Xbox Series S/X: Thread 04

[Neon Ignition]

I don't even get why MS isn't addressing it at this point. Putting a side team to provide maps in place seems common sense. The only other theory is that they look at MCC and the upcoming arrival of COD and think the ship has sailed

Someone is undoubtedly mapping out Halo 7 years earlier than planned as we speak

[nonny]

I get that it's F2P now and is supported by cosmetics... I also realise 343 are playing catch up with the feature set with co-op and forge now both very hefty and more complex versions of their predecessors.

What I don't get is the 343 seems to have completely forgotten that Halo is an arena shooter. It spans across tight 4v4 maps right up to large scale BTB maps and players generally have a preference there (I love BTB).

I cannot believe they are that dumb that they ship with such a limited number of maps and then only supplement it with one map of each size every 6 months. That for me is the biggest issue.

As it stands now we're going to round out a full year after launch with just two more maps and they just happen to be ones designed in Forge.

Don't get me wrong, they look great... but with the amount of resources behind this game I was expecting it to have 10-15+ new maps by now. Very disappointed.

[Cassius_Smoke]

It feels very much like they are operating on a skeleton crew. It's about the level of output I'd expect a very small team to be doing.
I mean No Man's Sky gets updates a few times a year and they are on a small team.

[fishbowlhead]

Coop split screen canceled completely. What an absolute crock of s**t, 343 need to take a long hard look at themselves as to why this wasn’t all completed on launch and done with.

[wakka]

First I’ve heard of that cancellation. Absolute bull**** and just reading above, 2 maps in a year? After the lengthy delay that’s a joke. CoD gets a lot of knocks on here but you know what, they get **** done and MOdern Warfare was great fun to be a part of. I really feel for Halo fans as this release seems like such a massive letdown.

[Yakumo]

Lol, I must be the only Xbox owner who couldn't give two crap about any Halo game. Yes, I've played them all but don't really think any of them are special.

[nonny]

I missed the part about split-screen campaign getting cancelled. Admittedly that's something I'll never use these days but to promise it and have Bonnie Ross make a big declaration about how that mode is important to Halo before launch... well it's inexcusable.

The issue with 343 isn't with it's creators. It's quite clear they have some talented people and have lost many through the past years, no doubt due to poor management.

Heads need to roll, at the top... starting with her.

I actually like Joseph Staten and I think he's done well to right the ship, but clearly he's dealing with some things that can't be changed at this point.

As for the map trickle feed. I've been whinging about that for the whole year. Whoever thought that was good enough as a content model needs to go as well... The only saving grace is the maps themselves have been excellent (Breaker is I think one of the best DLC maps in Halo) and I am hoping the Forge beta on Nov 8th might see some content creators get to show their work as it's been in their hands for testing for some time now.

Still this is very much a case study for MS of how not to create a live service game.

[Neon Ignition]

After three games it feels like 343 needs to be steered towards focusing on Halo as a single player franchise and someone else tasked with the multiplayer modes. The consistency with which they get into the same trouble over MP has gone on far too long now. The 10 year plan for Infinite must surely be shelved now, at least in terms of relying on it to carry the franchise in place of a sequel and there's no way that they should rely on 343 to deliver the full experience next time either. It's a repeated point but the amount of notable FPS franchises that MS has bought in the last year or two really brings into question how much value Halo has to Xbox moving forward if it's going to continue to face such disappointment and unnecessary issues.

[Cassius_Smoke]

Maybe the 10 year plan is that it's FINISHED in 10 years.

[nonny]

After three games it feels like 343 needs to be steered towards focusing on Halo as a single player franchise and someone else tasked with the multiplayer modes. The consistency with which they get into the same trouble over MP has gone on far too long now. The 10 year plan for Infinite must surely be shelved now, at least in terms of relying on it to carry the franchise in place of a sequel and there's no way that they should rely on 343 to deliver the full experience next time either. It's a repeated point but the amount of notable FPS franchises that MS has bought in the last year or two really brings into question how much value Halo has to Xbox moving forward if it's going to continue to face such disappointment and unnecessary issues.

Yeah I understand the development house involved with the battle royale mode may be bought by MS and brought inhouse. To me that is the perfect option to split and operate them that way.

I think 343 have done fairly well up until now, all things considered. Halo 4 was solid and Halo 5 multiplayer was great... I just think they bit off more than they can chew with this one spanning two console generations and PC, written on an entirely new engine and aiming for open world etc...

In order of magnitude it's a completely bonkers project to undertake and I almost admire the sheer audacity of it. But I think it's what's broken them as a studio.

The game turned out decent but it's clear many have left the company and the whole thing was too big for it's own good.

I still think the multiplayer will see a huge resurgence once forge lands simply because it's a solid creation tool and the sandbox they have is brilliant. The community will save it eventually... and the fact it's free means players will drop in to see what's changed when it happens.

For 343 though it's back to basics. Get co-op and forge out, start adding content players care about... reinstate an aim to add split screen... add some f-ing maps.

[Neon Ignition]

I'm surprised MS never got Halo 5 out on PC or made MCC's MP F2P as a lead in to this, it would have had people get involved sooner and at least be more likely to keep them involved in the franchise whilst waiting for Infinite to get up to speed.

https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_166210974269210&key=7420ecfea64a324d88e2b384dc96e92d&libId=l7k93hxm0100sngd000DLa0g8x07w&loc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neogaf.com%2Fthreads%2Fverge-microsoft-reveals-xbox-game-pass-friends-family-plan-and-pricing-piloting-in-ireland-columbia-%25E2%2582%25AC21-99-ireland-49-900-cop-columbia-25usd.1640933%2F&gdprConsent=CPZHGpgPZHGpgDlBEAENCPCsAP_AAH_AACiQIwtf_X__b3_n-_7___t0eY1f9_7__-0zjhfdt-8N3f_X_L8X_2M7vF36tr4KuR4ku3bBIQdtHOncTUmx6olVrzPsbk2cr7NKJ7Pkmnsbe2dYGH9_n93T_ZKZ7______7________________________-_____9______________________________gjCASYal5AF2JY4Mm0aRQogRhWEh1AoAKKAYWiKwgdXBTsrgJ9QQsAEAqAjAiBBiCjBgEAAgEASERASAHggEQBEAgABAAqAQgAI2AQWAFgYBAAKAaFiBFAEIEhBkQERymBARIlFBPZWIJQd7GmEIdZYAUCj-ioQESgBAsDISFg5jgCQEuFkgWYoXyAEYIUAAA&ccpaConsent=1---&gdprApplies=true&v=1&out=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2022%2F9%2F1%2F23333605%2Fmicrosoft-xbox-game-pass-friends-family-pricing-confirmed&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.neogaf.com%2Fforums%2Fgaming-discussion.2%2F&title=VERGE%3A%20Microsoft%20reveals%20Xbox%20Game%20Pass%20Friends%20%26%20Family%20plan%20and%20pricing.%20Piloting%20in%20Ireland%2FColumbia%20(%E2%82%AC21.99%20Ireland%2C%2049%2C900%20COP%20Columbia%2C~%2425USD)%20%7C%20NeoGAF&txt=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2022%2F9%2F1%2F23333605%2Fmicrosoft-xbox-game-pass-friends-family-pricing-confirmed

MS makes the Family Plan official giving people another way to get Ultimate for an obscenely low price

[Cassius_Smoke]

I don't think MS give a **** about Halo anymore. They have other franchises now. They'll probably be happy to let it die and have COD as their new favourite child.
The fact that MS haven't stepped in doesn't fill me with confidence over their other games. I mean isn't the master chief their mascot? On the console box! If they don't show their concerns for it now, then what hope is there for other games?

[nonny]

I don't think MS give a **** about Halo anymore. They have other franchises now. They'll probably be happy to let it die and have COD as their new favourite child.
The fact that MS haven't stepped in doesn't fill me with confidence over their other games. I mean isn't the master chief their mascot? On the console box! If they don't show their concerns for it now, then what hope is there for other games?

In fairness take a step back here... Halo Infinite was well reviewed when it finally dropped and out of the gate the multiplayer was also stellar hitting great numbers on Steam etc... Really the issue here is the roadmap plan shifting, mainly for the multiplayer.

Co-op we've already seen tested in the wild and it's coming in a couple of months. So I feel that's a given, but everything else is moving at a snails pace.

So it's not like MS don't give a ****, remember they had the balls to delay it from launch. I just think it's all gone very quiet within 343 recently at the top level.

Joseph Staten continues to earn his fee end I kinda respect the fact he makes some difficult decisions and articulates the reasons well... but it's clear they are experiencing major staff churn now.

That sort of stuff gets handled outside of the public eye so who knows what is going on politically. Maybe Bonnie Ross steps out and they rejig the whole of 343, maybe not. Maybe they give id a shot at a campaign expansion.

Who knows for sure what's going on or what options are in the mix.

[Cassius_Smoke]

It's not that it's a bad game. But jeez if Zelda or Mario released in this slow drip feed state Nintendo would be kicking their ass, publicly. The Halo fans are all pissed off and I genuinely don't think MS give a ****. They've said nothing about this and done nothing to rectify it. It's a shambles.

[nonny]

True, but Zelda and Mario have never released as a live service F2P title right... so there's that. And not across multiple hardware either...

I understand large portions of the campaign were cut but I think the campaign as a whole turned out really well and feels complete (besides co-op).

It's the multiplayer support and periphery features here that feel like they're not getting due attention.

If 343 does get co-op and the forge beta out by November then let's see how they organise around maintaining the multiplayer.