OXM: Halo 4 in development by Gearbox

by Dustin Burg { Aug 26th 2008 at 9:15AM }

Filed under juicy Halo rumor news, we have information coming from the pages of the latest issue of OXM that tells us that Halo 4 is currently in development, but NOT by Bungie Studios. According to OXM, Halo 4 is currently being developed by non other than Gearbox Software ( Halo PC anyone?) and is being worked on for release as a launch title on the next Xbox console. ZOMG! Funny thing about the rumor is that, earlier this year, Gearbox's head honcho Randy Pitchford mentioned that they were working on a super secret project that is "even bigger" than anything they've ever worked on before. Halo 4 definitely fits that bill.

Tags: bungie, bungie-studios, gearbox, gearbox-software, halo, halo-3, halo-4, rumor

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tural @ Aug 26th 2008 9:19AM

OXM also reported that there were multiple Spartans in Halo 3's campaign and story. :roll:

Yamagushi @ Aug 26th 2008 12:39PM

I really hope this gets squashed by MS. I doubt MS would take a risk like this when there is no reason they couldn't just have bungie do it. Its like them getting a new actor for the Joker in the next batman movie. To big a risk that the new guy(s) would screw it up.

Dale @ Aug 26th 2008 1:25PM

@Yamagushi

Erm I hate to break it to you http://www.nypost.com/seven/01222008/news/regionalnews/heath_ledger_dead_916418.htm

Yamagushi @ Aug 26th 2008 1:48PM

I'm aware. He was my favorite actor long before he did Joker. That is why there's the question of replacing him. However they won't take that risk. Like Halo, Batman is a multi-million dollar franchise. Taking a risk such as replacing the actor who did joker with someone who might not do the part the way the ppl see it could cause them to lose what is now the biggest movie series. MS would think the same way with Halo, why take a risk giving some other company Halo 4. MS is well aware ppl love bungie. They also dont want to make a game that will lower peoples expectations of there multi-million dollar franchise. Big Business's that own franchises like this aren't gonna take dumb risks. They stick with whats worked in the past. In Gearbox's case... its porting. A project bigger than ever before that has to do with halo...Hmmm.. could it be porting halo 3 to PC.. a far more logical rumor..

ChewyDogg @ Aug 26th 2008 9:25AM

It's Pitchford, not pitchfork.

Hector @ Aug 26th 2008 9:28AM

Highly unlikely

Boff @ Aug 26th 2008 9:39AM

How will the fanboys take this news? I don't think they're going to like it. Blasphemy!!

scurvyjimbeam @ Aug 26th 2008 9:42AM

*Believe*

NitroFrost @ Aug 26th 2008 9:45AM

Halo isn't halo without bungie I am sorry

KilgoreTrout XL @ Aug 26th 2008 9:46AM

I thought this was confirmed a long time ago.

Gearbox /did/ do the blueshift and counterstrike additions for halflife, which were generally good. They also made Hell's Highway, which is god awful. And Halo PC was covered with issues.

This is a shame. Is there really anyone here who thinks that Gearbox can possibly pick up the slack? It's not like they're going to be handed all the previous code from Bungie.

So, in all likelihood, the fourth Halo installment is going to be total garbage. That's a bummer.

Michael Paul @ Aug 26th 2008 9:51AM

So can you REALLY work on a game for an unfinished console unless they have already got an emulator for the new hardware? I hadn't heard that the '720' was spec'd out that well.

Old code might just be a fair reference point if they pick something new to power the '720'...

ryan @ Aug 26th 2008 12:24PM

yes you can, by creating concepts and level designs and story sequences in 'rough' formats. when you get the specs for the next console you have a pretty good headstart.

joeybeast @ Aug 26th 2008 10:01AM

Gearbox is going to be the new Treyach.

Jonah Falcon @ Aug 26th 2008 10:13AM

Gearbox screwed up Halo (PC).

mattclarkie @ Aug 26th 2008 10:31AM

Bungie would never let a numbered sequel to Halo be developed out-of-house, a port or a spin-off, but not a numbered sequel/prequel.

If Gearbox are making a Halo game it wouldn't be Halo 4, but a spin-off Halo IMO.

Ten Dolla Bill @ Aug 26th 2008 10:40AM

Bungie doesn't own the Halo IP anymore so they don't have any control over who produces future Halo games, Microsoft does.

emirabal @ Aug 26th 2008 10:34AM

Just hope they do a good job, so i guess that means no new Halo FPS on the 360

relativelyborednick @ Aug 26th 2008 10:38AM

@ Michael Paul.
If you read Dean Takahashi's book "The Xbox 360 uncloaked" you'll see that Epic presented two early builds of Gears of War to Microsoft; one running based on the 360 having 256meg of memory, and one running based on the current 512meg memory. These weren't running on two early dev kits, they were running on PCs emulating the 360 operating system which very broadly speaking is a rehashed version of Windows.

daniel @ Aug 26th 2008 10:40AM

i don't think gear box would fuck something as big as halo 4 up (if they are really developing it that is).
I'm pretty sure they would be keeping in close contact with Bungie going over everything with them.
Plus the halo 3 campaign wasn't as good as the other 2 halos so maybe going over to gearbox would be a good thing? (hope that doesn't start any arguments)

offday @ Aug 26th 2008 11:51AM

No, I can agree with that. Back in high school my friends and I would play the original Halo's campaign over and over and over. I've beat that game so many times. And even Halo 2 got a lot of replay with the campaign, but for Halo 3 I beat it once, and I have no intentions of beating it again. I don't even play Halo 3 multiplayer much anymore.

Daniel @ Aug 26th 2008 10:42AM

J @ Aug 26th 2008 12:20PM

The capital "D" made all the difference.

Ejab @ Aug 26th 2008 10:59AM

Rofl Gearbox isnt good at making halo style fps games, they should stick to tactical fps.

Cal @ Aug 26th 2008 11:21AM

Oh god no, not more Halo...

Tann @ Aug 26th 2008 11:24AM

it's not halo without bungie!!!

:(

c. thomas @ Aug 26th 2008 11:35AM

LOOK EVERYONE

By 2010 the new xbox would be perfect. I mean holiday 2010 come on...

Imagine the graphics and the control scheme, dashboard touch screen, hard drive size.

A 320gb X4 $399 comes with hd-dvd for the games(since the cost of the disc will be dirt cheap, and 100gb of space on it).

Wifi a/b/g/n, with 1080p dlc, such as: Game trailers, movie, demos, tv shows, and hi-def record.

No headset, 1-month xbl, hd componet cable, wireless controller, and bundled with the 4gb Zune.

Sounds crazy but imagine the collaboration.

slimshady @ Aug 26th 2008 11:53AM

@c. thomas: Well they won't be using HD DVD again. But I like the idea of 1080p DLC and bundeling it with a zune. Then if you could transfer music, photos and videos form the xbox to the zune that would be awesome!

Josh @ Aug 26th 2008 12:21PM

You do realize that HD DVD is extinct and maxed out at 30GB, right?

c. thomas @ Aug 26th 2008 11:36AM

Oops sorry, forgot. And the X4 Elite:

$499 500gb comes with hd-dvd for the games(like i said, the cost of the disc will be dirt cheap, and 100gb of space on it).

Wifi a/b/g/n, with 1080p dlc, such as: Game trailers, movie, demos, tv shows, hi-def record, Xbox and xbox 360 bc hard copy and xblm(both are forgot 2 mention).

Wireless headset, 3-month xbl, vga cable, hdmi cable, wireless controller, ethernet cable, optical cable, and bundled with the 80gb Zune.

Campbells "Oh the possibilities".

Who agrees?

pagetwo STM @ Aug 26th 2008 3:12PM

um I hate burst your bubble but hd-DVD can't be used for games that was mention so long ago
And besides m$ would never use dead tech

Doug @ Aug 26th 2008 12:29PM

"it's not halo without bungie!!!"

-Creatively, Bungie has been riding on fumes since Halo:CE. Their physics engine is awesome, and the weapons are great... but maybe someone else can provide some new ideas because I agree with other posters, Halo 3's single-player campaign was not worth playing twice, and the brutes were underpowered, under-utilized. Halo 3 was like slo-mo.

ThorzHamer @ Aug 26th 2008 12:36PM

my issue with all of this... and i havent seen anyone else complain about it yet is... the line that says "and is being worked on for release as a launch title on the next Xbox console."

OUCH! come on... if this is even remotely true why make us wait for another generation... 1 Halo game per generation is un-fucking-acceptable!

MetalGearsOfSolidWar @ Aug 26th 2008 12:37PM

So is this confirmed or a rumor?

I'll be pissed if its true.

Cass-D @ Aug 26th 2008 1:01PM

We don't really need another Halo. We know MC doesn't die and Cortana keeps him in stasis. I liked it better thinking he was dead and that was the end of the franchise. Now we are open to all sorts of incantations of Halo crap from other developers trying to cash in on the cash cow. Halo is not Halo without Bungie behind it. We all know Microsoft has the rights to it and their track record for new releases of the same idea (Windows anyone... Windows 3.0 was the best they ever made everything after that has been a downward spiral) has been dismal at best. personally I hope they leave the whole MC out of things if they make a new halo series. Otherwise don't touch it, just let it die already.

petrov @ Aug 27th 2008 12:21PM

whoa whoa whoa, did you REALLY just say windows 3.0 was the best iteration of windows that microsoft ever made?? go beat your head on your desk please because you really deserve it.

ccc @ Aug 26th 2008 1:26PM

Well, although I really dislike Halo I would be interested in seeing gearbox make it.

As far as this rumor goes I'll find out what I can as I do have indise resources at GB.

Callum @ Aug 26th 2008 1:34PM

Am I the only one here that thinks there was nothing wrong with Halo PC? I think gearbox did a fantastic job of adding new weapons/maps/vehicles to the game and they blended in very well. The 6 new multiplayer maps were brilliant IMO - the flamethrower and fuel rod were also great as was the rocket hog (bungie clearly thought this was a good idea as Halo 2 cropped up with a gauss hog).

I don't know if there should be a Halo 4 but I really think its unfair jumping on the bandwagon and saying Halo PC was crap - because it wasnt.

sgt_quackers @ Aug 26th 2008 3:51PM

I'm guessing a Halo 3 port to the PC

Iliad Force @ Aug 26th 2008 4:33PM

Does it strike anyone as strange that there won't be a Halo sequel on the 360?

typeusername @ Aug 26th 2008 4:35PM

I love Halo's sci-fi so I'm definitely going to look into this. I just hope they polish it off nice because its expectations are going to be high.

Teabag @ Aug 26th 2008 4:40PM

Gearbox to Halo is Treyarch to CoD.

God help us.

Kenneth Sy Su @ Aug 26th 2008 10:34PM

Look here
http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/index.php?p=games&game=mystery

Kenneth Sy Su @ Aug 26th 2008 10:35PM

Look at their website!!!
http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/index.php?p=games
and
http://www.gearboxsoftware.com/index.php?p=games&game=mystery

nmmalone @ Aug 26th 2008 11:14PM

ZOMG LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Maybe this will knock Bungie off its high horse. I'm getting frustrated with Bungie and their teasing.

Exige117 @ Aug 27th 2008 3:59AM

Please be Halo 3 on PC, not another xbox 360 game PLEASE

Jason @ Aug 27th 2008 6:37PM

We know that Bungie moved out of M$'s house, and Halo is owned by M$ now. Bungie wants to do something different now. Frank O'Connor left Bungie to maintain the Halo Bible. I don't think this is that outlandish at all.

Gearbox has generally done a great job with their games. The only think I don't like in the rumor is the "720" comment, and I actually don't buy it. There's enough extra juice they could squeeze out of the 360 hardware, and I can see it making business sense for M$ not to hold it back. New systems are forecasted for 2011. Halo 4 will likely be a 2010 release, if not earlier.

Just my opinion.

Maddox @ Aug 27th 2008 10:57PM

Well, this article is silly because that implies that there is room for a Halo 4. Making Halo 4 is like making a new season to Cowboy Bebop. If anyone is likely however to make a good new Halo game it would be Gearbox, Halo for the PC was one of the finest ports I've played and Gearbox looks like they know the IP fairly well. I think personally that if anyone is going to revive the series it sure isn't the MP-idiots Bungie.

weclock @ Aug 28th 2008 12:03AM

hey you guys are all retarded.

there is no halo 4.

It has been explicitly stated that Halo 3 was the end of the trilogy. If there is another halo themed game, it could not be Halo 4, naming it Halo 4 would be retarded. Even if it continued the storyline about teh Master Chefs.

1. Halos are no big deal anymore, deyz be all gone boss.
2. lol so's the flood
3. Remember when teh original Star Wars was released? you know, the first 3.. didn't they, you know, come out with names ala "a New Hope" and themes like that? and then when the 'new episodes' came out they were called "Star Wars: Episode X" (x meaning, lol, put number here). And then they sort of tried to retcon history by saying 'lol, it's Episode 4,5,6..' when, sure the original movies would fall in those places in the storyline, however, it's just plain retarded to change the titles of games we love.

if it is a halo theme game, it's either a port of halo 3, or it's simply a new entry related to the halo storyline, but not obviously Halo 4.. they should call them something else, give them some kind of name depicting the ensuing conflict between the Humans, Sangheili, and of course The Covenant. I would even expect continued hostility with the Sangheili, you've seen how even in Halo 3 they have been very hostile towards humans and vice versa, it appears as if the alliance was one of convenience just to eliminate the flood and the triggering of the destruction of the entire universe by the halos, but with both of these elements gone, now it's quite possible that the Sangheili and the human race have begun to fight once again, also it's possible that there may be even Sangheili and Human mixed breeds..
The trilogy is over, there will be no Halo 4, but there will be more halo themed games, of course. maybe even a platformer.. lulz..