Halo 2 PC Vista Only, With Exclusive Content

Via 1up and Kotaku, news from the most recent Bungie weekly update. Work on Halo 2 PC is continuing apace, but players looking forward to the game should know a few things. The game looks to be Vista only and, despite the promise of the 'Live Anywhere' concept, will not be interconnected in the way that the Shadowrun game will be. The Bungie update clarifies on these announcements. From the article: "Will I need a DirectX 10 graphics card to run Halo 2 on PC? No. Although you will require Windows Vista to play Halo 2 on a PC, you won't necessarily need to upgrade your graphics card to do it. Halo 2, like some other Vista titles, will work just fine on a wide range of graphics cards, including DX9 cards. We will provide far more detailed minimum hardware requirements closer to the game's completion."

Comments

Thanks, Microsoft!

[PSXer]

Is there any reason for such a requirement other than forcing people who want to play Halo 2 on PC to get Vista? Might as well require people to get Office while you're at it!

Oh dear, I just gave them an idea.

Exclusive Content?

[The MAZZTer]

Up yours, xbox owners!

... wait, Vista will cost me more money than an Xbox. :( Bah.

And who cares?

[SmallFurryCreature]

Halo did do something very nice that every FPS game should copy. Give grenades their own controls so you can throw them with your main weapon equipped. Brilliant.

Everything else about the game was a distinct case of Meh on the PC. It just didn't compete with PC born titles. Part of it may have been due to its age (the x-box conversion took ages) and part was that it never delivered on its original promises.

I just never got the idea that Halo PC had a big impact.

As for coupling it to vista. Well that is just taking the piss. A 2.5 year old game + time until vista launches having such a minimum requirement can't be anything but fake.At least pull such a stunt with a more recent game, say the upcoming Halo 3.

MS really could set it self up for a gigantic fall with vista. Have they forgotten Windows ME? Or are they remembering ME and are this time determined to ensure people can't just skip an upgrade?

The game companies making their game Vista only must really be certain of MS success. Not only are they tying their game to an OS that keeps getting delayed but one that might not be picked up. Remember Vista is launching at a bad time. Gamers will have the PS3 and Wii competing for their dollars. Can you afford to buy the consoles AND a new PC?

Why is bungie still called bungie? Shouldn't they just be called MS game division?

Re:And who cares?

[ceoyoyo]

Why is bungie still called bungie? Shouldn't they just be called MS game division?

Because when they wander too far afield they get snapped back by a big semi-elastic cable tied around their ankles?

Re:Two words:

[Arker]

You know folks, if people will quit BUYING this kind of schlock they'll eventually quit making it.

Re:Wait a second...

[cgenman]

Weren't we JOKING about them making Halo 3 Vista-only to boost sales? Now they're gonna do this with freaking Halo 2?

Halo is Microsoft's new mythical moneymaker. When their games division needs a boost to help their rather terrible margins, or they need to push a new system, they'll lean on Bungee to release whatever it is they have and call it the next Halo.

It's kind of sad, really. Halo is a great series and Bungee is a great developer, but they're almost commodotizing Halo. Not finishing 2? It's like the Legacy of Kain... an amazing game that really hurt the series because they released it unfinished. At least Halo 2's multiplayer was solid.

MS is going to find that you can't milk a series too much before it simply goes dry. If you don't earn each and every sale, you can coast for one or two iterations but then it all goes away.

Re:Oh man!

[ichigo 2.0]

So, does that mean that Duke Nukem Forever will also be vista only?

Nope, by the time DNF comes out Microsoft will have dropped support for legacy OS's like Vista!