Halo 360 - 03/07?

[pipo]

March 30, 2006 - The next Halo is coming in March 2007. According to a Microsoft source who asked to remain anonymous and a second source close to the company, IGN today learned that Microsoft will publish the next Halo game (as predicted in January) in March 2007.

More: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/699/699411p1.html

One must wonder, however, why the game wouldn't come out simultaneously with the movie, due in summer 2007.

IMHO it's pretty clever to launch before the movie. It'll sell anyway, and the movie will generate even more sales. It'll be in the spotlight for a much longer period.

 

[dukmahsik]

could just be marketing ploy, im thinking EO 07

 

[pipo]

Dunno. The timing sounds right.

In addition to what I've said in the first post, consider PS3's will probably be broadly available by then. Consumers have to make a choice. It could shift momentum back to the 360.

My 2 cents.

 

[-NakedZ-]

I probably won't be reading any gaming related news this weekend. You know, aprils fool and all.

.Z

 

[pipo]

March 30, 2006

Other then that, I agree with you.

 

[AlNom]

If you didn't hear it from Bungie....


This is how people came to believe that Halo 2 was delayed, when in fact there was no set release date until much later in the development.

 

[function]

They need Halo 3 for Christmas 2007, assuming they can make Christmas 2007 that is. Any earlier and you're giving up development time for a smaller payoff.

 

[expletive]

Dunno. The timing sounds right.

In addition to what I've said in the first post, consider PS3's will probably be broadly available by then. Consumers have to make a choice. It could shift momentum back to the 360.

My 2 cents.

I agree that this would be the best use of the Halo franchise. In a perfect world for MS the titles they have on the slate for this year will drive them to their sales goals for 2006, they'll withstand a launch by Sony between nov and march, then try and regain the spotlight and a sales bump by release Halo in march or april of 2007.

I think if they REALLY wanted to leverage the title they would do a 2-part release with Part 1 releasing in april and Part 2 being released over live or with a lower cost disc alongside the movie.

 

[Pozer]

Bumb move IMO. Xmas is the best time. If MS was smart they would have worked there butts off to get it out this coming xmas.

BTW. Tey better get on the ball with the Halo movie if they want to make summer 2007. They still don't have a director or cast. Not to mention the extensive preproduction and post-production a movie of that size would require.

 

[Qroach]

Bumb move IMO. Xmas is the best time. If MS was smart they would have worked there butts off to get it out this coming xmas.

BTW. Tey better get on the ball with the Halo movie if they want to make summer 2007. They still don't have a director or cast. Not to mention the extensive preproduction and post-production a movie of that size would require.

Any halo game will still be selling by Xmas. This game doesn't need the extra push given by the hiolidays, it's popular enough by itself.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Well I'm happy if it's true.

We'll have a crazy good holiday season on 360, with tons of great games. Splinter Cell 5, Too Human, Mass Effect (hopefully), Brothers in Arms, Forza 2 (hopefully).

Then to have Halo drop in the spring, that sounds perfect. For people talking about X-mas, this sets up the $199 w/ Halo core bundle in xmas 2008.

 

[Rockster]

Spring/Summer seems like a sound strategy. The PS3 is going to be in limited supply and sell equally well through the holiday, Halo3 or not. They need to generate hype for the game during the holiday period but don't need the game itself, so long as everyone knows it's coming. Around, before, with the movie, would maximize it's exposure. Halo would top the news and wouldn't be competing for airtime with the PS3. Coupled with the fact that Microsoft is in a good position to compete on price when needed, I think they're still in ok shape despite the supply shortages they have struggled through. They still desperately need a killer app in Japan. I don't know if anything will help them there.

 

[chroniceyestrain]

I thought Bungie's next game wasn't going to be Halo, well thats the rumor anyway. Though that could still be true even if this March date is correct. I think MS wants to have Halo 3 around the PS3 launch, but if it isn't ready, I would sure hope they don't rush it out the door. Video games usually don't have a set release date a year before the game comes out, no way. It's probably just a target date that they would like to hit.

Are IGN's sources usually good? If their source is Bill Gates, I don't believe it :smile:

 

[pc999]

I think that lauch at thesame time of the movei would be the best.

 

[quest55720]

Spring/Summer seems like a sound strategy. The PS3 is going to be in limited supply and sell equally well through the holiday, Halo3 or not. They need to generate hype for the game during the holiday period but don't need the game itself, so long as everyone knows it's coming. Around, before, with the movie, would maximize it's exposure. Halo would top the news and wouldn't be competing for airtime with the PS3. Coupled with the fact that Microsoft is in a good position to compete on price when needed, I think they're still in ok shape despite the supply shortages they have struggled through. They still desperately need a killer app in Japan. I don't know if anything will help them there.

Could not agree more getting halo out this christmass would do nothing. The PS3 will be sold out for 3-6 months or more any ways. I think halo in the spring when sony gets the PS3 out in mass is the best thing to do halo 3 + a price drop to combat the PS3. For myself I would rather wait a few more months and have a better game than get it sooner.

 

[Mendel]

I thought Bungie's next game wasn't going to be Halo.

Well, if you're thinking about Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, it's actually developed by Wideload Games Inc even though it uses Bungie's Halo engine. The game isn't that very good btw.

I can't see Bungie not developing Halo 3 right now...

 

[Platon]

BTW. Tey better get on the ball with the Halo movie if they want to make summer 2007. They still don't have a director or cast. Not to mention the extensive preproduction and post-production a movie of that size would require.

That I agree with. I don't get how they plan to release a movie in the summer and they haven't even started production of it yet. I can se it becomming a rushed cheap cash cow thing. Of course, although it is Halo it can for sure not rely on the name and only if they want to have a succesfull movie...

 

[Powderkeg]

After Halo 2 was delayed for a full year I wouldn't trust any Halo 3 release date that far in advance.

 

[Carl B]

Well, if you're thinking about Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse, it's actually developed by Wideload Games Inc even though it uses Bungie's Halo engine. The game isn't that very good btw.

I can't see Bungie not developing Halo 3 right now...

The rumor was not that the game wasn't Halo, it's that the game wasn't Halo 3. And there's still that chance I guess. The talk was of a Halo 'prequel' or something, but whatever we'll see.

Anyway March '07 seems like a good launch window if that indeed turns out to be it.