[Pai Pai Master]

Microsoft announced today that they'd be letting go of Bungie Studios, and the company would be going independent.

It doesn't change too much, as the studio will likely to continue to make games for Xbox 360, as well as for Microsoft Games Studios, for some time, but it does give the studio more creative freedom. Rumours were abundant that developers working for Bungie were growing restless with Microsoft pushing them to begin work on the next Halo game straightaway.

For the most part, the two companies will continue to work closely with eachother, but it's very good to see such a talented studio move into a more free environment, and hopefully we'll be seeing something new for the 360 from the talent at Bungie.

There will be those who'll take this the completely wrong way, exclaiming that all this means that Bungie's making a game for PS3 or Wii. However, I wouldn't expect to see that happen if I were you, as it's likely Microsoft's already hired them for multiple projects in the future. (And don't be surprised if one of them is Halo 4.)

[Balfree]

As much as i neglect halo completely, that is great.

If the rumour is true, HURRAY for Bungie.

[Vyuru]

Good for Bungie, it's always nice when a good game developer get's to go their own way.


And now I'm going to huddle in the corner with my Draken: TAG and cry over the fact that there will never be a sequel....


=;.;=

[Feba]

No farking way.


I'm not sure what licensing rights MS has, but even if most of Bungie's development is put into new 360 games, It would be freakin' sweet to see some Halo ports to something other than Mac. I can't be the only one salivating at the thought of sticking a plasma grenade with a nunchuck, and I'm sure Mhurron is tossing jars of pennies into fountains and wishing for a new Marathon game.

Even if they remain MS Exclusive, though, there's still one giant benefit from this: they probably won't be constantly pushed to meet deadlines as they were with the first couple Halo games, and this could mean some downright INCREDIBLE games from such a talented studio.

[Raydeus]

Or they could become lazy with no one to keep 'em on their toes.

[Feba]

yeah, no.

[DakAttack]

No Halo 4. With the way in which they've been building up history within the franchise I wouldn't be surprised to see Forerunner, or even just Covenant, prequels.

I wonder how much of a hand Microsoft actually had in the final product of their games.

[Jei]

Don't think many people will recognize the name Bungie as much as Halo. being forced to make only Halo was the reason they left. But artists... we go for fun more than money eh :/

[Pai Pai Master]

Halo won't end up on anything other than Xbox or Windows. Bungie may be independent, but Microsoft still owns the Halo property.

It's the same deal as Insomniac Games. They're independent, they make Ratchet & Clank, but the franchise belongs to SCEA.

If Bungie ever makes a game for another publisher, then it has a chance to be made multiplatform. However, it's unlikely that they've accepted offers from anyone other than Microsoft at this point.

Now, a new Marathon game? I'd like to see that happen. But hopefully Bungie starts with something new and fresh. I'd like to see what they could do in a different genre. Oni could have been a lot better, but the studio has talent.

[Feba]

PaiPai: Well, there are some things that point to Halo and Marathon being the same storyline. Which means that if Bungie didn't sell the Marathon franchise to MS as well, they could easily pass off a Halo game as a Marathon game.

You're forgetting though, Halo has been out on Mac for a damn long time. It's only a matter of time before MS sees Halo as something that they can put out on other consoles and not lose Xbox sales.

[Kiyoko77]

Well, even if Bungie decides to make a new{better than Halo} IP....considering it took them nearly 10 yrs to finally solidify the Halo concept, we're looking at a very long wait for something new from them!

[little ninja]

REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of the Halo franchise, to embark on a path to become an independent company. Microsoft will retain an equity interest in Bungie at the same time, continuing its long standing publishing agreement between Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie for the Microsoft owned Halo intellectual property as well as other future properties developed by Bungie.