG 4 HALO GAEMZ, LOL STOP MILKING". None of these games however have reached below 80% on Metacritic. You guys should stand in front of a mirror, take a good look at yourself, 15 minutes or so, and right HYPOCRITE on your forehead.

[ThatCanadianGuy]

You're the only one who fails.

The playstation consoles have been around fr THREE generations.That's decades of time in between game releases.
MGS made it's only debut this gen on PS3.
Gran turismo hasn't made it's official debut this gen
God of war hasn't made it's debut this gen

Meanwhile..
Halo 3
Halo wars
Halo odst
Halo reach
All released this gen.And even more Halo planned.Yay!

Dumbass.

[Saaking]

Milk it MS, milk it

[Deadman64]

Isn't it funny that 95% of people complaining about Halo and future Halo titles are Sony Fanboys?

Saaking if you don't like Halo, that's fine. Doesn't bother me. Just avoid the articles. It really isn't hard.

[aaron5829]

Provided we survive 21st December 2012.

:D

I know i know... i cant help it.. :P

[EvolutionOX]

Are you people seriously retarded?

"Let Halo die" ?

"Milk Milk Milk Milk ... all scream with me MIIILLLLKKKKK"

Dude its an established main title of XBOX, like Counter_ACT said "only an idiot would stop a franchise that sells like Halo" I got news for you even if they put Halo out for a while IT ISN'T going to die anytime soon.

F**k, seriously I can't stand XBOX gamers now-a-days with the whole "Go to hell Halo" persona, you like your CoD? Good for you, go play it. But to seriously trash Halo (the MOST notable franchise in the WORLD) while its not to mention the BEST SELLING franchise worldwide just because: A) You either suck monkey testicles online multiplayer with it or B) The bullshit excuse "there's annoying little children on it that ruined the game" is plain horseshit, news for you, Gears, CoD, and any other popular brand name title have those (annoying) children on it.

So seriously what's the HUGE problem with Halo?

Not to mention the people who are most likely posting these derogatory comments about Halo MOST likely own a Halo title like Halo 3 or even ODST. And for them, nobody's forcing you buy Halo you choose to go out and either stand in line for the game or pick it up on launch day then a month later jump off the bandwagon and start talking sh*t about it. Really? That makes so much sense, hypocrites.

So I ask one more time, what's so seriously wrong with Halo?

[Evoluti0n]

And I completely agree %100, well said sir.

[STICKzophrenic]

Nothing is wrong with Halo...people just like to complain about what's popular.

Anyone who says Halo is being milked needs to look at other successful gaming franchises and cry about them being milked as well. There are other franchises that have released way more iterations such as Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Gran Turismo, Mario, Madden (or any sports title), Call of Duty, etc.

Right now, Halo is the champion, and everyone wants to take out the champion, whether it's developers by creating a better game, or gamers by buying other games they feel are better.

I think the Halo hate is asinine, but to be honest, it should be taken as a compliment.

Bring on Halo: Reach. I can't wait for it!

[RJ92009]

Halo the best saleing franchise worldwide? Do you really think that? Last time i checked Pokemon was the best saleing franchise in the world. I love Halo but its no were near best saleing franchise in the world lol

[Midgard228]

i luv halo but wat happened to finish the fight back in part 3, since then they released 2 more games and r releasing reachm now plans till 2015? i thought halo was a trilogy lol.

what happened cant make annymore awesome games?? i guess they wanna keep their flagship title even if they milk it like nintendo

[Cueil]

This is happening as MC is doing his own drop into the earth if I'm not mistaken... there is all kinds of story that they haven't talked about. Reach will tell you the start of the war, but what happened before humans? How where the flood created and contained? There is so much room that they have to make diffrent kinds of games it's crazy.

[Another One]

there is no shortage of interesting stories to make games from. I just hope they make the game stories as interesting as the stories from the books. I have hopes that Reach will do just that.

And this is happening just before the events of the first Halo. Hopefully it will go similar to the book and go into how the Spartans were chosen and made into what they are.

[dgroundwater]

I can't wait for Halo Legends. I really hope they are as good as I think they will be!

[JeffGUNZ]

And these Sony fanboys cry because Halo has had 5 games in it's life-span.

[lightningsax]

This looks like great news! I'm a Sony guy myself (because I can't afford to have everything - gotta pick and choose) but any company that acknowledges that their series has to integrate continuity, even with its own spinoff novels, has done something right, no matter what happens down the road.

I'm looking forward to Halo games for the first time in like, ever. Sure, I bet it's also heralding a giant money-vacuum of crap too, but that's what happens. This looks like hardcore Halo fans may just get what they want - and there was no sign of that for quite a while...

[Bumpmapping]

That's why M$ will never win in a console race.

[RAM MAGNUMS]

in 2015 those kids who loved halo so much would have moved on to gears of war by then and then when they get a little older they can buy a videogame without thier parents.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[RockmanII7]

It will be interesting to see a non-Bungie Halo FPS game. MS needs this to stay a AAA franchise.

[Another One]

the Halo story. This is good news for fans of the games and the fans that delve deeper into, what is, one of the better stories. (The game stories aren't the greatest, but the books and everything are amazing.)

Microsoft isn't stupid, despite what most of you think. They will handle Halo with more care than most give them credit for. (Especially with Frankie manning the whole thing.)

[Omega Zues]

"Milk Milk Milk Milk ... all scream with me MIIILLLLKKKKK"

More or less, if they actually make full titles it would be more worth wild, but if they keep releasing expansions at full price then ya, milk will live up to its name for bungie. I do wonder how Halo Reach will be, will it be a full game or a small title with Tons of DLC Expansions.

only time will tell, I just pray the next engine they make finally uses 1080p, hell i'll be happy with 720p if they can do it.

[Another One]

Reach is going to be a full three year cycle game. Just like the first 3 Halo games. And 720p seems like a strong possibility, but 1080p is not likely to happen. (Very few games actually make use of full HD)

[SuperSaiyan4]

With the milking probably the most idiotic things i have read when it comes to Halo.

I guess you ALL forget the tons of games that have been 'milked' on all systems over the years?

If GAMERS which is what i am want more Halo and it sells well which it does then why would any sane developer give up on that franchise?

Same for Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, Mario, Sonic and the all time fave Final Fantasy.

If GAMERS stop buying it then developers will stop making it because the last time i checked owning a games console was to play games and games that GAMERS want.

If you are not happy with it then tough luck cos Gran Turismo is on its 5th and well forza is on its 3rd so lets see what is milking now huh?

[Grandreaper9999]

I agree with everything you said, except final fantasy. Yeah they might be on their 30th Final Fantasy game, but each one is different. The name stays the same, but they try lots of new things for each game. Even the tactics series are different with each game.

(They don't just reduce your shields, change your armor a little bit, and bring back an old gun, and slap a silencer on a pre-existing one)

[PHIL1017]

what a bored game forever!

[chisox100]

Wii Sports
Wii Play
Wii Fit
Mario Kart DS
New Super Mario Bros
Super Smash Bros Brawl
Mario Kart Wii

all sold better than Halo 3.....once again bots fail

[chrisulloa]

So a PS3 fanboy, uses another console to make fun of Xbox owners because they have nothing on their console that has outsold Halo 3?

[Corepred4]

feel sorry for all the hardcore halo fans. really your happy with that franchise being brought up over and over didn't you get screwed over enough with odst? are you so obsessed with this game that you don't mind that MS stops really growing in the game category? just more halo halo halo? sad really when your that obsessed. Might as well be grouped with all the star wars nerds, lol. sorry but thats really what you guys look like. just like they're obsessed over star wars even though its "over", as in nothing new, hardcore halo fans are getting fed the same old game thats "over" yet keeps being shoved out. sad. i love halo 3 but to keep begging for more is just...

[Silent]

Well I see MS knows how to keep their fans anticipated :)

[tawak]

halo 1
halo 2
halo 3
halo wars
halo odst
halo reach
......halo 99999
halo shoes
halo shirt
halo panjamas
halo 50cent
halo lunchbox
halo brief
halo shampoo
halo bike
halo pillow
halo homo
halo dildo
halo snacks
halo bodysoap
....etc

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Who cares if they milk it?

Nintendo is milking Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, and every other thing they can!

It's called a "business strategy"!

If you find something people like...you make MORE of it!

Do you want people to lose jobs because some game that YOU don't play is continuing to be released?

That's what we call selfishness.

I wish Devil May Cry was as popular as Halo. Then, I'd get one at least once a year.

*sigh* A boy can dream...

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Eff...double posted.

Can someone PLEASE bubble me up. This is just pathetic!

I told these people they were jerks because some guy's 360 broke and they were arguing about the RROD fiasco...instead of sympathizing with a fellow gamer who couldn't play games.

That, to me, is just sad.

If your console breaks...you can't game. If my PS3 breaks, at least I can play my PS2...which is still amazing! If that breaks, I have pretty much every other system known to man but a 360. So...I'm good.

However...most people only have ONE console. Such was the case with this chap.

So...please...bubble me up, people. I'm trying to be a gamer here...and not a fanboy.

[Another One]

I don't know if you're a fanboy or not(judging by your comments here, you aren't), but that's not a way you should lose bubbles so I'll give you one.

I've lost a few because of moron fanboys, so I get what you're saying.

[LeonSKennedy4Life]

Thank you!

[Grandreaper9999]

Can I get 10+ more years of /facepalms?

Yes I can.