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Halo
Genre(s)
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Xbox Game Studios
Platform(s)
First releaseHalo: Combat Evolved
November 15, 2001
Latest releaseHalo Infinite
December 8, 2021

Halois amilitary science fictionvideo game series andmedia franchise,originally developed and created byBungieand currently managed and developed by343 Industries,part ofMicrosoft'sXbox Game Studios.The series launched in 2001 with thefirst-person shootervideo gameHalo: Combat Evolvedand its tie-in novel,The Fall of Reach.The latest main game,Halo Infinite,was released in late 2021.

Combat Evolvedstarted life as areal-time strategy gamefor personal computers, turning into a first-person shooter exclusive to Microsoft'sXboxvideo game console after Bungie was acquired by the company. Bungie regained its independence in 2007, releasing additionalHalogames through 2010 before moving on from the franchise. Microsoft established 343 Industries to overseeHalogoing forward, producing games itself and in partnership with other studios.

Combat Evolvedwas a critical and commercial success, serving as the Xbox's "killer app"and cementing Microsoft as a major player in the video game console space. Its sequels expanded the franchise's commercial and critical success, and have sold more than 81 million copies worldwide. With more than $6 billion in franchise grosses,Halois one of thehighest-grossing media franchises of all time,spanning novels, graphic novels, comic books, short films, animated films, feature films, andother licensed products.

Plot

[edit]

Many years ago, a species known as the Precursors assumed the Mantle of Responsibility - the guardianship of life in the galaxy. The Precursors chose an ancient form of humanity as their successors, over another species known as the Forerunners. In retaliation, the Forerunners attacked their former masters and drove the Precursors into extinction. Instead of fighting back, the Precursors allowed themselves to die, with some turning into dust intended to spread and later transform into themselves once again. This dust eventually became defective, infecting and contorting organisms into a new parasitic species, connected by a hivemind to the minds of the last Precursors: theFlood.TheForerunnerssent the humans to Earth, reverting them to a primitive civilization based inAfrica,and fought the Flood, which spread through an infestation of sentient life and overran much of theMilky Way Galaxy.Exhausting all other strategies, the Forerunners conceived theHalo Array— ring-shaped megastructures and weapons of last resort that would destroy all sentient life in the galaxy to stop the Flood. A civil war began between the Forerunners' commander, known as the Ur-Didact, who wanted to assimilate all the humans on Earth into his army as AIs, thus immune to the Flood, and his wife, the Librarian, who created the Ark, an instrument that was to shelter sentient species outside the galaxy and allow for the mass creation of Halo installations which could all be activated simultaneously. The Librarian, along with all the remaining Forerunners, trapped her husband inside a Forerunner repository of knowledge known as the Domain, and disappeared as the Array was activated, thus destroying all sentient life in the galaxy and ending the outbreak of the Flood— though some Forerunners are known to have left the Milky Way galaxy for a different, unknown galaxy.[1]

A vast ring-shaped object, thousands of kilometers in diameter, hovers in space. The outside of the ring is metallic, while the inner portion features land and sea. The ring is under construction; portions of the ring are merely a skeletal framework.
A human ship approaches a Halo megastructure under construction. Portions of the Ark are visible at the bottom. From the video gameHalo 3(2007).

Nearly a hundred thousand years later, in the26th century,humanity— under the auspices of the Unified Earth Government, or UEG, and their United Nations Space Command, or UNSC— has colonized many worlds thanks to the development of faster-than-light "slipstream space" (i.e.,hyperspace) travel. Tensions between the government and colonies desiring independence sparked violent clashes. The UNSC's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) created the SPARTAN-II Project to create an elite group of enhancedsupersoldiersto suppress the rebellions covertly. In the year 2525, human worlds came under attack by atheocraticalliance of alien races known as theCovenant,whose leadership declared humanity heretics and an affront to their gods: the Forerunners. The Covenant began a genocidal holy war. Their superior technology and numbers proved to be decisive advantages; although effective, the Spartans were too few to turn the tide of battle in humanity's favor. After the Covenant invaded Reach in 2552, the UNSC's last major stronghold besides Earth,Master Chief John-117was left as one of the few remaining Spartans.

The rediscovery of the Halo rings later that year set the humans against the Covenant, who believed they were instruments of transcendence, not destruction. Master Chief and his artificial intelligenceCortanaare instrumental in the destruction of a Halo ring to stop the Covenant and the threat of the Flood. Master Chief defeats the Prophet of Regret, leading to the Prophets of Truth and Mercy denouncing the Sangheili race as no longer the most honourable species amongst the Covenant. This began a civil war within the Covenant, with many grappling over the revelation that their religion was false. The disgraced former Covenant Sangheili commander known as theArbiter,along with the rest of his race, helped the humans destroy the Covenant and stop the Prophet of Truth from activating the Halo Array via the Ark. The Human-Covenant War ended, though new conflicts began to emerge throughout the universe.

In the post-war era, the UNSC trains a new generation of Spartans, and tensions between the UNSC and colonist rebels resumed. The Master Chief and Cortana accidentally free the Didact and he briefly returns to assert supremacy over humanity, though he is foiled by the pair, resulting in Master Chief initially believing Cortana dead in the attempt. Cortana's survival through the Domain leads her to break with the UNSC and assert a newhegemonyover the galaxy, with artificial intelligence (the "Created" ) in control.[2]After two years of a scattered war between Cortana and the UNSC, Cortana attacks theBanished,a mercenary organization largely led by the Jiralhanae race. The Banished win the resultant conflict, terminating Cortana and battling the UNSC for control of Zeta Halo.[3]

Game series

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Release timeline
Mainline number entries inbold
2001Halo: Combat Evolved
2002–2003
2004Halo 2
2005–2006
2007Halo 3
2008
2009Halo Wars
Halo 3: ODST
2010Halo: Reach
2011Halo: Combat Evolved(remaster)
2012Halo 4
2013Halo: Spartan Assault
2014Halo: The Master Chief Collection
2015Halo: Spartan Strike
Halo 5: Guardians
2016
2017Halo Wars 2
Halo Recruit
2018Halo: Fireteam Raven
2019–2020
2021Halo Infinite

2001–2010: Bungie era

[edit]

Video game developerBungiewas founded in 1991 byAlex SeropianinChicago, Illinois,who partnered with programmerJason Jonesto market and release Jones' gameMinotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete.Focusing on theMacgame market because it was smaller and easier to compete, Bungie became a preeminent game developer on the platform. What becameHalo: Combat Evolvedstarted as areal-time strategygame for the Mac, originally code-namedMonkey NutsandBlam!,[4]and took place on a hollowed-out world called Solipsis.[5]The planet eventually became aringworldcalled "Halo", which became the game's title.[6]

Halowas announced on July 21, 1999, during theMacworld Conference & Expo.[7]The game morphed from a real-time strategy game into a third-person action game.[8][7][9]On June 19, 2000, Microsoft acquired Bungie andHalo: Combat Evolvedbecame a launch title for the Xboxvideo game console.[10]The game turned into a first-person shooter, and was modified to work with a controller. Though the firstHalowas meant to include an online multiplayer mode, it was excluded because theXbox Liveservice was not yet available.[11]

Halowas not intended to be the Xbox's flagship game due to internal concerns and gaming press criticism, but Microsoft VP of game publishingEd Friesdid not act on these concerns. The Xbox's marketing heavily featuredHalo,whose green color palette meshed with the console's design scheme.[12]Halo: Combat Evolvedintroduced many gameplay and plot themes common to the whole trilogy. Players battle various aliens on foot and in vehicles to complete objectives, while attempting to uncover the secrets of theeponymousHalo.Halolimited the number of weapons players could carry to two, forcing them to carefully select their preferred armament.[13]Players fight with ranged and melee attacks, as well as grenades. Bungie referred to the "weapons-grenades-melee" format as the "Golden Triangle ofHalo".[14]The player's health is measured in bothhit pointsand a perpetually recharging energy shield.[15]Released for the Xbox in November 2001,WindowsandMac OS Xportswere later developed byGearbox Software,and released in 2003.[16][17]A stand-alone expansion, entitledHalo: Custom Edition,was released as a Windows exclusive, and allowed players to create custom content for the game.[citation needed]

The success of the game led to a sequel,Halo 2,which was announced on August 8, 2002, at Microsoft'sX02press event.[18]It featured improved graphics, new weapons and enemies, and a multiplayer mode on Xbox Live.[19][20]Halo 2was released on the Xbox onNovember 9, 2004,and later forWindows Vistaon May 17, 2007. The game was released in two different editions: a standard edition with just the game disc and traditional Xbox packaging; and the Collector's Edition with a specially designed steel case, along with an additional bonus DVD, extra booklet, and slightly different user manual.Halo 2introduced new gameplay elements, chief among them the ability to hold and fire two weapons simultaneously, known as "dual-wielding".[21]Unlike its predecessor,Halo 2fully supported online multiplayer viaXbox LIVE.The game uses "matchmaking" to facilitate joining online matches by grouping players looking for certain types of games.[21]This was a change from the more traditional "server list" approach, which was used to find matches in online games at this time.[22]

Halo 3was announced at the 2006Electronic Entertainment Expo.[23]It utilized a proprietary, in-housegraphics engine,and employed advanced graphics technologies.[24][25]Halo 3is the final game in the originalHalotrilogy, ending thestory arcbegun inHalo: Combat Evolved.[26]The game was released on theXbox 360on September 25, 2007.[27]It adds to the series vehicles, weapons, and a class of items called equipment.[28]The game also includes a limited map-editing tool, known as theForge,which allows players to insert game objects, such as weapons and vehicles, into existing multiplayer map geometry.[29]Players can save a recording of their gameplay sessions, and view them as video, from any angle.[30]

FollowingHalo 3's release, Bungie became an independent company once more. They created two moreHalogames as part of their deal with Microsoft: a side story,Halo 3: ODST(2009), and a prequel,Halo: Reach(2010).Reachwas Bungie's final work on aHalorelease.[citation needed]

2010–present: 343 Industries era

[edit]

While Bungie remained involved in theHaloseries by developing games such asODSTandReach,the rights toHaloremained with Microsoft. To oversee everythingHalo,Microsoft created an internal division,343 Industries,to oversee the franchise.[31][32][33][34]

343 had already codeveloped theHalo Legendsanimated series and had overseen production ofHalo: Reachand 2011'sHalo: Combat Evolved Anniversary,aremasterof the franchise's debut title.[35]The next game in the series,Halo 4,was announced atE32011 as the first entry in what would be originally known as the "Reclaimer Trilogy".[36][37]The game included many staples of previous games, such as new or redesigned weapon types,[38]an improved map-editing tool[39]and expanded multiplayer options and maps.[40]Halo 4was released worldwide on November 6, 2012,[41]achieving record sales for the franchise.[42]In a new addition to the series, a story-driven multiplayer campaign entitledSpartan Opswas released over the weeks followingHalo 4's release, telling what happened after the end of the main game.[43]In announcing the formation of 343 Industries, Microsoft also announced that Xbox Live would be home to a central hub forHalocontent called Halo Waypoint.[44]Waypoint is accessed from theXbox 360 Dashboardand offers players access to multimedia content in addition to tracking theirHalogame "career". O'Connor described Waypoint as intended to be the prime destination forHalo.[45]

In December 2014, 343 Industries general manager Bonnie Ross expressed Microsoft's aim for theHaloseries to last at least 30 more years.[46]

Halo 5: Guardians,was released for theXbox Oneon October 27, 2015.[47]The game takes place across many worlds, mainly the Elite homeworld, and revolves around Spartan Locke's hunt for the rogue Master Chief, who is trying to find a still-living Cortana.[48]

The third part of the Reclaimer Saga,Halo Infinite,was announced duringE3 2018.[49]It brings the focus back to Master Chief, and Halo's roots by taking place on the new Zeta Halo. The story mainly focuses on exploring the deeper lore of theHaloseries, finding what happened to Cortana, and battles with the Banished.[3]It released December 2021.[50]

Spin-offs

[edit]

The success of the mainHalotrilogy spurred the creation of spin-off games.Halo Warsis areal-time strategygame developed byEnsemble Studiosfor the Xbox 360. Set in the year 2531, the game takes place 21 years prior to the events ofHalo: Combat Evolved.Much effort was spent on developing a control scheme that was simple and intuitive, unlike other console strategy games.[51]The game was announced atX06,and released in February and March 2009.

In October 2017, 343 Industries developed and released avirtual realitydemo title in partnership with Endeavor One calledHalo Recruit.[52]

AFireteam Ravenarcade booth inEdinburgh,UK

In 2018, 343 Industries partnered withRaw Thrillsand PlayMechanix to develop a coin-operatedarcade gamecalledHalo: Fireteam Raventhat was released in the later part of 2018, with Round1 USA andDave & Buster'sarcades releasing first.[53][54]

Alternative reality games

[edit]

Alternative reality gameshave been used to promote the release ofHalogames, beginning with theCortana Letters,a series of cryptic email messages, circulated by Bungie prior toHalo: Combat Evolved's release.[5]I Love Beeswas used to promote the release ofHalo 2.The game revolved around a website created by42 Entertainment,commissioned by Microsoft and endorsed by Bungie. Over the course of the game, audio clips were released that eventually formed a complete five-hour story set on Earth betweenHaloandHalo 2.[55][56]Similarly,Iriswas used as aviral marketingcampaign for the release ofHalo 3.[57]It featured five web servers containing various media files related to theHalouniverse.

Canceled and rumoured projects

[edit]

Several spin-off titles were planned or rumored for theGame Boy Advance,[58]Gizmondo,[59][60]Ultra-Mobile PC,[61]andNintendo DS.[62][63][64]Microsoft announced an episodic video game to be developed by film directorPeter Jackson's Wingnut Interactive in 2006.[65]The game,Halo: Chronicles,[66]was ultimately canceled as part of budget cuts tied to job layoffs in January 2009.[67][68][69]Ensemble Studios developed aHalo-themedmassively multiplayer online game,often referred to asTitan Project,or justTitan.The project was canceled internally in 2007–2008, without a formal announcement from Microsoft.[70][71]On January 4, 2007, an IGN editor claimed he had played a version ofHalofor the Nintendo DS. On October 2, 2007, IGN published a video of on camera in-game footage of what he claimed was a very early-development playable version of what they referred to as "Halo DS ".[72]In a July 2007 interview with Siloconera, Bungie employees Frank O'Connor and Brian Jarrard clarified, "it’s very likely that somebody at some point in time created a prototype and tried to pitch it... which is probably what Casamassina is talking about... but there has never been an officially funded or sanctioned development of any sort of DS Halo game."[73]

343 Industries announced afree-to-playHalomultiplayer game for Windows PC,Halo Online,in 2015. The game launched with a closedbeta testlimited to Russia that year. The title was developed withSaber Interactiveusing modified version of theHalo 3engine, and published by Innova Systems.[74]The project was canceled in August 2016.[75][76]Players modified the game to circumvent the region limitations and add new content after the project's official cancellation.[77]The "ElDewrito" project saw legal takedowns from Microsoft for violating its game usage rules.[78]Despite this, ElDewrito's playerbase remained active, and the modders claimed its popularity hastened Microsoft's plans to release a Windows version ofHalo: The Master Chief Collectioneven though such a version would later officially release in December 2019 and would later include maps from Halo Online in further updates to the game.[79][80][81]

Other appearances

[edit]

Halocharacters have appeared in tie-ins, such as the characters Spartan Nicole-458 and the Arbiter being playable fighters inDead or Alive 4andKiller Instinct: Season Three,respectively.[82][83]Master Chief was added as a playable character inFortnitealongside a stage inspired by aHalomultiplayer map in 2020.[84]

Another game,Halo 2600,has the players control Master Chief and fight through four regions filled with enemies. It was written by Ed Fries, former vice president of game publishing at Microsoft, in 2010 for theAtari 2600.[85]

TheHalotheme tune was also available asdownloadable contentforGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.[86]InForza Horizon 4one level has the player racing across the map in the Warthog as the Master Chief, with the Halo ring visible in the sky, Cortana on the radio and various Covenant based obstacles to avoid.[87]

Cultural influences and themes

[edit]

In 2006, in acknowledgment of the "wealth of influences adopted by the Bungie team", a list of Bungie employees' favorite science fiction material was published on the company's website.[88]The developers acknowledged that theHaloseries' use of ring-shapedmegastructuresfollowed on from concepts featured inLarry Niven'sRingworldandIain M. Banks'Culture series(of whichConsider Phlebas[89]andExcession[88]were said to be particularly influential). In a retrospective article inEdge,Bungie's Jaime Griesemer commented, "The influence of something likeRingworldisn't necessarily in the design – it's in that feeling of being somewhere else. That sense of scale and an epic story going on out there. "[89]Griesemer also explained, "One of the main sources of inspiration wasArmor[byJohn Steakley], in which a soldier has to constantly re-live the same war over and over again. That sense of hopelessness, a relentless battle, was influential. "[89]The Flood were influenced by the assimilating alien species inChristopher Rowley'sThe Vang;[89]it has also been speculated that the Master Chief's name "John 117" may have been a reference to a character named Jon 6725416 in Rowley'sStarhammer,[90]or to the John Spartan character ofDemolition Man.[91]An IGN article exploring the literary influences present in theHalofranchise commented on similarities betweenHaloandOrson Scott Card'sEnder's Game:aspects of theSPARTAN Projectand the design of the Covenant Drones are perceived as reminiscent of the super soldier program and Buggers found in the novel.[90]Bungie has also acknowledgedJames Cameron's filmAliensas a strong cinematic influence.[92]

A report written by Roger Travis and published byThe EscapistcomparesHalowith the Latin epicAeneid,written by classical Roman poetVirgil.Travis posits similarities between the plots of both works and compares the characters present in them, with the Flood and Covenant taking the role performed by the Carthaginians and Master Chief taking the role ofAeneas.[93]

Forge

[edit]

First introduced inHalo 3,Forge is an in-game map editor designed for adjusting weapon, vehicle, and prop placement. While in Editor Mode, the player becomes a floating robot, or "monitor",who can spawn, move, and delete any game object on the map. All objects are assigned a monetary value, and cost money to spawn; the level's" Forge budget "determines how much money the player can use to spawn objects. As a component ofHalo 3,Forge received critical acclaim upon its release.GameSpot'sJeff Gerstmanndescribed Forge as "an extremely powerful addition that might just take over your life", and praised the editor for the replay value it provided.[94]Heather CampbellofPlay MagazinenamedHalo 3her game of the year due to Forge, with co-editor Greg Orlando explaining later in the issue: "What separatesHalo 3from other console shooters such asCall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareandTeam Fortress 2,though, is the inclusion of a forge mode and the ability to save and edit gameplay films. [...] Although these modes are standard fare in most PC online shooters, their inclusion in a console game is something entirely new — and entirely wonderful. "[95]In an editorial forEdge,N'Gai Croal stated that Forge could "help prove the viability ofuser-generated contenton consoles. "[96]Halo 3's iteration of Forge has received comparisons toGarry's Mod,a 2004Half-Life 2mod with a similar emphasis on free-form construction and experimentation.[97][98][94]

Outside of its intended use as a map editor, Forge has been used to create art installations by arranging in-game props to draw pictures and write messages.[99]Game modes and maps created in Forge have occasionally informed the development ofHaloitself. Grifball, a fictional sport that originated in theHalo-themed web seriesRed vs. Blue,inspired a popular user-created Forge map and game mode styled afterrugby.Grifball was developed into an official weekly playlist forHalo 3,and would go on to be included in every subsequentHalogame afterHalo: Reach.[100]

343 Industries employee Nick Bird, working as Forge Quality Assurance onHalo Infinite,credited Forge for his interest in game development; "My time in Forge and the Forge community eventually led me to pursue a career in the industry, and ultimately landed me a position to work on what I love in a franchise I love."[101]

In September 2021, the developers of the first-person portal-based shooterSplitgateannounced that they intend to incorporate their proprietary version of a Forge mode into the game, which launched before the long-delayedHalo Infinitereleased its version.[102]

Music

[edit]
Martin O'Donnell,lead composer for the BungieHalogames

Martin O'DonnellandMichael Salvatoricollaborated to produce the soundtracks for Bungie'sHalogames. Approached by Bungie to produce something ancient and mysterious forHalo's debut, O'Donnell decided to compose a theme usingGregorian chant,joining in with others to sing the vocal parts.[103]Due to the varying nature of gameplay, the music was designed to change dynamically based on the gameplay.[104]To afford a more enjoyable listening experience, O'Donnell rearranged portions of the music ofHalointo standalonesuites,which follow the narrative course of the game, for the soundtrack releases.[105]ForHalo 2,the soundtrack included licensed music fromIncubusandBreaking Benjaminalongside the orchestral score; rock guitar virtuoso,Steve Vai,performed various solos throughout the score.

The music ofHalohelped spur a renewed interest in chant music.[106]

ForHalo 2's soundtrack,producerNile Rodgersand O'Donnell decided to split the music into two separate volumes. The first, Volume One, was released on November 9, 2004, and contained all the themes as well as the "inspired-by" music present in the game (featuringSteve Vai,Incubus,Hoobastank,andBreaking Benjamin). The second release, Volume 2, contained the rest of the music, much of which was incomplete or not included in the first soundtrack, as the first soundtrack was shipped before the game was released.[107]Halo 2,unlike its predecessor, was mixed to take full advantage ofDolby5.1 DigitalSurround Sound.[108]In 2014, the in-game music was rerecorded and remastered for theHalo 2 Anniversaryrelease which was part of the Master Chief Collection which included remastered versions of all Halo games with Master Chief as the protagonist.

Thesoundtrack forHalo 3was released on November 20, 2007. O'Donnell noted he wanted to bring back the themes from the original game to help tie together the end of the trilogy.[109]The tracks are presented, similarly to theprevious soundtrack forHalo 2,[107]in a suite form. Unlike previous soundtracks, where much of the music had been synthesized on computer, the soundtrack forHalo 3was recorded using a 60-piece orchestra, along with a 24-voice chorus.[110]The final soundtrack was recorded by the Northwest Sinfonia at Studio X in Seattle, Washington.[111]The soundtracks were bundled and released as a box set in December 2008.[112]A soundtrack forHalo 3: ODSTwas released alongside the game and included many of the tracks from the game.[113]

For Bungie's last game in the Halo series,Halo: Reach,Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori returned to compose the soundtrack. O'Donnell wrote "somber, more visceral" music to reflect the darker nature of the campaign and style of the game. As Bungie had been makingHalo 3: ODSTandHalo: Reachat the same time, Martin O'Donnell had also been composing the soundtracks at the same time, but production for the music ofHalo: Reachdid not begin until after the release ofHalo 3: ODST.The soundtrack was released on iTunes on September 15, 2010, and in a two-disc set on September 28, 2010.

ForHalo Wars,the task of creating the game's music fell toStephen Rippy.Rippy listened to O'Donnell's soundtracks for inspiration and incorporated theHalotheme into parts of his arrangements. In addition to synthesized and orchestral components, the composer focused on the choir and piano as essential elements, feeling these were important in creating the "Halosound ".[114]Rather than use the Northwest Sinfonia, Rippy traveled to Prague and recorded with the FILMharmonic Orchestra before returning to the United States to complete the music. A standalone compact disc and digital download retail version of the soundtrack was announced in January 2009 for release on February 17.[115]

The music ofHalo 4was composed byNeil Davidgeand Kazuma Jinnouchi. TheHalo 4 Original Soundtrackwas released on October 22, 2012, followed by a two-disc Special Edition on November 6. Neil Davidge served as an out-of-house composer for 343 Industries which proved to be very expensive leading Kazuma Jinnouchi to take over the responsibility of music production forHalo 5: Guardians.The music by Neil Davidge and Kazuma Jinnouchi forHalo 4received mixed reviews, being recognized as creative music but too different from the original Halo formula.

In 2014, Kazuma Jinnouchi confirmed he would be composing the soundtrack forHalo 5: Guardians.On October 30, 2015,Halo 5: Guardians Original Soundtrackwas released on CD and vinyl. The soundtrack used a 30-person choir located in Prague, Czech Republic. The orchestral soundtrack was recorded at the Abbey Road Studio over the duration of 5 separate trips.

In 2017, 343 Industries andCreative Assemblyreleased a sequel toHalo WarstitledHalo Wars 2.The soundtrack was composed byGordy Haab,Brian Lee White and Brian Trifon under the direction of Paul Lipson who had helped in the audio and music of nearly every previous Halo title. TheHalo Wars 2soundtrack featured many melodies from the music that Stephen Rippy had composed for the firstHalo Warsbut with new arrangements and more melodies to represent the individual characters. The original game soundtrack was released on February 17, 2017, and released digitally on February 21, 2017.

The music forHalo Infinitewas a collaboration betweenGareth Coker,Curtis Schweitzer,Joel Corelitz,Alex Bhore, and Eternal Time & Space, overseen by 343 Industries Music Supervisor Joel Yarger.Infinite's soundtrack was released digitally on December 8, 2021, in two albums, one covering the score for the campaign, and another covering the music for the game's multiplayer component.

Adaptations

[edit]

TheHalofranchise includes various types of merchandise and adaptations outside of the video games. This includes bestselling novels, graphic novels, and other licensed products, from action figures to a packaging tie-in withMountain Dew.Numerous action figures and vehicles based onHalohave been produced. Joyride Studios createdHaloandHalo 2action figures, whileHalo 3poseable and collectible action figures, aimed at collectors, were produced byMcFarlane Toysand became some of the top-selling action figures of 2007 and 2008.[116]MEGA Blokspartnered with Microsoft to produceHalo Wars-themed toys.[117]

Books

[edit]
HaloauthorsJoseph StatenandEric Nylund

As part of Microsoft's multimedia efforts, Microsoft Studios decided to create a tie-in novel forCombat Evolved.Eric NylundwroteHalo: The Fall of Reachin seven weeks, and it was published in October 2001.[118]The game itself was turned into a novelization byWilliam C. Dietzin 2003, calledHalo: The Flood.[119]Nylund would write additionalHaloworks including the novelsFirst Strike(2003) andGhosts of Onyx(2006).[120]Other novels have been written byJoseph Staten,Tobias S. Buckell,Karen Traviss,[121]Greg Bear,[122]Matt Forbeck,[123]John Shirley,[124]Troy Denning,Cassandra Rose Clarke,andKelly Gay.

A collection ofHaloshort stories,Halo: Evolutions,was simultaneously released in print and audiobook formats in November 2009.Evolutionsincludes original material by Nylund, Buckell,Karen Travissand contributions from Bungie.[125]Tor re-released the first threeHalonovels with new content and cover art.[126]Another collection,Halo: Fractures,compiled new and previously released short fiction in 2016.[127]

Comics

[edit]

TheHalouniverse was first adapted into the graphic novel format in 2006, with the release ofThe Halo Graphic Novel,a collection of fourshort stories.[128]It was written and illustrated by graphic novelistsLee Hammock,Jay Faerber,Tsutomu Nihei,Brett Lewis,Simon Bisley,Ed Lee andJean Giraud.At the 2007New York Comic Con,Marvel Comicsannounced they would be working on an ongoingHaloseries withBrian Michael BendisandAlex Maleev.The limited series, titledHalo: Uprising,bridges the gap between the events ofHalo 2andHalo 3;[129]initially planned to conclude shortly before the release ofHalo 3,the constant delays led to the final issue being published April 2009.[130]

Marvel announced at the 2009 Comic Con that two new comics, a five-part series written byPeter Davidand a second series written byFred Van Lente,would appear the coming summer and winter.[131]David's series,Halo: Helljumper,is set prior toHalo: Combat Evolvedand focuses on the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The five-part series was published between July and November 2009.[132]Lente's series, originally titledSpartan Black,revolves around a black ops team of Spartan supersoldiers assigned to the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence.[133]The rebranded comic,Halo: Blood Line,debuted in December 2009.[134]The most recent comic series is a comic retelling of the novelHalo: The Fall of Reach,titledHalo: Fall of Reach.Fall of Reachis split into three mini-stories:Boot Camp,Covenant,andInvasion.[135]Two new series were announced in 2013. A three-part series,Halo: Initiationwas released August 2013 with Brian Reed returning as writer.[136]Also announced wasHalo: Escalation,an ongoing comic series covering the period directly afterHalo 4.[137]

Live-action

[edit]

Unproduced feature

[edit]

In 2005,Columbia Picturespresident Peter Schlessel began working outside the studio system to produce aHalofilm adaptation.Alex Garlandwrote a script,[138]which was then pitched to studios by couriers dressed as Master Chief. Microsoft's terms required $10 million against 15 percent of gross; most studios passed, citing the lack of risk for Microsoft compared to their large share of potential profits.20th Century FoxandUniversal Picturesdecided to partner to produce the film, paying Microsoft $5 million to option the film and 10 percent of grosses.[139]Peter Jacksonwas slated to be theexecutive producer,[140]withNeill Blomkampas director. Before Blomkamp signed on,Guillermo del Torowas in negotiations to direct.[141]

D. B. WeissandJosh Olsonrewrote Garland's script during 2006.[142]Pre-production of the film was halted and restarted several times.[143]Later that year, 20th Century Fox threatened to pull out of the project, leading Universal to issue an ultimatum to Jackson and Schlessel: either reduce their large"first-dollar"revenue deals, or the project was ended. Both refused, and the project stalled.[139]Blomkamp declared the project dead in late 2007,[144]though Jackson insisted the film would still be made.[145]Blomkamp and Jackson collaborated onDistrict 9,but the director told/Filmthat he was no longer considering working on aHalofilm if the opportunity arose.[146]The rights for the film have since reverted to Microsoft.[147]Blomkamp would produce a series of live-action shorts as promotion forHalo 3,collectively titledHalo: Landfall.[148]

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn

[edit]

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawnis a live-action film and miniseries set in the Halo universe. Although shot as a feature-length film,Forward Unto Dawnwas originally released as a webseries consisting of five episodes released between October 5, 2012, and November 2, 2012. The series' plot, occurring in the early days of the Human-Covenant Warc. 2526,revolves around Thomas Lasky, a young cadet at Corbulo Academy of Military Science, and how John-117 inspired him to eventually become a leader. Lasky is also a prominent character inHalo 4as a commander on the UNSC Infinity. The name of the series, aside from being a reference to the UNSC frigateForward Unto Dawn,is given new significance in the series as part of a running motif based on a poem. The film cut was released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 4, 2012.

Halo: Nightfall

[edit]

On April 3, 2014, it was announced thatRidley Scottand his production company,Scott Free Productions,were working on aHalodigital feature alongside 343 Industries andXbox Entertainment Studios;Scott would be the executive producer, withDavid W. ZuckerandSergio Mimica-Gezzanas the directors. The feature was expected to follow the same format as Machinima'sHalo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.[149]On June 9, 2014, it was announced at E3 2014 that the feature, titledHalo: Nightfall,would be included withHalo: The Master Chief Collectionat its November 2014 launch. The feature introduces a new character to the franchise, Agent Jameson Locke, played by actorMike Colter;Nightfallis considered to be his origin story.[150]Locke is one of the Spartans portrayed on the cover art and plays a large role in the series.[151]On July 24, 2014, 343 Industries released the first trailer for the feature.[152]Halo: Nightfallis available to watch through Halo Channel, an application for the Xbox One, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone.[153]On March 16, 2015, the series became available to stream, download, and buy on physical disc.[154]

Paramount+ television series

[edit]

On May 21, 2013,Xbox Entertainment Studiosand 343 announced that a live-actiontelevision showofHalowould be produced withSteven Spielbergserving as executive producer through what is nowAmblin Television.It was originally titledHalo: The Television Series.Neill Blomkamp was rumored to be directing the pilot for the series.[155]Xbox Entertainment Studios shut down in 2014. Later, it was announced the series would premiere on the American premium cable networkShowtime.[156]It had been indevelopment hellfor many years. On March 1, 2018, it was announced that the series would start filming in late 2018, with speculation of the series airing in mid- to late-2019.[157]On June 28, 2018,Kyle Killenwas hired as showrunner and executive producer andRupert Wyattas director and executive producer.[158]On December 4, 2018, Wyatt stepped down as director and executive producer from the project due to scheduling conflicts.[159]On February 21, 2019,Otto Bathurstreplaced Wyatt as director and executive producer.[160]On April 17, 2019, it was announced thatPablo Schreiberwas cast as Master Chief.[161]On August 2, 2019,Deadlinereported thatNatascha McElhonehad been cast in two key roles:Cortanaand Dr.Catherine Halsey,Bokeem Woodbinewas also cast as Soren-066, along withShabana Azmias Admiral Margaret Parangosky, andYerin Haas Kwan Ha. It was also announced that the series would be released in early 2021.[162]Filming was incorrectly reported to have officially begun in October 2019.[163]In November 2020,Jen Taylor,who voiced Cortana in every major game in theHalofranchise, replaced McElhone in that role.[164]It then was reported that filming began in February 2021 and that ViacomCBS was shifting the show from Showtime toParamount+[165]with Showtime retaining production credits. The series premiered on March 24, 2022.[166]

Animated series

[edit]

Microsoft announced atComic-Con2009 that it was overseeing production of a series of seven shortanimefilms, together calledHalo Legends.Financed by 343 Industries, the animation was created by six Japanese production houses:Bee Train Production,Bones,Casio Entertainment,Production I.G.,Studio 4°C,andToei Animation.Shinji Aramaki,creator and director ofAppleseedandAppleseed Ex Machina,served as the project's creative director.Warner Bros.distributedLegendson DVD and Blu-ray in February 2010.[31][167]Six of the stories are officially part of theHalocanon, with the seventh, made by Toei, intended to be a parody of the universe.[168]

An animated version ofThe Fall of Reachis included in theHalo 5: GuardiansLimited Edition and Collector's Edition.[169][170]

Reception and critical response

[edit]

Cumulative unit sales

[edit]
Date Total units sold Ref.
August 30, 2007 14.5+ million [171]
January 8, 2009 25+ million [172]
May 24, 2010 34+ million [173]
October 31, 2012 46+ million [174]
October 19, 2014 60+ million [175]
July 13, 2015 65+ million [176]
February 24, 2021 81+ million [177]
Aggregate review scores
As of December 17, 2021.
Game Metacritic
Halo: Combat Evolved Xbox: 97[178]
PC: 83[179]
Halo 2 Xbox: 95[180]
PC: 72[181]
Halo 3 Xbox 360: 94[182]
PC: 88[183]
Halo Wars Xbox 360: 82[184]
Halo 3: ODST Xbox 360: 83[185]
Halo: Reach Xbox 360: 91[186]
PC: 81[187]
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Xbox 360: 82[188]
PC: 79[189]
Halo 4 Xbox 360: 87[190]
Halo: Spartan Assault PC: 70[191]
Xbox One: 53[192]
Xbox 360: 51[193]
Halo: The Master Chief Collection Xbox One: 85[194]
Halo: Spartan Strike iOS: 86[195]
PC: 66[196]
Halo 5: Guardians Xbox One: 84[197]
Halo Wars 2 Xbox One: 79[198]
PC: 70[199]
Halo Infinite Xbox Series X/S: 87[200]
PC: 81[201]

TheHalofranchise has been highly successful commercially and critically. During the two months followingHalo: Combat Evolved's release, it sold alongside more than fifty percent of Xbox consoles.[202]Halo 2's sales generatedUS$125 million on its premiere day, making it the fastest selling United States media product in history up to that time.[203][204]Combined withHalo's sales, the two games sold 14.8 million units beforeHalo 3's release.[205]At the end of 2007,Halo 2andHalo: Combat Evolvedwere the number one and two best-selling Xbox titles, respectively, andHalo 3was the best-selling Xbox 360 title.[206]TheHaloseries had sold more than 81 million copies by 2021.[177]

Halo's success led to the term "Halokiller "being used to describe console games that aspire, or are considered, to be better thanHalo.[207]It was the Xbox'skiller app.[208]

Total franchise sales amounted to more than $6 billion in 2021.[209]

The soundtracks toHalo 2,Halo 3,ODSTandReachall appeared on the Billboard 200 charts for at least one week.[210]By May 2011, total gross ofHalomerchandise was $2 billion, with 40 million copies of the games sold.[211]The total amount climbed to $2.3 billion in July 2011,[212]and $2.8 billion in January 2012.[213]Total franchise grosses exceeded $4.6 billion by October 2015, with 25% of the figure from non-game-related merchandise.[214]

TheHaloadaptations have been successful as well. Many of the novels have appeared onPublishers Weekly'sbestsellercharts and theHalo Graphic Novelsold more than 100,000 copies, a "rare hit" for the games-to-comics genre.[215]Ghosts of Onyx,Contact Harvest,The Cole Protocoland the first volume ofCryptumappeared onThe New York Timesbestseller lists,[119][216][217][218][219][220]andThe Cole Protocolalso opened 50th overall onUSA Today'sbestsellers list.[221]Tor's first three novels sold more than one million copies by April 2009.[222]

Overall, theHaloseries has been very well received by critics.Halo: Combat Evolvedhas received numerousGame of the Yearawards.[223][224]In March 2007, IGN listed it as the top Xbox game of all time, while readers ranked it the fourteenth best game ever on "IGN Readers' Choice 2006 – The Top 100 Games Ever".[225][226]Conversely,Game SpyrankedHalo: Combat Evolvedtenth on its list of "Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time", citing repetitive level design and the lack of an online multiplayer mode.[227]Halo 2also received numerous awards,[228]with IGN listing it as the number two top Xbox game of all time in March 2007.[225]From its initial release on the Xbox in November 2004 until the launch ofGears of Waron the Xbox 360 in November 2006 – two years later –Halo 2was the most popular video game on Xbox Live.[229]Halo 3was nominated for and won multiple awards; it wonTimemagazine's"Game of the Year" and IGN chose it as the Best Xbox 360 Online Multiplayer Game and Innovative Design of 2007.[230][231][232]Most publications called the multiplayer aspect one of the best features; IGN said the multiplayer map lineup was the strongest of the series, and GameSpy added that the multiplayer offering will greatly please "Haloveterans ".[233][234]Complaints focused on the game's plot.The New York Timessaid the game had a "throwaway" plot and Total Video Games judged the single-player aspect ultimately disappointing.[235][236]The series' music and audio has received enthusiastic response from game reviewers.[234][237][238]

Cultural impact

[edit]

The main trilogy, particularly its protagonist, are considered iconic and a symbol of today's video games; a wax replica of Master Chief was made byMadame TussaudsinLas Vegas,wherePete Wentzcompared the character to notable characters from previous generations likeSpider-Man,Frodo,andLuke Skywalker.[239]GamesTMstatedHalo: Combat Evolved"changed video game combat forever", andHalo 2showcased Xbox Live as a tool for communities.[240]Game Daily notedHalo 2's launch was "easily comparable to the biggest in other sectors of the entertainment industry", marking the first time a video game launch has become a major cultural event in the United States.[241]Halohas been described as a series that "has reinvented a genre that didn't know it needed to be reinvented", with aspects of the main trilogy being duplicated in other first-person shooter games multiple times.[242]

VarietycalledHalo"the equivalent ofStar Wars".[243]The fandom is referred to as the "Halonation ".[244]

Machinima

[edit]

TheHalofranchise spurred an array of productions in an emerging genre ofmachinima—the use of games for filmmaking.[245]Most productions are set outsideHalocanon, while others are based onfan fictionclosely relating to the story.Halo 3includes a saved film function that allows camera angles not possible in previous games, and other features that simplify production. The game has become one of the most popular tools for generating machinima, and Microsoft updated itsuser license agreementto allow noncommercial distribution of such films.[246]

A notable machinima production is thecomedyseriesRed vs. Bluecreated byRooster Teeth Productions.It has achieved an unparalleled level of success inHalomachinima in specific, and machinima in general; it is credited with bringing attention to the genre.[247][248]Red vs. Bluegenerated annual revenues of US$200,000, and special promotional episodes were commissioned by Bungie.[247]The first series,The Blood Gulch Chronicles,ended on June 28, 2007, after 100 regular episodes and numerous promotional videos.[249]Subsequent series includeThe Recollection,which contains more dramatic elements than its comedic predecessor,[250]Project Freelancer,The Chorus Trilogy,Anthology,and The Shisno Paradox. Other machinima series includeArby ‘n the Chief,Fire Team Charlie,The Codex,and the in-game interview showThis Spartan Life.

Esports

[edit]

Players began creating impromptuHalotournaments and local parties after the release of the first game. Bungie looked at the success of these matches as inspiration for crafting the online multiplayer components ofHalo 2.[251]

Larger organizations soon began operatingHalocompetitive games. In August 2002,G4hosted the Halo National Championship Finals, a FFA [free-for-all] tournament involving sixteen players from across the country (hosted byWil WheatonofStar Trekfame.)[252]The Associates of Gaming Professionals (AGP), which focused solely onHalo,held its first event in November 2002.[253]Inspired by friends placing bets on theirHalomatches, Mike Sepso and Sundance DiGiovanni formedMajor League Gamingthe same year.[254]

Microsoft and 343 Industries sponsored their own professionalHaloleague, called theHalo Championship Series(HCS), in 2014.[255]It was started in partnership with theElectronic Sports League(ESL). Seasons 1 and 2 ran onThe Master Chief Collection.[256]In August 2015 Microsoft announced it would be increasing the total prize pool of the HCS to $1 million USD, for the newly announced Halo World Championship, which will be the debut event forHalo 5.[257]This prize pool was later announced to be crowd-funded, which later resulted inMajor League Gamingannouncing that the prize pool had climbed to $2 million USD. Later that week, 343 announced that the prize pool was locked at $2.5 million USD. This was the largest console esports prize pool ever.[258]

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