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No Halo 3 For 360 Launch
Gamespot's Rumor Control column this week covers the usual half-truths, and mentions in specific that Halo 3 will not be a launch title for the 360. This despite some hopeful fan exclamations prompted by an ordering page slip-up. From the article: "On Monday, the site posted a page that seemed to indicate that the most anticipated game for the Xbox 360 would be a surprise launch title. The posting, coupled with the fact Wal-Mart is letting you pick Halo 3 as one of the games in its Xbox 360 bundles, had would-be Master Chiefs more hysterical than a pack of Grunts on the run. However, a sneak November release would go against all logic, especially considering the very existence of the game was revealed by Bill Gates talking about how it would parry the PlayStation 3 launch."
My feeling is that most games released at console launch are half-baked; the launch deadline can be really tough o the developers. I hesitate to purchase any game released at launch, and see no reason to change now.
Please, take your sweet time and make the game the best you can!
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
"... especially considering the very existence of the game was revealed by Bill Gates talking about how it would parry the PlayStation 3 launch."
I thought it was revealed by the giant "PREORDER HALO 3 NOW" banner that pops up when you beat the "final" boss in Halo 2. How could anyone follow up such a finale? Perhaps with the real ending!
Seriously, Halo 2 was un-fucking-finished. The only people who won't admit it are fanboys. I'd like to think it's a joke that you don't get the preorder screen when you beat the game on legendary, but seriously...
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I remember Bill Gates himself saying "When the PS3 Ships, Halo 3 Ships.
So, unless the PS3 Ship date == Xbox360 date, we have a misunderstanding.
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A surprise announcement of Halo 3 at launch would be a pretty bad marketing move. Here we are, two months from launch, with many pre-orders already "locked and loaded", so to speak. Many stores are no longer committing to pre-orders (EB and GameStop in my area), so it wouldn't help sales until after launch. So, why kick the game out at launch? At best, Halo 3 would canabilize the sales of other bits of software, rather than generating new sales. People would switch their pre-reserves. Bad news for Quake 4, CoD 2, Condemned, etc. Also, Microsoft would have to get the advertising engine rolling pretty quickly. Finally, Bungie itself won't confirm that they're even WORKING on the title: "Bando asks, Frankie, why all the coyness re: Halo 3? We all know the "project" you and the rest of the crew at Bungie are all working on is called Halo 3 and it is going to be released the same day the PS3 is released. Come on, fess up! :)
Har. Well, for one thing, we haven't announced what our next project is going to be. And for another, you really think Ken Kutaragi is going to call up and say, "Hey, Frankie, here's a heads up - the PS3 will be available on September 14th, 200X. So now you have a schedule to work to." Because, like, he probably won't do that.
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"Halo 3 launch failure"? What failure? When did anyone with half a brain ever think that Halo 3 would launch with xbox360? This was a stupid rumor from the beginning, so to prove that it is incorrect does not indicate a failure on anyone's part regarding the 360 launch. To call anyone a failure for not coming up with a sequel to Halo 2 one year after its release, and on an entirely new platform, is being a bit overzealous in your definition of success. I'm not going to argue the point about unfinished games, because precious little has been shown to date. The question is, is that MS playing cards close to the vest or a real problem? Time will tell....
The only "failure" was on the part of retailers in listing Halo as a launch title just to drum up business. The only thing MS has said remotely setting a date was that Halo 3 would be out around the time of the launch of the PS3. That's it. The fact that it was listed in launch bundles is either stupidity on the part of the retailers or a ridiculous attempt to increase sales. Joe consumer likes halo, sees it as part of a launch bundle, and buys the bundle, regardless of the fact that no one anywhere has said it will be there for launch.