After the success of last year’s Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, many players may have expected Microsoft to remake the franchise’s other original Xbox outing. This doesn’t seem to be the case, as 343 Industries claims that it is not working on Halo 2: Anniversary.
We reported on Halo 2: Anniversary over the weekend, after a quote from Official Xbox Magazine indicated that the title was in development at 343 Industries. However, a 343 Industries representative states (in an interview with ExpertZone, a website designed to offer training and information to Microsoft’s retail partners, reprinted by The Halo Council) that the studio is completely focused on the development of Halo 4, and is much too busy to work on a Halo 2 remake. Microsoft gave the obligatory “we do not comment on rumors or speculation” response.
However, just because 343 Industries is too busy to work on the game doesn’t mean Microsoft couldn’t hire another developer to do so. Although 343 worked on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the game was primarily developed by Saber Interactive. Certain Affinity also pitched in, though that studio is currently busy working on Halo 4‘s Forge tools, which leaves Saber as the most likely candidate.
Microsoft previously stated that it has no plans for other Xbox remakes. That, however, was before the launch of Combat Evolved Anniversary. It’s hard to imagine Microsoft would ignore the amount of revenue a Halo 2 remake could bring in — and with Halo 2′s ten year anniversary coming in 2014, Saber Interactive (or 343 Industries, for that matter) would have plenty of time to develop the game (for either Xbox 360 or its successor). However, 343 will need to rethink how it presents the game’s multiplayer.
The Combat Evolved remake used a multiplayer set up similar to that of Halo: Reach, which released one year prior. With Halo 4 releasing later this year, it’d probably be in Microsoft’s best interest to update Halo 2′s multiplayer rather than have it play just like the latest title in the franchise. Part of the love fans have for Halo 2 comes from its online component, and with the game’s multiplayer no longer up and running, fans may be more interested in reliving past memories than simply playing Halo 2 maps in Halo 4.
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Source: The Halo Council [via CVG]
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Oh man 343 please pull a bioware on us and do exactly the opposite of what you say your doing.
“Where not going to make Halo 2: Anniversary”
*make Halo 2: Anniversary*
Holy crap why not??? I’m sure a ton of people would buy it and would love to play some Halo 2 multiplayer and what not again. I know I would!
I was under the impression that 343 did the first remake, but if it was mostly Saber then maybe it’s good that they are likely to be the ones making the next one. Halo 2 is my favorite for story reasons, so I’d rather have it remade than the original. Remember when the prophet told the arbiter that he would be “left behind”? The great journey would be denied him… Hauntingly cool.
This doesn’t make any sense, didn’t they say they were going to work on it?
Seems legit. I understand why they would not be working on it now or anytime in the future. For one, they have about a little over four months to finish everything for Halo 4 and for those have followed what 343 has stated, they will be making 5 episodes a week, per say, for multiplayer purposes, which will lead up to Halo 5′s story line, so they will be busy doing that, for god only knows how long. Besides, as the article mentioned that Halo 2 anniversary is not until 2014, so we shall see. But from I am seeing here and now, 343 has a lot on their plate right now, so it would be safe to say, that an Anniversary game for Halo 2 may not becoming within the distant future.