***UPDATED***
Kotaku posted an interesting tidbit from Game Informer, "The details on what’s really going on between Microsoft and Halo
series developer Bungie are still foggy, but Game Informer helps to
brush away some of the fog of future console wars by detailing more
specifics on the matter. According to GI, interested parties have
purchased the naming rights of the development studio from its parent
company, with Microsoft retaining rights to the Halo franchise. No surprise there. GI’s unnamed source, however, had more to say on the rumored split.
What’s potentially more interesting is that Microsoft may also
retain "right of first refusal" on future Bungie developed titles
according to the source. That means they get first shot at, say, Mister Chief’s Cook Off, should Bungie decide to deviate only slightly for its next title.
Again, this is not official word from Microsoft or Bungie, but from anonymous sources cited by Game Informer."
As tasty as this news sounds, though, I’m going to purely play the observer on this one and see how it turns out. While the report that Bungie wants to do other things than Halo and Microsoft just wants more Halo sounds like a plausible reason for break up, I’m not ready to jump on the train just yet.
This rumor has already run around to all the various sites we all frequent, and many of them have already contacted Microsoft and Bungie for statements. Of course, Bungie is simply referring everyone to Microsoft’s PR company and they just comment on how amazing Halo 3 is. You know the typical, "neither confirm or deny," bullshit that companies spew forth every-time the latest "too good/bad to be true" news hits the net. Usually they do this because they look into the possibility of actually making the product that has caused such a public uproar. So, one must at least wonder, is there a possibility that this may happen? There is certainly a possibility, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Halo is one of the most successful games in history, if not the absolute most successful, and both companies have a reason to hold on to that.. especially Microsoft. Without Halo the original Xbox probably wouldn’t have survived and without Halo 3 most people wouldn’t have a reason to wait so patiently for their repaired 360 to return to them. My prediction is that this will all blow over soon, either for Microsoft giving them a lot of money, or the dissatisfied people within Bungie just leaving. Just like the Bungie founder, Alex Seropian, did a few years ago to form his own company. One way or another, there will be many more Halos. It’s always fun to think about the what ifs when this sort of thing pops up, though.
For more info on the speculation check these out .
