MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Relax, Halo: Reach will spark the games industry back into life after months of slow sales.
That’s according to Microsoft’s general manager for the Entertainment and Devices Division, UK and Ireland, Neil Thompson.
He told MCV that the industry is going through a change, and the arrival of Halo: Reach will kick-start the market in a big way – with Kinect, Move and more continuing the momentum.
There is transition going on,” he told MCV.
Over the last year, we are moving from more traditional console experiences and over the next two, three months we are going to see a whole new breadth of experiences. I think Halo: Reach is a great new start to that regeneration. And Kinect will take us further and other platforms are doing what they are doing as well.
I am very bullish about what the gaming industry will be over the next six to 12 months and come September 14th I think it will all kick off in a big way
It is a major franchise that will have a big impact on the market and generate a lot of momentum for the games industry.”
Thompson’s words came at the Halo: Reach Premiere in London last night, where celebrities including England captain Rio Ferdinand, rugby player Ben Cohen and The Gadget Show’s Jason Bradbury were humiliated by a band of gamers. Radio 1 DJ Reggie Yates provided live commentary to the three-set match.
Halo is the most successful games franchise in history,” added Thompson. Big, massive, fantastic, enormous, record breaking, every adjective you might want to use around the biggest franchise in the world. This Halo has more love, care, sweat, tears and resource poured into it than any other. Our expectations are enormous.”
Other celebrities hitting the blue carpet in London last night included boxer Joe Calzaghe and singer Pixie Lott.
Halo: Reach launches on Tuesday, September 14th. Midnight openings are planned at over 400 GAME and GameStation stores nationwide.
