The Following is from an Examiner Article
Link to Article:
http://www.examiner.com/article/halo-4-best-selling-franchise-343-industries-promises-to-do-better
"Halo 4" has seen its ups and down since it launched last November for the Xbox 360. It barreled out of the gate with strong sales but stubbed its toe with Specialization unlock code issues and various glitches in the game. Franchise director Frank O'Connor acknowledged these issues Wednesday while also saying that the experience will allow them to do better with "Halo 5" presumably on the next-gen Xbox (aka Xbox 720).
"We have a lot to learn. We made a lot of mistakes. We can do better. And we know this, and we will," O'Connor wrote on Halo Waypoint after mentioning how "Halo 4" was the first full-fledged game for 343 Industries. "But I don’t want to spend the first moments of the year thinking about the negatives, because frankly, I am incredibly proud of both the team and the game that team created.
"And for a first effort, it wasn’t half bad."
"Halo 4 is the best and fastest-selling Halo game in the series," he wrote. "It won critical acclaim. It won awards, from Best Graphics at the VGAs to Game of the Year at the Inside Gaming Awards. We altered the engine. We expanded the universe. We innovated in storytelling, technology, and even marketing. It wasn’t flawless by any stretch of the imagination, but by most objective criteria, it was a resounding success. So we know we have a lot to do. And we know we have a lot to learn. But we also know that we now have the capacity, the teamwork, the technology and the experience to do much better next time."
"There are a ton of things we wish we'd done better," he continued. "Features that didn’t make it into the final game. Glitches that emerged. Missteps made. DLC fiascos. Communication breakdowns. But there were things that went astonishingly well – the creation of a genuinely competitive AAA studio chief among them. A collection of talent and souls that can do something genuinely amazing on this and next-generation hardware. The overhaul of an amazing game engine – but one that really needed to be overhauled – and an amassed education on systems, people, code and audience that will stand us in great stead for the future."
O'Connor went on to thank the fans of the game who purchased it and gave 343 Industries feedback both good and bad. "You guys pay for the privilege of playing our game, and you have every right to have a voice in its development."
"Technically, this should be a retrospective, but it’s safe to say I’m more excited about the future than the past. Excited about what this team is already working on. Excited about what this team is capable of. And excited about the future of Halo. A future we want you to be a part of. A future we’re building for you," O'Connor concluded.
Syko's Note: This is what i have been saying all along guys, and Frank put's it beautifully, Halo 4 is not perfect by any stretch of the mind, but it's a success, whether you agree or not, the facts don't lie, Halo 4 is a success, a HUGE success. And they will certainly do better with Halo 5.