News
E3 08: Bungie confirms that E3 announcement was pulled
Ben Parfitt Jul 16 2008, 3:12pm
Comments (6)
Big LA reveal had been planned for several months until last-minute decision to scrap unveiling
Halo developer Bungie has confirmed that the much-rumoured announcement it was prepping for E3 did exist, but that it was pulled by the developer’s publisher at the last moment.
The story so far runs like this: Pre-E3 rumours began to mount that something Halo related was being planned for E3, with some sources talking of a squad-based shooter that didn’t star the iconic Master Chief. On Monday Bungie’s website was updated with a teaser image suggesting something exciting was on the way.
Then the Microsoft conference came and went without so much as a mention of either Bungie or the Halo franchise. Subsequently, yesterday in an interview with MTV, Xbox boss Don Mattrick confirmed that Microsoft IS working with Bungie on a new Halo project that is not the delayed Halo Wars or the ongoing Peter Jackson Halo project.
Now Bungie president Harold Ryan has placed a splash screen on the studio’s home page confirming that an announcement was indeed scheduled for E3. It reads:
“For the last several months, we’ve been building toward a reveal of something exciting that Bungie is working on. We were looking forward to sharing that with our fan community during the week of E3. However, those plans were just changed by our publisher.
“We realize that many of our fans are disappointed by this turn of events; members of the Bungie team share that disappointment.
“When the right time comes, we look forward to sharing this exciting announcement with you. Until then, we appreciate your continued support and patience.”
Though Microsoft is not explicitly named in the statement, it is understood that Bungie still has an exclusive publishing agreement with Microsoft, meaning that, for once, maybe the rumours were in fact true.
Comments
“please no more halo”
Posted by: paul ashton - Jul 16, 4:15pm
just when i thought this horrible kids game was finished!
gears of war yes, halo is terrible
“Re: please no more halo”
Posted by: Jack - Jul 16, 4:40pm
Halo is a good game, just because you happen not to like it doesn't mean they shouldn't milk it to death.....I mean make any more titles in the franchise.
There are many people that like Halo, so how can it be terrible?
“No iceing required....”
Posted by: Retronana - Jul 16, 4:58pm
Looking at the timing of the countdown on the Bungie site, the announcement was due to be made some time after the Microsoft press summit.
Maybe looking at what they (Microsoft) had already announced and possibly being tipped off on what Sony & Nintendo were going to present the day after Microsoft realised they had the upper hand on product & PR and decided to hold the Bungie announcement for another day.
Most pundits have Microsoft as the winners of the Pre E3 press summits, holding back the ammunition of a good Bungie announcement to fight another day is possibly is a good idea, Bungie I’m sure was to be the icing on the X-Box E3 cake, seems it wasn’t needed in the end
“Re: Halo Oh Yes”
Posted by: Who cares - Jul 16, 5:37pm
I am one person who really would any day of the week prefer to play Halo, I love the game. I agree GOW is a quality game but still for me Halo all the way.
“no ta”
Posted by: lee johnson - Jul 17, 9:38am
it always comes back to who is best doesnt it, who won the E3 press conference, its not a bloody race, its a press conference, if you love xbox then stick with it, if you love sony, stick with it, but why does it all come back to fanboy crap.
myself i dont like halo, but of course its loved by millions, some people love rpg and not shooters, this is just life,
i actually read that bungies exclussive contract was coming to an end with M$ and was now looking to work with sony, wow the world would end if this happened, the forums would blow up and the appocolypse would ensue, im afraid this site as most other games sites has sank due to fanboys, there only computer games after all kiddies, my dads bigger than your dad !!!
“Re: no ta”
Posted by: Sam - Jul 18, 11:51am
I think that after the FFXIII punch, Microsoft didn't need more.