The article discusses the current state and future of the Halo franchise, particularly after layoffs at Halo Studios, reducing their workforce significantly, and transferring responsibilities to Activision. The author expresses a mix of sympathy for the employees affected and skepticism about Halo’s management under the previous studio.
Key Points:
-
Layoffs and Future Ownership: Halo Studios has lost many employees, and the franchise will now sit under Activision, with a new team expected to take over.
-
Previous Struggles: The article critiques 343 Industries for failing to capture the essence of Halo over the years, often experiencing launch issues and missing features. The author believes Microsoft shares the blame for poor franchise management.
-
Concerns About Activision: There’s skepticism regarding Activision’s management style, particularly from the Call of Duty franchise. However, the author argues that Activision’s efficiency may ultimately benefit Halo’s development compared to the previous model.
-
Need for Change: The author mentions a desire for a return to form for Halo, emphasizing the need for traditional features like split-screen co-op, Forge, and a cohesive story with character consistency.
-
Optimism for New Beginnings: The potential for Activision to create a fresh team dedicated to Halo provides hope for revitalizing the franchise. The hope is that this new team can deliver a game which retains what makes Halo special while also benefiting from Activision’s development processes.
-
Franchise Expectations: The article closes on a note that Halo shouldn’t need to reinvent itself but rather needs a competent execution of what made the earlier games successful.
Overall, the sentiment is cautious optimism for the franchise’s future under new management but recognizes the challenges that have led to this point.
