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Microsoft Explains Bungie's Non-Announcement At E3

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Microsoft Explains Bungie's Non-Announcement At E3

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Microsoft has explained its decision to cancel the announcement of a new game from Bungie at E3 this year, saying the company had an "embarrassment of riches" at the show and didn't want its big news watered down as a result.

A countdown on the Bungie website was set to end during the afternoon of July 16, at which point the developer would unveil "something exciting" at the show, presumed to be a new entry in the Halo franchise. But on the evening of July 15, the studio announced on its website that Microsoft had pulled the plug on the unveiling. While Bungie broke away from Microsoft last year to become an independent developer, Microsoft retains control of Bungie's flagship game series.

"For the last several months, we've been building toward a reveal of something exciting that Bungie is working on. We were looking forward to sharing that with our fan community during the week of E3," Bungie President Harold Ryan said in the wake of the cancellation. "However, those plans were just changed by our publisher."

"We realize that many of our fans are disappointed by this turn of events; members of the Bungie team share that disappointment," he continued. "When the right time comes, we look forward to sharing this exciting announcement with you. Until then, we appreciate your continued support and patience."

That "right time" will come at a future "dedicated event," according to a report on GameDaily, which said the decision was made by Microsoft in order to cut its press conference time from 150 minutes down to 120. "We had an embarrassment of riches," explained Microsoft Senior Vice President Don Mattrick. "We felt we could do this game more justice with a dedicated event." Despite the missing announcement, which Mattrick later confirmed with MTV Multiplayer is in fact a new Halo title, as well as the absence of promised exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episodic content, Mattrick remained optimistic about Microsoft's showing at E3, saying, "Two big kahunas were left out of the show, and we were still able to deliver a strong performance."

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Copy Clerk
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Joined: 22 Jun 2008

"An embarrassment of riches?" Good lord, you have to be kidding me. This is like sinking one of your own battleships in a heated battle because it's a brighter color than the rest. Seriously, what was Microsoft thinking? "Two big kahunas were left out of the show, and we were still able to deliver a strong performance." What... the... hell? Yeah, I agree that Microsoft won the press conference, but it would have been better by showing a new Halo! Honestly, I can't even begin to describe how hard Microsoft screwed the pooch with this one. Hopefully the fan backlash will be enough to show them the errors of their stupidity.

Gone Gonzo
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Well, it was a good showing from Microsoft. Far better than the Wii's efforts, and in my opinion better than Sony's as well.

Muckraker
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"Riches"? If you count FFXIII as a treasure than you need to ne curbstomped. This years E3 is probably a defanent sign that the video game industry is run by dipshits. I mean, I think it's fine that they want to get everyone into video games but if that means alienating the people that bought the systems in the first place to play hardcore titles than you prity much burnt that bridge.

On the Record
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Personally, M$/MS/MicroSoft/Micro$oft won with announcements but IMHO Sony/Sorny/$ony won with games as they even showed montages of their games and they didn't even put all of the exclusives in there!

I have to admit though, i am interested to see what this new (apparantly Halo related) project Bungie's working on. Though if it does turn out to be a Halo then my interest will plop down to 2.3.

Gone Gonzo
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I'm just waiting for Bungie to announce a new game. They've got a good enough track record that I've got high hopes.

Gone Gonzo
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Damnit I don't want it to be a new Halo game! Bungie needs to show us that they aren't a 1 trick pony!

Pulitzer Laureate
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Well, they have the point. Halo Announcement will always sell, and personally I'd rather have people discussing Netflix/Primetime/New XBL than a bunch of fourteen year-olds screaming "OMG TEH HALOZ!".

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HeyZeus_Ezekiel_Jesus:
"Riches"? If you count FFXIII as a treasure than you need to ne curbstomped. This years E3 is probably a defanent sign that the video game industry is run by dipshits. I mean, I think it's fine that they want to get everyone into video games but if that means alienating the people that bought the systems in the first place to play hardcore titles than you prity much burnt that bridge.

We got MAG, God of War III, Killzone 2 footage, Resistance 2 footage, Infamous trailers, gamewplay and interviews, dude - what do you want?

Muckraker
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Indigo_Dingo:

HeyZeus_Ezekiel_Jesus:
"Riches"? If you count FFXIII as a treasure than you need to ne curbstomped. This years E3 is probably a defanent sign that the video game industry is run by dipshits. I mean, I think it's fine that they want to get everyone into video games but if that means alienating the people that bought the systems in the first place to play hardcore titles than you prity much burnt that bridge.

We got MAG, God of War III, Killzone 2 footage, Resistance 2 footage, Infamous trailers, gamewplay and interviews, dude - what do you want?

Yeah, but I'm talking about Microsoft becuase I saw there's and 85% of it was social gaming shit.

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HeyZeus_Ezekiel_Jesus:

Indigo_Dingo:

HeyZeus_Ezekiel_Jesus:
"Riches"? If you count FFXIII as a treasure than you need to ne curbstomped. This years E3 is probably a defanent sign that the video game industry is run by dipshits. I mean, I think it's fine that they want to get everyone into video games but if that means alienating the people that bought the systems in the first place to play hardcore titles than you prity much burnt that bridge.

We got MAG, God of War III, Killzone 2 footage, Resistance 2 footage, Infamous trailers, gamewplay and interviews, dude - what do you want?

Yeah, but I'm talking about Microsoft becuase I saw there's and 85% of it was social gaming shit.

So why did you call E3 shit, and not just Microsoft's part in it?

Muckraker
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I wasn't paying attention to what I was typing, I had to instal some new software.

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I think this was a bit of a common thing. People were saying this years E3 was shit because Microsoft spent all their time gloating that they had secured the rights to a port of one of the Ps3's JRPG's (likely its weakest, though - I think Valkyria Chronicles and White knight Chronicles look a lot sweeter) and pretending that the shared content was 360 exclusive (Fallout 3), and becaue Nintendo indicated they have given up even trying, and missing all the damn cool stuff Sony was showing off.

Infamous Scribbler
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Joined: 23 Jun 2008

What dicks. If I was at Bungie I would not be very happy, I can't imagine how many fanbois they've had screaming in their Inbox/Forums (I'm actually a little afraid to look).

Anyways, I was disappointed. I love Halo but it is getting a bit stale at this point, so I was hoping for an original IP announcement.

Guess we'll have to keep waiting...

Infamous Scribbler
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Joined: 13 Jul 2006

I've been following Bungie for quite a while and they've gone from sci-fi spandex wearing shooters to tactical Molotov cocktail tossing dwarves to heavily armoured sci-fi shooters... so it has to be something in the medieval spandex realm of future possibilities.

It's the only thing that makes sense.

Gone Gonzo
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Indigo_Dingo:
and pretending that the shared content was 360 exclusive (Fallout 3), and becaue Nintendo indicated they have given up even trying, and missing all the damn cool stuff Sony was showing off.

Did you miss the exclusive DLC part?

I'll care about stuff like MAG when I have a launch date and even then (cough home cough)

New Halo make me happy. Very happy. Unlike kittens with spikes that makes me angry.

Gone Gonzo
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Well hopefully they'll make it up to Bungie by giving it a huge press release, otherwise if I were Bungie I'd be pissed.

On the Record
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shatnershaman:

Indigo_Dingo:
and pretending that the shared content was 360 exclusive (Fallout 3), and becaue Nintendo indicated they have given up even trying, and missing all the damn cool stuff Sony was showing off.

Did you miss the exclusive DLC part?

At this point i wouldn't be surprised if that went over to the PS3. It would "broaden their audience" right? Or atleast make most of the audience happier instead of stupidly keeping it exclusive and not "make all their fans happy".

Gone Gonzo
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Jumplion:

At this point i wouldn't be surprised if that went over to the PS3. It would "broaden their audience" right? Or atleast make most of the audience happier instead of stupidly keeping it exclusive and not "make all their fans happy".

I'll take the devs words over your speculation.

Gone Gonzo
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What the hell is bethesda doing announcing DLC before the actual game comes out?!

Car Armor here we come.

On the Record
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shatnershaman:

Jumplion:

At this point i wouldn't be surprised if that went over to the PS3. It would "broaden their audience" right? Or atleast make most of the audience happier instead of stupidly keeping it exclusive and not "make all their fans happy".

I'll take the devs words over your speculation.

Just like we took Squares word that FF13 would be PS3 exclusive?

Gone Gonzo
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Jumplion:

Just like we took Squares word that FF13 would be PS3 exclusive?

Touche. I'll still take the devs word since examples of them being truthfully out weigh the lies.

On the Record
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shatnershaman:

Jumplion:

Just like we took Squares word that FF13 would be PS3 exclusive?

Touche. I'll still take the devs word since examples of them being truthfully out weigh the lies.

YES! I got a "touche"! That's going on my wall of acomplishments!

Gone Gonzo
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Jumplion:

YES! I got a "touche"! That's going on my wall of accomplishments!

image

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shatnershaman:

Indigo_Dingo:
and pretending that the shared content was 360 exclusive (Fallout 3), and becaue Nintendo indicated they have given up even trying, and missing all the damn cool stuff Sony was showing off.

Did you miss the exclusive DLC part?

Tell me, how long was it between when the DLC for GTA IV was announced and when it came out?

And unless I missed something, the DLC was also coming to the PC as well.

Gone Gonzo
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Joined: 8 May 2008

Indigo_Dingo:
Tell me, how long was it between when the DLC for GTA IV was announced and when it came out?

And unless I missed something, the DLC was also coming to the PC as well.

Console exclusive as in the DC MMO is a PS3 Console exclusive.

EDIT: Oh don't start on delayed releases (cough home cough)

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shatnershaman:

Indigo_Dingo:
Tell me, how long was it between when the DLC for GTA IV was announced and when it came out?

And unless I missed something, the DLC was also coming to the PC as well.

Console exclusive as in the DC MMO is a PS3 Console exclusive.

EDIT: Oh don't start on delayed releases (cough home cough)

The difference between delayed applications and delayed DLC is that DLC is only a major selling point while the game is at the top of everyones list. When it finally comes out, there is no way in hell it will get the same amount of plays as it would if it were released at the time of the game. Replay is one thing, but to expect people to pay extra for a continuation of something they stopped caring about?

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 3664
Joined: 21 Jan 2008

Stepping aside from the fanboy conflict, I'd like to say that as long as Bungie is working on that tactical shooter in the Haloverse (you know, the one that was a rumour, but I really hope will be true. Yeh, that one), I don't care when they announce it. Just release soon, m'kay?

Gone Gonzo
Posts: 1308
Joined: 21 Nov 2007

Am I the only one whose confidence that the Bungie/Microsoft separation being more than an illusion was shaken by this? I thought the split would mean new IPs, and by extention, not being held by the balls by MS's retention of the Halo copyrights.

Unless they a hidden contractual obligation for another Halo, I'll be kinda disappointed if they spit out another one.

 
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