X06: Two new Halo projects announced (w/ Peter Jackson!)
by Richard Mitchell 
{ Sep 27th 2006 at 4:30PM }
The most awkward moment of today's X06 press briefing may also have been the most profound. We are of course talking about the moment that Peter Jackson took the stage to massive applause. While PJ -- we call him PJ -- looked a little nervous talking in front of so many people, what he announced could turn out to be one of the biggest announcements for the video game industry this year.
Peter Jackson, along with creative partner Fran Walsh, is opening a new studio specifically for game development. Dubbed Wingnut Interactive, it is tasked with creating new kinds of interactive entertainment. Jackson himself was hesitant to call them games. While we've heard this kind of marketing babble before (Shenmue, amiright?), Jackson's promise of story driven games is intriguing. Many would argue that story telling is the one aspect of games that prevent them from being accepted as a valid form of art. The majority of game players may not give two flightless kiwis about whether or not games are considered art, but for the industry as a whole, it's a critical step in its growth. It looks like Jackson is set to do that.
The first project of Wingnut Interactive will be a collaborative effort with Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie. You guessed it, the game will be set in the Halo universe, though Jackson was quick to point out that it will not be Halo 3 and it won't be Halo 4. All we know now is that it takes place in the Halo universe. The next Wingnut game promises to be a wholly original IP.
The other Halo news out of X06 is Halo Wars, an RTS (that's Real Time Strategy) game set inside the Halo universe. Developed by Ensemble Studios -- the team behind Age of Empires -- Halo Wars will give players a whole new look at the universe. Ever wanted to see what an entire squad of Spartans could do? Here's your chance. Bungie has this to say about the project:
"Ensemble brought their prototype to Bungie quite a while back, to show the guys that an RTS could not only work on the 360, but kick ass too. Frankly, Ensemble is one of very few folks on Earth that we would trust with our baby, and that trust is doubled thanks to the excellence of the Age of Empires franchise."
Speaking of which, Halo Wars is not set to hit the PC. It's 360 only. Looks like someone aims to knock BFMEII out of its uncontested throne. Hit up HaloWars.com for more info and the trailer. You can also check out Bungie.net for their official announcement. Is anybody else shaking with excitement yet? X06 just freaking started for crying out loud, and we're getting this kind of news. It's good to own a 360 this week. We're gonna go play some DOOM.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Geof @ Sep 27th 2006 4:55PM
I just about peed myself when I read this stuff ealier.
The only concern I have is that the Halo IP will become like Mario. And I hope Halo games don't become stale. Thats what makes them so aniticpated is that they don't come out every year....you have to wait and wait for the next one.
I knew Bungie couldn't just kill of the halo ip after halo 3.
Footlong! @ Sep 27th 2006 4:58PM
Amazing. Microsoft is really putting in the effort for the 360. Smell that? Smells like napalm..
Matt T. @ Sep 28th 2006 12:43AM
LOL, nor army of Spartans guys,there were only less then 50.
Kritz @ Sep 27th 2006 5:24PM
As much as I don't like my favourite company "selling out" (I'll use the term loosly), I do like the idea of more Halo.
But an RTS on a console? Can't be fun. I hope it'll have a PC port.
>> Kritz
killr0y @ Sep 27th 2006 5:50PM
Yeah Kritz, an RTS on a console could never work. They also said an FPS on a console could never work. Tell that to the millions of Halo fans.
AoE @ Sep 27th 2006 5:52PM
Peter Jackson and Xbox 360 is like chocolate and peanut butter :) I can't wait to see the result. Hell, even the pack-in with the HD-DVD player has me excited... I was expecting something along the lines of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift or similar garbage.
mr.truth @ Sep 27th 2006 6:18PM
While its true that I give less than a flying f**k if people consider games art,I don't really understand how its a critical step in the growth of games,this is what we do most of us have done it nearly all our lives who cares what the sheep (mass market) thinks?Those people will surely jump on the bandwagon on their own,its already happening.Of course I also don't understand the continued appeal of halo,I crave competitionin my games and not just being the first to lay my crosshair over the enemy and mindlessly pump the trigger until they die,though that invokes my point of the mass market jumping on the games band wagon on their own.
RevJonathan @ Sep 27th 2006 6:28PM
The 360 is a solid machiene, but an RTS just DOES NOT work with a controller, I'd rather see this on a PC. The only way I could see an RTS on a console is with a Wii...and even that is doubtful.
michael @ Sep 27th 2006 6:33PM
How can Bungie sell out to a person like Peter Jackson. I do not think they could have picked a nerdier person to make a game that completely distorts all that halo is. A first person shooter is not supposed to be turned into a RTS. That is like making a shooter based on age of empires. The idea blows. Bungie, focus on Halo 3, not crappy spinoffs.
AoE @ Sep 27th 2006 7:04PM
@michael... actually Bungie quite literally sold out to Microsoft many years ago; so they're not in control of their own fate, and they don't call the shots. and MS didn't sell out either; it's clearly a symbiotic relationship (King Kong pack-in with the hddvd player, Halo movie produced by Peter Jackson, Halo game made by PJ's game company, original XBLA IP created by his company, etc.) I mean we know he's a gamer, and based on the King Kong game, we know that he has good taste in game designers (It's my understanding that it was Michael Ancel's game because Peter Jackson wanted him/his team specifically)
And I hate to break it to you, but the people who make halo? Huge nerds, every one of them, HUGE nerds.
Oh, also... Halo began life as an rts (don't believe me? read up on the history of the game) So it's not out of line to... you know... actually make and release a halo rts. ;)
El Shaggy @ Sep 27th 2006 9:02PM
This is the greatest news i have seen since i saw Bungie's first Halo trailer, at MACWORLD. Back when Halo was going to be a revolutionary combat-RTS. But Microsoft feared Bungie and the possibility of Mac gaming, and turned Halo into a FPS for thier new console. I feel things have come full circle, now Bungie has the money to make the game they WANTED Halo to be! Hooray!
virgil @ Sep 27th 2006 11:23PM
The whole thing about this making video games seem more like art i think is load crap. This is just like when George Lucas started making games. It's just like Spielberg making games with ea. These guys know there's money to be made and the want to be apart of that. The reason Microsoft wants him is because he has a big name. Now the only poblem with Jackson is the fact that he is a one hit wonder, i mean all his other stuff has been bad, before and after. Look at King Kong one of the biggest flops in hollywood history. I hope that they don't just give him leeway becuase he has a big name and instead force him to create something good, but who knows he's a hollywood mega-star (lord knows how well they take direction). Guess only time will tell.
AoE @ Sep 28th 2006 12:25AM
Peter Jackson's a one hit wonder? King Kong's one of the biggest flops in hollywood history?! Dude, the movie made $550 million world-wide in box-office reciepts, and cost less than half that ($208 million) to make... how is that one of the biggest flops? Seriously, break that down for me in little words, because my understanding was something that earns more than double what it cost to make is not a flop... Also, lord of the rings you may recall was a series of three separate movies that did quite well, which would make him, at the very least, a three hit wonder... you can argue the fact that it's a trilogy, but each film independently did quite well at the box office. And I can only speak for myself here, but I've been a fan of his for at least a good 12 years now; I've loved every film he made, and I have no reason to doubt his games will be any less enjoyable... My fingers are crossed for a "Meet the Feebles" game. :)
empfeix @ Sep 28th 2006 12:51AM
to #4 - dont you remember golden eye and perfect dark for N64? clearly FPS has worked before Halo came along.
In my opinion though FPS is still best on PC and the same goes for RTS. Thats not to say they cant make a console RTS game work, it just wont be as good :)
Kritz @ Sep 28th 2006 3:10AM
Ha. I don't even REMEMBER posting that. Come 6 hours and a didn't-just-wake-up later, and I'm actually loving the idea.
I still don't think the RTS will work as /good/ as a PC, but I expect it to still be fun.
:
I'm gonna leave all my forum postings to a time passed 7AM.
>> Kritz (Aka, #4)
sid9102 @ Sep 28th 2006 6:15AM
OMG i seriously pissed in my pants when i read this!! this game sounds awesome! and the wallpapers on the website are pretty good. all in all, this game looks like its gonna be a huge hit. i only wish they would port it to pc!
EnderAl @ Sep 28th 2006 10:05AM
I'm not a huge Halo or RTS fan, but I have to say that the trailer for the game was pretty badass.
empfeix @ Sep 28th 2006 1:58PM
Kritz you wernt #4. You were #3 haha. Oh well I cant blame you, obviously tired I soppose, hehe.
Kritz @ Sep 28th 2006 5:21PM
Okay, note to self:
Do not post just after waking up or just before going to bed.
Dammit.
>> Kritz
Xen @ Sep 29th 2006 6:18PM
To me, it doesn't matter how intuitive they make the controller in a RTS game, it still cannot compare to the speed and versitility of a keyboard/mouse combo. The best solution would be for Microsoft to allow the use of a keyboard and mouse on RTS games. It's a shame to see the full potential of RTS games on the Xbox 360 limited by its controller.