(The following is an article completely written by myself with quotes from Kiki Wolfkill made in an interview by Polygon)
343 Industries have taken control of the Halo franchise over a year ago and have big plans for it. But those plans don't always involve the chief.
In an interview with Polygon Kiki Wolfkill stated
"He's always going to be a pretty critical component of Halo and the game experiences. I would hope that we could also build strength and investment into other characters, for no other reason than that's part of what makes the universe interesting"
This could possibly hint at a new protagonist for future Halo generations to play. Much like Sergeant John Forge from Halo Wars or the Rookie from Halo ODST. However, it also may hint at more then one game for each of these characters. Rumors have surfaced many times of a Halo Wars 2, and while it may not be confirmed, rumors this big usually come true.
Kiki went on to state:
"How we look at it is 'Where do we want Halo to be in ten years? What are the stories we want to tell? We have started to flesh out broad strokes of a few different archs that are interesting"
While this isn't conformation, we can perhaps be seeing another character, or character's that will be just as fleshed out as the Chief, and this is a welcome change in my opinion.
while the chief is iconic, we can't keep Halo alive on a single character. Fleshing out and exploring the exploits of different characters allows us all to experience the Halo universe in more depth, especially for those of us who do not read the books.
There are many stories to tell and places to explore, it's just up to 343 Industries to bring these idea's to life, and give us something to have fun with, something that tells a story, both full of action AND adventure.
"There could be opportunities where exploring a different genre makes sense or exploring a different linear format makes sense. If the medium fits what we want to do, then we'll definitely consider it. If there's a great idea we get energized around it" Kiki stated.
Halo has mostly centered around FPS, and only briefly explored RTS in Halo Wars. This sort of branching out allows 343 to explore different possibilities, and as Kiki stated, they are considering different Genre's to see if they fit 343's vision for Halo.
We all know 343 want to make their mark on Halo and it's exhilarating universe, it's just how this comes into practice that have many people both excited and worried.
Some people prefer Halo to say safe within the realms of FPS, while others want it to flesh out, and explore more Genre's of interest.
In my own personal opinion, I'd love to see Halo branch out, Id love to explore the universe in more depth, not just in the books, but from something i can play and experience visually.
Halo has become more then JUST a game, it's a cultural phenomenon that has changed generations of games since its first release in 2001. The first ten years created the universe and the games standards, but it's these next ten years that will define Halo for future Generations.
What do you guys think?
Should Halo Branch out and explore more Genre's and characters?
Or stay as it currently is?
Discuss in the comments