It has been 15 years since Bungie delivered the critically acclaimed Halo 3, and that makes it the perfect time for an anniversary edition. As of now, both Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2 have received anniversary remasters. These remasters have served as a great way to celebrate the older Halo titles and bring them more inline with newer hardware, and it is about time that Halo 3 gets the same treatment.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary released 10 years after Halo: Combat Evolved, and Halo 2 Anniversary launched 10 years after Halo 2. It has been relatively much longer since the release of Halo 3, but there is no anniversary edition in sight. It was a groundbreaking title for the series, and it capped off the iconic original trilogy. While players can check out the original game in Halo: The Master Chief Collection, there is nothing quite like experiencing an older game through the power of modern hardware.
Halo 3 Delivered a Great Closing Chapter to Bungie's Story
Halo 3 served as the last mainline Halo game from Bungie, and it closed out the Xbox trilogy. While Bungie would return to create two prequels with Halo 3: ODST and Halo Reach, this would serve as the last Master Chief story from the developer. As such, it concluded Master Chief's journey by ending the war that was the driving force behind the original trilogy. It served as a great closing chapter to the story that started back in 2001, and many fans consider it to be one of the last great Halo games.
Halo 3 not only saw the end of the Human-Covenant war and the Chief's story at the time, but it was also the first game to include the very popular map-editing tool Forge. It allows players to create all sorts of scenarios on the various multiplayer maps, and it has only grown more advanced as the series has gone on. 343 Industries is currently preparing to add the newest version of Forge to Halo Infinite, and it is all thanks to Halo 3.
The Need for Halo 3 Anniversary Edition
The creation of Forge mode and closing chapter of the original trilogy all happened 15 years ago, but there is no remaster on the horizon. Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 2 Anniversary served as big anniversary celebrations for their respective titles, but that happened on the 10th anniversaries. This makes a Halo 3 Anniversary long overdue, and there has never been a better time to release it.
The Halo franchise is in a bit of a tough spot right now. Many fans are upset about the handling of Halo Infinite's multiplayer and the cancelation of promised features like couch co-op. Some do not believe that 343 Industries is cut out to manage the Halo license, and many call for the return of Halo's glory days. Many players have even chosen to drop Halo Infinite altogether and return to the classic games with Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The future of Halo is currently uncertain, but a Halo 3 Anniversary could go a long way to appeasing the fanbase.
Spending resources remastering the closing chapter of Bungie's trilogy could be an excellent idea. Letting players experience the end of Halo's Human-Covenant war rebuilt for modern hardware could go a long way to pulling some fans back. It is not a new game, and it would not be trying to tread any new ground. Instead, it would simply be a remaster of one of the most popular Halo games in the franchise. Fans may flock to it, eager to get their hands on a game that they feel represents the peak of Halo.
Releasing a Halo 3 Anniversary would also be a great way to celebrate the game's 15th anniversary. Technically, the game will turn 15 on September 25th. It is probably unlikely that 343 Industries will surprise fans with Halo 3 Anniversary on that day, but it should consider making one soon. It would not only help celebrate an acclaimed game, but it could also really help pull back fans who may be turned off by 343 Industries' work.
Halo Infinite is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.