Halo 3 and PS3 on collision course?
by Ken Weeks 
{ Mar 16th 2006 at 2:00AM }
Timing the release of Halo 3 to coincide
with the PS3 launch seems like Business Strategy101 to most armchair CEOs. But when Bill Gates made comments to that
effect, Microsoft officially backed off, presumably because they didn't think the game would be ready in time. Now that
the PS3's debut has been pushed to November, analysts are once again predicting a clash of
titans:Hiroshi Kamide, analyst at KBC Securities in
When are Tokyo financial analysts ever wrong?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jamesthejust @ Mar 16th 2006 4:17AM
"Halo 3 – Microsoft’s biggest selling game"
That's impressive for a game that hasn't been released yet!
jCsickZ @ Mar 16th 2006 5:39AM
since bungie is working hard on halo 2 for vista, I don't see how they could possibly get halo 3 out in time for november. I hope they do though, I'm getting tired of playing modders on halo 2.
ymmv @ Mar 16th 2006 5:51AM
The Halo 2-version for Windows Vista is being developed by a different developer team than Halo 3 for Xbox 360. Remember that the PC version of Halo 1 was done by different people than the Halo 2 developers too.
TwistedBishop @ Mar 16th 2006 6:23AM
It really doesn't make much on a multitude of levels for Halo 3 to release this November.
-It won't stop the PS3 from selling out.
-It won't convince the Playstation loyalists, who wanted a PS3 and couldn't get one, to switch to 360.
-The swing demographic of more relaxed gamers, who wanted a PS3 for the Christmas season and either couldn't find one or got priced out, will likely pick up 360s anyway.
-Considering the Halo movie due out Summer '07, it would be wiser to use the two properties - game and film - to cross advertise each other, rather than spending large ad budgets twice. This also has the potential of reaching a much wider demographic than established gamers.
To me, the obvious release date is late Spring/early Summer 2007. That's when the hardcore people will have shaken out of the PS3 buying splurge, and both consoles are readily available on shelves. That's the critical time for a console, when it comes down to the people whose minds aren't already made up. That's when Microsoft needs its killer ap.
Crazyglues @ Mar 16th 2006 9:00AM
If you ask me, not that you did but if you did.... I would say look, it makes no sense to drop Halo 3 at the sametime as PS3
why?
Because if i'm on my way to the store to buy a PS3 then HALO 3 is not going to change my mind.. Drop the dam game before PS3 comes out, it is your only chance at doing big numbers.
If you wait and sony somehow pulls off this miracle of pulling a rabbit out of it's hat all you have gained will be lost.
It will be a huge mistake... huge... I repeat - huge mistake... No game can stop me from buying a PS3 but PS3 will stop me from buying a game for X360... better you just get the game out before and enjoy huge sales or release the same time, and wonder why it didn't sell better.
Curry @ Mar 16th 2006 9:40AM
It may not even be called Halo 3 according to Game Informer magazine: http://www.xboxic.com/news/465
DaStuph @ Mar 16th 2006 9:47AM
The middle finger salute factor of dropping Halo 3 against BS3 would be great fun but I don't see wasting your no.1 IP on PS3 release. I'd save it till early next year. I think there will be plenty of AAA titles that could be engineered to drop in the face of PS3. I think that M$ will have plenty of AAA games and MAJOR XBL upgrades to serve as the counter blow they need to the BS3.
It should be interesting to say the least. I do however want the PS3 to be a success. Something needs to keep M$ on the offensive so we keep getting advances in gaming and functionality. Don't kid yourself, if the BS3 was out right now with a functional Live service we'd would've seen alot more upgrades to XBL and BC then we have so far. I look for both of these items to blow up closer to launch.
Phace @ Mar 16th 2006 10:02AM
The best alternative for Microsoft would be to have Halo 3 out about 2 weeks before PS3 launch. and by that time, the 360s should be in stock everywhere... People will undoubtably want to pick up the new PS3 for Christmas, but history shows that supplies will be short at launch time. That Blu-Ray device will likely be problematical, and of course the new Cell chip will cause no shortage of woes (and plenty of shortage of chips).
It's the Mom/Dad crowd that sat out last Christmas due to shortages of the 360, plus the kid likes PS games, so they waited, but then the PS3 comes out, but then they can't get it, well, I can pick up the 360 and Halo 3 right now... Ding-Ding-Ding! We have a Winner.
Microsoft can only win here. Well-Played, sir.
XBL gamertag: iPhace
jon @ Mar 16th 2006 11:46AM
TeamXbox has an interesting theory.
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/10483/Next-Halo-Game-not-Halo-3/
If there truly is another Halo property being developed that is not Halo3...that would be amazing, simply for the fact that the Industry press never caught wind of this before. Kind of makes sense though...if Halo the movie out Summer 2007 is based on the first Halo Book, than a Video Game to coincide would have to be a Prequel to Halo and Halo2 that we know and love. Halo 3 is far beyond the Movie's plot line, so they wouldn't match up very well. But a Forerunner game based on things that occured much earlier...before Halo and Halo2 would be quite interesting. Halo the game takes place during the 2nd Halo Book by the way.
LunarDuality @ Mar 16th 2006 1:33PM
@ TwistedBishop
Your theories and postulations are the most plausible I think. Clearly, "doubling-up" on the advertising of a hugely profitable IP makes business sense. And further more, you are right about how this console war will be won once both systems are readily available.
The Halo 3 hype is already at monstrous proportions but it will only be better served when all eyes are on it, and not the release of a competitor's console...er...competitors consoles. Don't forget that they Revolution will be dropping worldwide in November as well...so MS needs to hold their Ace until the perfect time to strike.
They'll sell consoles over Christmas just due to the PS3/Revolution = Sold out phenomenon.
Oh yeah, and "Forerunner" is totally fake...April Fools!
jCsickZ @ Mar 16th 2006 2:39PM
#2, ymmv, can you please cite a source for your claim that halo 2 vista is being developed by a different team? I don't think that's the case. In fact, a couple of weeks ago in bungie's weekly update they said that they hired people to help bring halo 2 to vista.
charthepirate @ Mar 16th 2006 3:02PM
jCsickZ,
"But back to Halo 2. We're working with another team at MS to make this not only happen, but happen in a super-sweet radical fashion. To that end, we're going to be helping with a lot of aspects, but don't worry, we are not doing the actual coding work – we're too busy with ONP (Our Next Project). In fact, a lot of you spotted the job postings at Bungie.net asking for, "programmers who are awesome at programming Halo 2 Xbox to work on a PC," and other subtle clues."
The linkage. http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=halo2vistaannounce
Bungie is assisting, and has a couple of employees to help with the coversion. The bulk is working on the next project.
Char
Oozer @ Mar 16th 2006 3:21PM
At NO point has Bungie ever said they were porting Halo 2 to Vista. It is being handled by an internal team at Microsoft Game Studios. Here is a quote straight from Xbox.com:
"Halo 2" for Windows Vista will be developed by a dedicated Microsoft Game Studios team in partnership with Bungie Studios.
And that "Forerunner" story going around COULD be true. It's definitely feasible and believable. Frankie's "denial" was half-hearted at best (Looking over his comments, I couldn't anywhere where he came right out and said it isn't true. It was just a bunch of snarky comments that could be construed as a denial)
jc @ Mar 16th 2006 4:40PM
I dont think it'll come down to just one game. Halo 3 will help, but games like Gears of War, Oblivion, and Madden 2007 plus the wide adoption of HDTVs are going to turn people on to next gen gaming well before the PS3 is even released.
If Square-Enix is smart they'll see the trends and get Final Fantasy XII for both PS2 and Xbox 360 in November.
Jim N @ Mar 16th 2006 11:20PM
#14: While I am not a big Final Fantasy player myself I really hope that it does well on the XBox 360. The big complaint with the 360 in Japan is that there are really no games on the 360 that appeal to the Japanese market.
If Microsoft wants to make great strides in Japan I think they really need to court the Japanese Developers, maybe even offer some cash insentives, free dev kits or something.
This PS3 launch will be interesting to watch how it unfolds. I hope all goes well and there new PNP LIVE service is good. I will get a PS3 and sign up for the service. As long as there are a bunch of fun games available for it. I do not care who provides the great games just bring them on.
Jim