This is a reblog from gamespot.com. Special thanks to my bud @TheHaloArray for tweeting about this.
Microsoft’s goal for the Halo franchise is to make the long-running sci-fi FPS series last at least another 30 years, according to 343 Industries general manager Bonnie Ross. In a new interview with Bloomberg, Ross revealed the figure and recalled the difficult process of getting the studio up and running, calling it “the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.”
Ross went on to say that diversity was a focus in the formation of 343 Industries, and part of her goal for the studio was to ensure that Halo had “characters that people can identity [with]: heroic females and heroic males.”
HFFL: Okay, is it me, or did it sound like the guys in the video weren’t all that excited about this???
“It’s really important for us to get young female talent, because they are the future,” Ross said, explaining that having women in key roles will help attract others to the field. “It’s important to have leadership roles across the industry that people can aspire to.”
At the time of 343 Industries’ formation in 2007, the Halo series–which debuted in 2001–was already six years old. Ross said, “I wanted to make sure we were able to go another three decades.”
Three decades on from 2007 would be 2037. We’ve since spoken with Microsoft and confirmed that Ross’ “three decades” comment relates to 343 as a studio and the Halo franchise itself.
Ross didn’t speak about how specifically Microsoft and 343 Industries–which handles Halo games and all other media and brand extensions–plan to support Halo for the duration of those years, though you can expect more games beyond 2015’s Halo 5: Guardians for Xbox One.
That game was originally part of the Reclaimer Trilogy, which would have spanned Halo 4-6. However, Microsoft confirmed in 2013 that it’s no longer referring to the new series as a trilogy, but rather a “saga.”
“While we originally said trilogy, we’ve actually expanded this to more of a saga, so we don’t want to limit the Reclaimer story within a trilogy,” Microsoft said at the time.
Ross has also come out to say that she hopes 343 can some day get away from numbered Halo releases, another suggestion that we may see more spinoffs of the Halo series in the future.
Outside of games, Microsoft recently released digital series Halo: Nightfall from producer Ridley Scott, while the company is also teaming up with Steven Spielberg for a new Halo TV series. And while Microsoft has no official plans to resuscitate the failed Halo movie, that film’s one-time director–Neill Blomkamp–says he is still interested in working in that universe.
HFFL: Okay, I’m all for more Halo. But damn, 30 more years? I’m going to be an OLD man by then. Seriously, I AM a Halo fan for life, but 30 more years? Does the franchise have that much staying power left in it? If 343 keeps making the same mistakes it has been, there’s no way it will last that long.
Noting that they want to do spin-offs is something that is very much a mixed bag within the community of Halo fans. While Halo 3 ODST was received well enough, it never hit it big. Halo Reach was utterly trashed by many of the Halo Pros. This helped to lead to it’s downfall, though many like myself still think Reach was a good game.
With Bonnie talking about diversity and mentioning women in particular, does that mean we’ll see a game with a Female Spartan as the lead? Gawd, PLEASE not Sarah Palmer. She is a VERY polarizing character. She’s not just a strong character, she’s also quite arrogant, IMO. She’s NOT the kind of leader I’d want to have to follow into the battlefield. As opposed to say Miranda Keyes was.
I’m certainly not against having a female lead. Let’s just make sure that it’s being done for the RIGHT reason. Not just to have a female lead for the sake of it, but for it to have meaning. That character, whomever she will be needs to be one that nearly all Halo fans connect with positively on some level. Again, Palmer is NOT that character.
So what do you think folks? Do you want 30 more years of Halo? Would you mind spin-offs from Halo that do not have Master Chief as the lead role in the campaigns? Sound off Spartans! Let me know what you have to say. Reply below!
-Sal
Well…….. as I am quite young, halo lasting another 30 years rather appeals to me, provided they keep the franchise on the right track.
I do have to agree with you: NOT PALMER! lol.
I rather liked Halo: ODST, and reach was fun. I am definitely all for more spin-off games! 🙂
I’m all for more games too, even spin-offs. I just want to make sure they have a reason to be made. Not just spin-offs for spin-off sake. Within all of this there needs to be a strong continuity. If 343 starts messing with that, then it will go the route of Star Wars, which lost continuity years ago. Look at what Disney did there. They scrapped everything that wasn’t the movies for the sake of continuity. That ticked off a lot of fans. Halo just shouldn’t go that route. So again, as long as the games have continuity with the novels, etc., then I’m all for it.
Everything about that pumps me up – especially the thing about diversity (and 30 more years of Halo? Yeah, sign me up!) Aside from Star Trek, most sci fi has overwhelmingly white male leads and supporting characters. Speaking as a white male myself, I’ve grown up with more heroes to identify with and inspire me than I can count. I know how awesome that is and feels, and I think it’s just as important that the rest of the human spectrum has the opportunity to identify with heroes as well.
Halo especially is so often about saving all of humanity – why wouldn’t that be everyone’s job?
I agree that Sarah Palmer specifically isn’t my favorite character. She is somewhat arrogant (and oddly insulting to scientists, considering they’re the only reason she can be a Spartan), but hero’s journeys are often about character arcs, being humbled, and ultimately coming out a better person. Alternatively, it’s nice to have characters with recognizable human flaws. Macer might still turn out to be one of the female leads alluded to here (there’s also still Kelly and Linda), or it could be someone we’ve yet to meet. Also, Dr. Halsey has embarked on an interesting journey as of the end of Spartan Ops.
All in all, this is very exciting stuff to me!
Agree with your whole comment. Kelly and Linda would be great to have more of in Halo. I really like Halsey. I don’t get the hate she’s getting form 343. And yeah, Macer I think will make for an excellent character. Funny enough, I messaged Christina Chong, the actress who played her in Nightfall, last night about her role in Nightfall and if we’d see her again in Halo 5 and/or beyond. (No answer just yet)
I don’t mind Halo lasting for another 30 years but the products (games/shows/books/etc) have to be good enough. 343 Industries’ current track record doesn’t give me much hope but we’ll see. I don’t mind spin-offs but they have to be worthwhile. And with Halo going for another 30 years, Master Chief is most likely going to be “retired” which will be quite polarizing as he is the face of Halo (currently) and a well-known Xbox mascot. I don’t know. Like I said, we’ll see. Halo 5’s release and its reception will be quite telling if Halo has the lasting power for another 30 years.