If you want to grab some attention for your game (or just in general) one of the easiest things to do is publicly mock something that's successful. In the case of videogames, a sure way to get your game noticed is to mock Halo. Speaking to Edge, Rob Yescombe, scriptwriter for Free Radical's upcoming shooter Haze, has some choice words about the king of console shooters. According to Yescombe, new-gen games are about more mature, compelling content: "Halo is brilliant, you're a teenager - the next-gen is about becoming more mature ... in Haze you become an adult." Yescombe adds that games should take a page from world events as inspiration, saying, "It's about what's happening in the world today - it's ludicrous, and how can you make something that doesn't reflect that? Well, you could bury your head in the sand and make Halo 3, but the fact of the matter is there are more important things at stake." Haze, it seems, is a satirical work aimed at modern warfare, though Yescombe admits that some may not see the satire.
Naturally, we here at X3F are card-carrying Halo 3 fanboys, so Yescombe's comments sting a little. However, regardless of Haze's merits, for Yescombe to imply that Bungie is socially irresponsible for creating Halo is asinine. Escapist fiction has always been a part of human culture and is just as important as any piece of satire or non-fiction. We need our action movies just as much as we need our documentaries. We need Stephen King just as much as we need Johnathan Swift. Without some escape from the world's problems, we'd all be nothing but bubbling piles of depression. To quote Sergeant Johnson, "People need heroes, Chief. To give 'em hope."
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-17-2007 @ 12:35PM
Tony said...
I saw that yesterday. It's a bizarre comment... particularly coming from a company known for the Timesplitters games, surely titles that are renowned for their importance in storytelling.
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5-17-2007 @ 12:40PM
Alex said...
Halo fanboys incoming in 3 2 1....
*Grabs Popcorn*
Btw. Halo 2's story sucked, escapist or not.
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5-17-2007 @ 12:44PM
THA1icarus said...
Come on it's the entrainment industry, every one how says games are becomming more like movie's are totally full of them selfs. Games have no to little impact on a society. They are a past time, a thing to make you forget all the bull shit we have in our day to day.. I'm sorry what kind of lessons could sombody get out of any game??? Go make a Columbine game ore a Veginia game see how big a impact you make. Ore even better a voting game to show people the reason behind voting....
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5-17-2007 @ 12:45PM
jimhuf said...
"king of console shooters" i thought they talked about halo, not golden eye?
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5-17-2007 @ 12:46PM
unitqm said...
You don't have to be a halo fanboy to dispute this comment. I hope it is as good as tribes. (sarcasm) The reason we like halo is because it is halo. We have played the game for over 5 years and we like what we are playing. Why would anyone say they are better than Halo if not to get attention? Just because I say that I can make a better chocolate cake than your mom dosen't make it true. I gotta get me some of your moms cake to be sure.
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5-17-2007 @ 12:48PM
Bangbang... said...
Isn't Haze about a guy in a powered suit too?
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5-17-2007 @ 1:01PM
Hello said...
Someone is blinded by nostalgia. Goldeneye hasn't aged well at all.
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5-17-2007 @ 1:02PM
Jack the Ripper said...
This reminds me of the pompous comments made by EA before Black was released. Anyone remember Black? Anyone?
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5-17-2007 @ 1:09PM
Barbie Fu said...
all right, the last time i played a shooter for the story........was never. All shooter games have crappy storylines.......it leads to a good shooter, if the story is incredible, then the shooting would never occur. Fighting only comes from greed or misunderstanding, and that leaves little to drive a story. get over yourselves and love or hate gaming, not specific titles, or go buy a ps3 sos you got something to complain about.........
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5-17-2007 @ 1:09PM
Insomnious said...
"Halo is brilliant, you're a teenager - the next-gen is about becoming more mature ... in Haze you become an adult."
Way to alienate the younger audience, Yes, it's true that the next-gen is appealing to a much wider audience and more mature gamers are grabbing a slice, but video games will always have an audience below the 21+ age range.
And I certainly remember Black! Storyline was non-existent, but it was a fantastic looking game which really made you enjoy firing the weapons, rather than using them as a means to an end. The sound effects were out of this world, and one of the very few games which actually made me appreciate my 5.1 system.
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5-17-2007 @ 1:36PM
vaeric said...
I fully agree with Barbie Fu. I could care less about Halo's storyline. All I care about is fun multiplayer, and cool boards to play co-op on for single player missions. It's not an adventure game, it's a first person shooter.
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5-17-2007 @ 1:43PM
Barbie Fu said...
hey, the best shooter game ever is ANY game of paintball........hella adrenalin, some of the craziest 10-15 foot firefights, bunkering...no one gets hurt(welts don't hurt wussie)and you get some excersize.......and I'm not talking Greg Hastings Tourney painball ps2,xbox/360,pc either...........
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5-17-2007 @ 1:44PM
Mr BoiomStick XL said...
As fanboy's go everyone has a favorite game/system/company but to make a comment like this is a stupid thing to do. It seems that the company he works for is looking for some FREE press to ignite intrest in his game!!
Don't waste your time sending this knucklehead dirty e-mails either.......I'm sure he plays Halo 2!!
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5-17-2007 @ 1:49PM
GRT said...
"If you want to grab some attention for your game (or just in general) one of the easiest things to do is publicly mock something that's successful."
Like, for example, Sony....
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5-17-2007 @ 1:50PM
Barbie Fu said...
Insomnious, do you really think mature games alienate the young?.....i beg to differ, show me a 14yr. old who doesn't want to play gtaIV, GOW, or any other M rated title? (unless his parents care about ratings)
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5-17-2007 @ 1:56PM
VampireHunter Z said...
Wow, you guys know Jonathan Swift? Kudos.
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5-17-2007 @ 1:58PM
poprocker said...
mission accomplished. i know about this game now.
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5-17-2007 @ 2:02PM
EnderOSC said...
I don't play video games for the political satirism in them. If I wanted that, I would have taken a literature class on Satires in college.
I play games because they are fun. Generally FPSes are known for Multiplayer... if I want a compelling story I will go to some kind of adventure game or RPG. A FPS with a good story is great (i.e. Half-Life), I don't discourage it... but once you beat it it's over...
Bottom line for me is that if you want to make a good game, make sure there is longevity in the title. Don't give me a 15hr FPS story, leave me hanging on MP, and make me trade the game in a week later.
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5-17-2007 @ 2:15PM
Carnie said...
If he was souly looking for attention then he did it, but if he is sersouly thinking that people give a damn about wither or not the game they play even mention what is happening today they he is sadly mistaken.
This guy is asinine, and for the record I hate multiplayer in halo but think that the story is all right. Depending on how it is in halo 3 I might change my view, but until then....it's the work of Satan...
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5-17-2007 @ 2:16PM
thisguyrighthere said...
Im glad there are some people out there that would like to see the shooter genre rise above. Personally, I thought the popularity of Halo was a big step back from the progress made by games such as Red Faction (1) and Half Life. These were epic, engrossing and gave you a reason not just to shoot but to stay alive.
Though I am looking forward to Halo 3 (they promised it would be more like 1) my opinion of the series is that its simplistic, shallow and when its multiplayer comes into it; its just running in circles and holding the trigger for no reason other than to waste time.
But he really shouldnt hype Haze like that. He'll look pretty stupid if it doesnt deliver.
*prepped for flame*
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