Spencer: "Our relationship with Bungie was always about a triple-A creative studio building content for our platform, and our working relationship brought about Halo 1, Halo 2, Halo 3 – which I think are great games. If that's the core of the relationship, creative people building content for our platforms, I don't think the relationship has changed. We have a relationship with a very talented studio who wants to create games for Xbox.
When Joystiq inquired about Bungie's teaser site and possible E3-timed reveal Spencer had some interesting comments on the matter. Jump in for more.
Joystiq: Speaking of Bungie, there wasn't any mention of Halo games or Halo projects during the presentation yesterday and there wasn't any mention of Bungie or Bungie working on any other projects. Bungie has been teasing something on their website for the last couple weeks, and it seems like they're ready to announce it but they're doing it independently of Microsoft. Is that indicative of any kind of change in that relationship – that they wouldn't have that game announced at the E3 conference?
Spencer: We focused the E3 event on games that are coming this holiday, from a first-party perspective. If you look at the games we talked about in the briefing, the games that you will see – Banjo, Viva Pinata, Fable 2, Gears of War 2, Lips, Scene It – these are all games that you're going to see this fall. That was the decision we made – we did the same thing last year, if you'll remember – to try and really introduce people to the games as they come towards completion, we'll show them what we have and what is coming. The relationship to Bungie and the projects that we're working on together – we don't have anything to announce today – but it's in our plans.
We can't say for sure if Spencer means whatever Bungie is working on wouldn't be available this year, but it at least explains the absence. Microsoft, being the publishing partner of Bungie properties, as stated in a quote from Luke Smith, would have the say on any reveal or announcements. It's possible Microsoft decided Bungie didn't need to reveal its "Ace" just yet.
Joystiq will have the entire interview with Spencer soon.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-16-2008 @ 2:42AM
Justin said...
I still blame Microsoft for not allowing Bungie to reveal a probably-will-be-awesome game title.
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 5:44AM
Dan Dizzle said...
New Halo game announced! http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/07/16/microsoft-confirms-bungie-is-developing-new-halo/
7-16-2008 @ 2:43AM
Xepherys said...
http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=137709
I'm telling you, it's all viral marketing, publicity, soon-to-be-ARG...
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 2:54AM
Glitch W said...
You know as odd as it seems, the whole ARG thing makes more sense when you consider that Luke Smith said that playing a joke like this wasn't bungie's style.....
And Bungie's style is ARG for new games it seems
7-16-2008 @ 2:55AM
Xepherys said...
Glitch, that's pretty much what I'm thinking...
7-16-2008 @ 3:46AM
West said...
*GASP!* It wouldn't be a "joke" if it turned out to be an ARG! It's like my debate class all over again!
7-16-2008 @ 2:49AM
ChaoStar said...
I like how Spencer conveniently left out Resident evil 5 and Final Fantasy to make a point.
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 2:50AM
UNSCleric said...
Maybe this is the guy the mysterious Kotaku post was talking about? This may be the guy to blame right here.
http://kotaku.com/5025667/
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7-16-2008 @ 2:51AM
UNSCleric said...
Upon reading more, I think it is safe to say Phil Spencer is the main person to blame when it comes to Bungie's announcement being pulled.
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7-16-2008 @ 3:12AM
lmalave2 said...
My take on it: Microsoft was surprised by the $399 80 GB announcement and possibly also by the strength of Sony's video store offering (lots of studios signed up).
Whatever project Bungie is working on is one of the biggest trump cards that Microsoft has left between now and the holidays to combat Sony directly. I now predict that the reveal has been postponed until the same week in September that Sony's new model goes on sale.
And I don't think that Bungie was entirely powerless in this. I think at some level Microsoft persuaded the executives at Bungie that Bungie in general and this mystery game in particular were too much invested in the XBox 360 to let Sony beat them this holiday season. After all, the more 360 owners, the larger the customer base that Bungie can sell this game to. I think that in the end that it was Bungie that also went along with this, but they had to release a letter like they did to show solidarity with their bitterly dissapointed developers and fans. And Microsoft may have even agreed to take the heat since, hey, they're no strangers to being recipients of hate...
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7-16-2008 @ 3:16AM
UNSCleric said...
Yeah, cause the PS3 is such a threat with all those games they have coming out....
7-16-2008 @ 3:16AM
Xepherys said...
I think you are overthinking it. The announcement now or then would do the same (little) to disuade people from buying a new console. And most fanboys already HAVE a 360. It's not a useful business move. *shrug*
7-16-2008 @ 3:19AM
Xepherys said...
BTW, did you see the text change on the image pre- and post- apology letter? It's been added to my link above (with some other updates) but you can see it here:
http://www.xepherys.net/albums/Miscellaneous/03_04.jpg
First one seems to say DEATH ANGEL in leetspeak (noted by Animus on the Bungie forums), the other says something else. I enlarged and sharpened the text for comparison. It's DEFINITELY different. Any thoughts?
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7-16-2008 @ 3:29PM
Velorium said...
no idea, it's mirrored though (the part is there yet, see?) this is what it looks like to me, question mark meaning i can't distinguish it. (starting from top to bottom)
ja? ? n?th?
7-16-2008 @ 3:26AM
lmalave2 said...
Well, we really can't judge how impactful the timing of Bungie's announcement will be until we actually see it, right? :)
The point is, Microsoft overall has the momentum now coming out of E3. The only major thing Sony has going between now and the holidays is the new 80 GB model. It would make sense for Microsoft to try to completely steal Sony's thunder that week so that XBox stays in the spotlight with the new 60 GB Model, new Dashboard, Netflix downloads, Real-prizes online gameshows, etc.
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7-16-2008 @ 3:55AM
lllllll said...
KEEP IT CLEAN
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 3:57AM
Xav de Matos said...
That's real cute Peter. Let's not continue fueling the fire. KTHXBAI.
7-16-2008 @ 3:56AM
Ralf Mansson said...
Something is going on. ilovebees (dot) com is back up with some wierd stuff. Click around. Can someone more into this than I find out what's going on?
Reply
7-16-2008 @ 3:58AM
Xav de Matos said...
actually it never shut down... so that's always been there.
7-16-2008 @ 4:59AM
Ralf Mansson said...
Thanks for the info.