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{{Short description|2001 video game}}
{{Short description|Video game series}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox video game
{{Infobox video game series
| title = Halo: Combat Evolved
| title = Halo
| image = //Halo - Combat Evolved (XBox version - box art).jpg
| image = Halo (series) logo.svg
| caption = Artwork for U.S. and European releases
| developer = {{plainlist|
| alt = Image of a soldier clad in futuristic green armor, pointing a black weapon towards the camera. Other soldiers and vehicles of war appear in the background. Below the green soldier is a decorative logotype with "HALO" and the subtitle "Combat Evolved", with the BUNGIE logo in the bottom right.
* [[Bungie]] <br />(2001–2010)
| developer = [[Bungie]]{{efn|The Windows version was ported by [[Gearbox Software]], while the Mac OS X version was ported by Westlake Interactive.}}
* [[Halo Studios]] <br />(2011–present)}}
| publisher = [[Microsoft Game Studios]]{{efn|The Mac OS X version was published by [[MacSoft]].}}
| director = [[Jason Jones (programmer)|Jason Jones]]
| publisher = [[Xbox Game Studios]]
| platforms = {{plainlist|
| writer = [[Joseph Staten]]
*[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]
| composer = {{Unbulleted list|[[Martin O'Donnell]]|[[Michael Salvatori]]}}
*[[Windows]]
| series = ''[[Halo (franchise)|Halo]]''
*[[macOS]]
| platforms = {{Unbulleted list|[[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]|[[Windows]]|[[Mac OS X]]}}
*[[Xbox 360]]
| released = {{Collapsible list|title={{Nobold|November 15, 2001}}|'''Xbox'''{{Video game release|NA|November 15, 2001<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ahmed |first=Shaheed |date=November 8, 2001 |title=Microsoft announces the Xbox launch lineup |url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2823566,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020402061136/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/news/0,10870,2823566,00.html |archive-date=April 2, 2002 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>|PAL|March 14, 2002<ref name="eu_aus_launch" />}}'''Windows'''{{Video game release|NA|September 30, 2003<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calvert |first=Justin |date=September 15, 2003 |title=PC ''Halo'' goes gold |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pc-halo-goes-gold/1100-6075098/ |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=[[GameSpot]] |language=en-US}}</ref>|PAL|October 10, 2003<ref>{{Cite web |title=What's New?|last=Bramwell|first=Tom|date=October 10, 2003|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/news101003whatsnew|access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=[[Eurogamer]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo'' |url=http://gpstore.com.au/product.x?1457594 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031012014215/http://gpstore.com.au/product.x?1457594 |archive-date=October 12, 2003 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |website=[[Gameplanet]]}}</ref>}}'''Mac OS X'''{{Video game release|NA|December 3, 2003<ref name="gamespot" />}}'''Xbox 360''' {{Video game release|WW|December 4, 2007}}}}
*[[Windows Phone]]
| genre = [[First-person shooter]]
*[[iOS]]
| modes = [[Single-player]], [[multiplayer]]
*[[Xbox One]]
*[[Arcade video game|Arcade]]
*[[Xbox Series X/S]]
}}
}}
| first release version = ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''
| first release date = November 15, 2001
| latest release version = ''[[Halo Infinite]]''
| latest release date = December 8, 2021
| genre = {{plainlist|
*[[First-person shooter]] (primary)
*[[Real-time strategy]]
*[[Twin-stick shooter]]}}
|caption=Logo since ''[[Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''}}
'''''Halo''''' is a [[military science fiction]] video game series and [[media franchise]], originally developed and created by [[Bungie]] and currently managed and developed by [[Halo Studios]] (previously 343 Industries), part of [[Microsoft]]'s [[Xbox Game Studios]]. The series launched in November 2001 with the [[first-person shooter]] video game ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' and its tie-in novel, ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach|The Fall of Reach]]''. The latest major installment, ''[[Halo Infinite]]'', was released in late 2021. Spinoffs include [[real-time strategy]] and [[twin-stick shooter]] games.


''Combat Evolved'' started life as a [[real-time strategy game]] for personal computers, turning into [[First-person shooter|a first-person shooter]] exclusive to the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] video game console after Bungie was acquired by Microsoft. Bungie regained its independence in 2007, releasing additional ''Halo'' games through 2010 before moving on from the franchise. Microsoft established 343 Industries to oversee ''Halo'' going forward, producing games itself and in partnership with other studios.
'''''Halo: Combat Evolved''''' is a 2001 [[first-person shooter]] [[video game]] developed by [[Bungie]] and published by [[Microsoft Game Studios]] for the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]. It was released as a [[launch game]] for [[Microsoft]]'s [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] video game console on November 15, 2001. The game was ported to [[Microsoft Windows]] and [[Mac OS X]] in 2003. It was later released as a downloadable [[Xbox Original]] for the [[Xbox 360]]. ''Halo'' is set in the [[26th century|twenty-sixth century]], with the player assuming the role of the [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief]], a [[Cyborg|cybernetically]] enhanced [[supersoldier]]. The Chief is accompanied by [[Cortana (Halo)|Cortana]], an [[artificial intelligence]]. Players battle aliens as they attempt to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo, a ring-shaped artificial world.


''Combat Evolved'' was a critical and commercial success, serving as the Xbox's "[[killer app]]" and cementing Microsoft as a major player in the video game console space. Its sequels expanded the franchise's commercial and critical success, and have sold more than 81&nbsp;million copies worldwide. With more than $6 billion in franchise grosses, ''Halo'' is one of the [[List of highest-grossing media franchises|highest-grossing media franchises of all time]], spanning novels, graphic novels, comic books, short films, animated films, feature films, and [[List of Halo media|other licensed products]].
Bungie began the development of what would eventually become ''Halo'' in 1997. Initially, the game was a [[real-time strategy]] game that morphed into a [[third-person shooter]] before becoming a [[first-person shooter]]. During development, [[Microsoft]] acquired [[Bungie]] and turned ''Halo'' into a launch game for its first [[video game console]], the Xbox. ''Halo'' was a critical and commercial success and is often praised as one of the [[List of video games considered the best|greatest video games ever made]]. The game's popularity led to labels such as "''Halo'' clone" and "''Halo'' killer", applied to games either similar to or anticipated to be better than it. Its sequel, ''[[Halo 2]]'', was released for the original Xbox in 2004, and the game spawned a multi-billion-dollar [[Halo (franchise)|multimedia franchise]] that incorporates games, books, toys, and films.


==Plot==
More than six million copies had been sold worldwide by November 2005. A [[Video game remake|remaster]] of the game, ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'', was released for Xbox 360 by 343 Industries on the 10th anniversary of the original game's launch. ''Anniversary'' was re-released alongside the original competitive multiplayer as part of ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'' in 2014.
Millions of years in the past, a species known as the Precursors assumes the Mantle of Responsibility - the guardianship of life in the galaxy. The Precursors chose an ancient form of humanity as their successors, over another species known as the Forerunners. In retaliation, the Forerunners attacked their former masters and drove the Precursors into extinction. Instead of fighting back, the Precursors allowed themselves to die, with some turning into dust intended to spread and later transform into themselves once again. This dust eventually became defective, infecting and contorting organisms into a new parasitic species, connected by a hivemind to the minds of the last Precursors: the [[Flood (Halo)|Flood]]. The [[Factions of Halo#Forerunner|Forerunners]] sent the humans to Earth, reverting them to a primitive civilization based in [[Africa]], and fought the Flood, which spread through an infestation of sentient life and overran much of the [[Milky Way Galaxy]]. Exhausting all other strategies, the Forerunners conceived the Halo Array—ring-shaped megastructures and weapons of last resort that would destroy all sentient life in the galaxy to stop the Flood. A civil war began between the Forerunners' commander, known as the Ur-Didact, who wanted to assimilate all the humans on Earth into his army as AIs, thus immune to the Flood, and his wife, the Librarian, who created the Ark, an instrument that was to shelter sentient species outside the galaxy and allow for the mass creation of Halo installations which could all be activated simultaneously. The Librarian, along with all the remaining Forerunners, trapped her husband inside a Forerunner repository of knowledge known as the Domain, and disappeared as the Array was activated, thus destroying all sentient life in the galaxy and ending the outbreak of the Flood— though some Forerunners are known to have left the Milky Way galaxy for a different, unknown galaxy.


<!-- [[File:Halo3 ark-and-halo-reborn.png|thumb|alt=A vast ring-shaped object, thousands of kilometers in diameter, hovers in space. The outside of the ring is metallic, while the inner portion features land and sea. The ring is under construction; portions of the ring are merely a skeletal framework.|A human ship approaches a Halo megastructure under construction. Portions of the Ark are visible at the bottom. From the video game ''[[Halo 3]]'' (2007).]] -->
== Gameplay ==
Nearly a hundred thousand years later, in the [[26th century]], humanity—under the auspices of a Unified Earth Government and their military arm, the United Nations Space Command (UNSC)—colonizes many worlds thanks to the development of faster-than-light "slipstream" engines. Tensions between the central government and colonies desiring independence sparks violent clashes. The UNSC's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) develops the SPARTAN-II Project to train an elite group of enhanced [[supersoldiers]] to suppress the rebellions and prevent wider conflict. In 2525, human worlds come under attack by a [[Theocracy|theocratic]] alliance of alien races known as the [[Covenant (Halo)|Covenant]], whose leadership declares humanity heretics and an affront to their gods: the Forerunners. The Covenant's superior technology and numbers prove to be decisive advantages in the resulting genocidal war; although effective, the Spartans are too few to turn the tide of battle in humanity's favor. After the Covenant invades Reach in 2552, the UNSC's last major stronghold besides Earth, [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief John-117]] is left as one of the few remaining Spartans.
[[File://Halo - Combat Evolved (screencap).jpg|thumb|left|The [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief]] fires his assault rifle at a pack of enemy Grunts. Ammunition, health, and motion sensor displays are visible in the corners of the screen.|alt=First-person view of the gameplay. In the lower-right corner of the screen, the player's weapon is shown as the player fires on small aliens in a lush outdoor environment. Indicators around the periphery of the screen display health and ammo count.]]
''Halo: Combat Evolved'' is a [[first-person shooter]] (FPS) game in which players primarily experience gameplay in a 3D environment from a [[first-person (video games)|first-person view]]. The player can move around and look up, down, left, or right.<ref name=faq /> The game features vehicles, ranging from armored 4×4s and tanks to alien hovercraft and aircraft, many of which can be controlled by the player. The game switches to a [[Third-person view|third-person perspective]] during vehicle use for pilots and mounted gun operators; passengers maintain a first-person view.<ref name="ign_review" /> The game's [[Heads-up display (video games)|heads-up display]] includes a "motion tracker" that registers moving allies, moving or firing enemies, and vehicles, in a certain radius of the player.<ref name="manual" />


Fleeing Reach and pursued by the Covenant, the human ship ''Pillar of Autumn'' discovers a Halo ring. The Covenant believe they are instruments of transcendence, not destruction. Learning the truth about the Halos, Master Chief and his artificial intelligence [[Cortana (Halo)|Cortana]] destroy the Halo ring to stop the Covenant and the threat of the Flood. While another Halo is discovered, the Covenant begins to fracture as the truth about the conflict and the rings is revealed. The disgraced former Covenant Sangheili commander known as the [[Arbiter (Halo)|Arbiter]] helps the humans stop the Covenant from activating the Halo Array via the Ark. The Human-Covenant War ends, though new conflicts began to emerge throughout the universe.
The player character is equipped with an energy shield that nullifies damage from weapons fire and forceful impacts. The shield's charge appears as a blue bar in the corner of the game's heads-up display, and it automatically recharges if no damage is sustained for a brief period.<ref name="manual" /> When the shield is fully depleted, the player becomes highly vulnerable, and further damage reduces the [[health (gaming)|hit points]] of their health meter.<ref name="gamespy_review" /> When this health meter reaches zero, the character dies and the game reloads from a saved checkpoint. Health can be replenished through the collection of health packs scattered around the game's levels.<ref name="manual" />


In the post-war era, the UNSC trains a new generation of Spartans, and tensions between the UNSC and colonist rebels resumes. The Master Chief and Cortana accidentally free the Didact and he attempts to reassert Forerunner supremacy. Master Chief and Cortana stop the Didact, although Cortana is initially presumed lost. Cortana survives through the Domain, and leads her to break with the UNSC and assert a new [[hegemony]] over the galaxy, with artificial intelligences (the "Created") in control.<ref name="halo mythos">{{Cite book |last1=Easterling |first1=Jeff |title=Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo |last2=Patenaude |first2=Jeremy |last3=Peters |first3=Kenneth |publisher=Bloomsbury |year=2016 |isbn=9781681193564 |editor-last=Fortune, Emil}}</ref> After two years of a scattered war between Cortana and the UNSC, Cortana attacks the Banished, a mercenary organization largely led by the Jiralhanae race. The Banished win the resultant conflict, terminating Cortana and battling the UNSC for control of Zeta Halo.<ref name="playingthehits" /><!-- need a better ref -->
''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s arsenal consists primarily of [[Weapons in science fiction|science fiction weapons]]. The game has been praised for giving each weapon a unique purpose, thus making each useful in different scenarios.<ref name=gamespotreview /> For example, a charged plasma pistol shot can fully deplete an enemy's energy shield whilst the pistol is one of only two weapons that can instantly kill with a head shot, as long as the target lacks a shield.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=De Govia |first1=Mario |title=Halo: Combat Evolved, Prima's Official Strategy Guide |last2=Smith |first2=Brandon |last3=Waples |first3=Damien |publisher=Prima Games |year=2004 |isbn=0-7615-3744-9 |location=United States |pages=6 pp. 9 |language=en}}</ref> In contrast to the large weapon inventories of contemporary FPS games, ''Halo'' players may carry only two weapons at once, calling for players to make tactical decisions when managing firearms.<ref name="edge_review"/>


==Game series==
''Halo'' departs from traditional FPS conventions by not forcing the player to holster their firearm before deploying [[grenades]] or melee-range [[blunt instrument]]s; instead, both attacks can be utilized while a gun is still equipped, supplementing small-arms fire.<ref name="manual" /> There are two different types of grenades; the [[Fragmentation (computing)|fragmentation]] grenade bounces and detonates quickly, whereas the plasma grenade adheres to targets before exploding.<ref name=humanfaq /><ref name=covenantfaq />
{{VG timeline

| subtitle = Mainline number entries in '''bold'''
The game's main enemy force is the [[Covenant (Halo)|Covenant]], a group of alien species allied by belief in a common religion. Their forces include [[Elite (Halo)|Elites]], fierce warriors protected by recharging energy shields similar to the player's own; [[Grunt (Halo)|Grunts]], which are short, cowardly creatures who are usually led by Elites in battle, and often flee in terror instead of fighting in the absence of a leader; [[Jackal (Halo)|Jackals]], who wear a highly durable energy shield on one arm and a plasma pistol on the other; and [[Hunter (Halo)|Hunters]], large, powerful creatures with thick armor plates that cover the majority of their bodies and a large assault cannon that fires explosive rounds of green plasma.<ref name=gamespotfaq /> A secondary enemy is the [[Flood (Halo)|Flood]], a [[parasitic]] alien life form that appears in several variants later in the game.<ref name=gamespotfaq2 /><!-- details about different weapons for each?--> Another enemy is the Sentinels, aerial robots designed by an extinct race called the [[Forerunner (Halo)|Forerunners]] to protect their structures and prevent Flood outbreaks. Sentinels are able to hover around in enclosed spaces and produce an energy shield when under attack. They lack durability, but use powerful laser weapons.<ref name="gamespotfaq2" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Patenaude |first1=Jeremy |title=Halo: the essential visual guide |date=2011 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |location=London |isbn=978-1-4053-6587-1 |pages=167–168}}</ref>
| compressempty = yes

| 2001 = '''''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'''''
The player is often aided by [[United Nations Space Command]] (UNSC) Marines, and the crew of the ship, who offer ground support, such as following the player and mimicking their tactics, and manning gun turrets or [[riding shotgun]] while the player is driving a vehicle.<ref name="gamespotreview" /> Marine AI and crew member AI are differentiated by their uniforms, but also act distinctly, the marines engaging aggressively while the crew members often cower or fire while retreating to cover. If the player kills too many of their teammates, they end up turning on the player and attacking them back.
| 2004 = '''''[[Halo 2]]'''''

| 2007 = '''''[[Halo 3]]'''''
=== Multiplayer ===
| 2009a = ''[[Halo Wars]]''
A [[split screen (computer graphics)|split screen]] mode allows two players to cooperatively play through ''Halo''{{'}}s campaign.<ref name="faq" /> The game also includes five competitive [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] modes, which all can be customized, for between two and 16 players; up to four players may play split-screen on one Xbox, and further players can join using a "[[System Link]]" feature that allows up to four Xbox consoles to be connected together into a [[local area network]].<ref name="faq" /> ''Halo'' lacks [[Computer game bot|artificially intelligent game bots]], and was released before the launch of the [[Xbox Live]] online multiplayer service; therefore [[LAN party|LAN parties]] are needed to reach the game's 16-player limit,<ref name=bungiefaq /> a setup that was a first for a console game, but was often deemed impractical by critics.<ref name="gamespotreview" /> Aside from this limitation, ''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s multiplayer components were generally well received, and it is widely considered one of the best multiplayer games of all time.<ref name="ign_review" /><ref name="edge_review" /><ref name=gamerevolution />
| 2009b = ''[[Halo 3: ODST]] ''

| 2010 = ''[[Halo: Reach]]''
Although the Xbox version of ''Halo'' lacks official support for online multiplayer play, third-party [[Tunneling protocol|packet tunneling]] software provide unofficial ways around this limitation.<ref name="gamespy" /> The [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] and [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] ports of ''Halo'' support online matches involving up to 16 players and include multiplayer maps, not in the original Xbox release.<ref name=ignreview4 /> However, co-operative play was removed from the ports because it would have required large amounts of recoding to implement.<ref name=eurogamer /> In April 2014, it was announced that [[GameSpy]]'s servers and matchmaking, on which ''Halo PC'' relied, would be shut down by May 31 of the same year.<ref name="ign_gamespy_shutdown" /> A team of fans and Bungie employees announced they would produce a patch for the game to keep its multiplayer servers online.<ref name="eurog_bungie_patch" /> The patch was released on May 16, 2014.<ref name="rps_pc_patch" />
| 2011 = ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Halo: Combat Evolved]] (remaster)''

| 2012 = '''''[[Halo 4]]'''''
== Synopsis ==
| 2013 = ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''
=== Setting ===
| 2014 = ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]''
{{see also|Factions of Halo|List of Halo characters}}
| 2015a = ''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''
''Halo: Combat Evolved'' takes place in a 26th-century science fiction setting. [[Faster-than-light]] travel called slip-space<ref name="cea-manual" />{{rp|3}} allows the human race to colonize planets other than Earth. The planet Reach serves as an interstellar hub of scientific and military activity. The [[Factions of Halo#United Nations Space Command|United Nations Space Command]] (UNSC) develops a secret program to create augmented supersoldiers known as Spartans. More than twenty years before the beginning of the game, a technologically advanced collective of alien races called the Covenant begins a religious war against humanity, declaring them an affront to their gods. Humanity's military experiences a series of crushing defeats; although the Spartans are effective against the Covenant, they are too few in number to turn the tide. [[Halo: Reach|In 2552, Covenant forces attack Reach]] and destroy the colony. The starship ''Pillar of Autumn'' escapes the planet with the Spartan [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief Petty Officer John-117]] on board. The ship initiates a jump to slip-space, hoping to lead the enemy away from Earth.<ref name="manual" />{{rp|4–5}}
| 2015b = '''''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'''''

| 2017a = ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''
=== Plot ===
| 2017b = ''Halo Recruit''
The game begins as the ''Pillar of Autumn'' exits slip-space and its crew discovers a large [[ringworld]] structure of unknown origin. The Covenant pursues the ''Autumn'' and attacks. With the ship heavily damaged, the ''Autumn''<nowiki/>'s captain, [[Characters of Halo#Jacob Keyes|Jacob Keyes]], entrusts the ship's [[artificial intelligence]] (AI) known as [[Cortana (Halo)|Cortana]] to Master Chief in order to prevent the Covenant from discovering the location of Earth. Keyes orders the crew to abandon the ''Autumn'' and pilots the ship to a crash-landing on the ringworld.
| 2018 = ''Halo: Fireteam Raven''

| 2021 = '''''[[Halo Infinite]]'''''
On the ring's surface, Master Chief and Cortana rescue scattered survivors and help organize a counter-offensive against the Covenant. Learning that Keyes has been captured by the Covenant, Master Chief and a small contingent of soldiers rescue him from the Covenant cruiser ''Truth and Reconciliation''. Keyes reveals that the Covenant call the ringworld "[[Factions of Halo#Halo Array|Halo]]" and that they believe it to be a weapon. Intent on stopping the Covenant from using Halo, Keyes searches for a potential weapons cache, while Master Chief and Cortana mount an assault on the ringworld's control room. Cortana enters Halo's computer systems and, after discovering something horrifying, sends Master Chief to find and stop Keyes from continuing his search and uncovering what lies within the ring.

Searching for the captain, Master Chief encounters a new enemy, the [[Parasitism|parasitic]] [[Flood (Halo)|Flood]]. The release of the Flood prompts Halo's caretaker, the AI [[343 Guilty Spark]], to enlist Master Chief's help in activating Halo's defenses. After Master Chief retrieves the ring's activation index, 343 Guilty Spark transports him back to Halo's control room. Cortana intervenes before Master Chief can activate the ring; she has discovered the purpose of the installation is to destroy all sentient life in the galaxy, starving the Flood of potential hosts. When Cortana refuses to surrender Halo's activation index, 343 Guilty Spark attacks her and Master Chief.

To stop Halo's activation, Master Chief and Cortana decide to destroy the installation. Needing Keyes' neural implants to destroy the ''Autumn'' and Halo with it, Master Chief returns to the ''Truth and Reconciliation''. He finds that Keyes has been assimilated by the Flood, and retrieves the neural implant from the captain's remains. After 343 Guilty Spark stops them from using ''Autumn''{{'}}s self-destruct, Master Chief and Cortana destabilize the ''Autumn''{{'}}s reactors instead, narrowly escaping the ensuing detonation in a fighter. Cortana justifies their actions to destroy the Covenant fleet and stop the Flood threat and believes the fight is finished, but Master Chief states they are only getting started. In a [[post-credits scene]], 343 Guilty Spark is seen floating in space, having survived the ring's destruction.

== Development ==

=== Early development ===
[[File://First official halo screenshot.jpg|thumb|left|The first official promotional image for ''Halo'', depicting early versions of the shipping game's vehicles and protagonist [[Master Chief (Halo)|Master Chief]]]]
''Halo'' was conceived as an indirect successor to [[Bungie]]'s previous first-person shooter games, ''[[Marathon (video game)|Marathon]]'' and ''[[Marathon 2: Durandal]]''. After the 1995 release of ''Durandal'', Bungie considered ideas for their next game and wanted to try something other than a direct sequel.<ref name=xboxnation/> One of the ideas that the team began to develop was that of a first-person shooter game described by co-founder [[Jason Jones (programmer)|Jason Jones]] as "the natural extension of ''Marathon'', which would have turned out to be something along the lines of ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]''".<ref name=mythguide/> Concurrently, the team explored the concept of a [[List of vehicular combat games|vehicular combat game]] that featured tank battles in a futuristic setting,<ref name=xboxnation/> internally dubbed "The Giant Bloody War Game".<ref name=mythguide/> Jones started the design of a 3D engine that could generate [[Height mapping|height-mapped]] graphics to visualize elevated surfaces, and he eventually suggested that Bungie use the technology to realize the "tank combat" idea. The team was enthusiastic about that prospect and proceeded to cancel their first-person shooter project–to commit to the creation of "The Giant Bloody War Game".<ref name=xboxnation/><ref name=mythguide/> However, Jones struggled to implement a [[Physics simulations in video games|physics]] model to simulate vehicles in the game, which led Bungie to change their plans and develop the [[real-time strategy game]] (RTS) ''[[Myth: The Fallen Lords]]'', released in 1997.<ref name=xboxnation/>

Around this time, Bungie comprised around 15 people working in south [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]].<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> After ''Myth'' was completed and Bungie decided on a sequel, ''[[Myth II: Soulblighter]]'', Jones delegated its development to the company's other designers and resumed his work on the technology that had not been applied to the 1997 title.<ref name=xboxnation/> A group of three Bungie staffers<ref name="bungie-bravenewworld"/>{{rp|7'02'{{'}}–7'05'{{'}}}} began to develop an RTS with a focus on science fiction, realistic physics simulations and three-dimensional terrain.<ref name=xboxnation/><ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> Early versions used the ''Myth'' [[Game engine|engine]] and [[Isometric video game graphics|isometric perspective]].<ref name="bungie.net20" /> The project had the initial working title ''Armor'', but was changed for being "boring" and for the project's dramatic changes from what was first envisioned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive.pl?read=10986|title=Re: Armor|website=[[Halo.Bungie.Org]]|date=December 9, 1999|access-date=November 18, 2021|archive-date=January 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119074512/http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive.pl?read=10986|url-status=live}}</ref> It was switched to ''Monkey Nuts'', then ''Blam!'' after Jones could not bring himself to tell his mother the original name.<ref name="artofhalo" />{{rp|ix}}<ref name="gamesradar-history of halo" />

Experimenting with ways of controlling units, Bungie added a mode that attached the camera to individual units. The vantage point continually moved closer to the units as the developers realized it would be more fun for players to drive the vehicles themselves, rather than have the computer do it. "And controlling [the vehicle], just that double tactile nature of load a dude in, get a dude out, hands on the steering wheel—it was like, this ''shouldn't'' be an RTS game," recalled Seropian. By mid-1998 the game had become a [[third-person shooter]].<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" />

Peter Tamte, Bungie's then-executive vice president, used his contacts from his former position at [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] to get lead writer<ref>{{cite web| last=Lu| first=Cathy| title=Halo's Big Grunt| url=http://www.northwestern.edu/magazine/summer2006/feature/halo.html| date=July 1, 2006| work=Northwestern Magazine| access-date=November 18, 2021| archive-date=November 12, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020907/http://www.northwestern.edu/magazine/summer2006/feature/halo.html| url-status=live}}</ref> [[Joseph Staten]] and project lead<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eZ2yvWl9nQ|title=Halo - Macworld Unveiling|publisher=[[Bungie]]|website=[[YouTube]]|access-date=November 18, 2021|archive-date=November 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119064945/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eZ2yvWl9nQ|url-status=live}}</ref> Jason Jones an audience with CEO [[Steve Jobs]]. Jobs, impressed, agreed to debut the game to the world at the 1999 [[Macworld Conference & Expo]].<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> Anticipation built for the unknown Bungie game after favorable reviews from industry journalists under [[non-disclosure agreement]]s at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo]] 1999.<ref name="ignpreview" /><ref name="pcgamer-halo scoop" />

Days before the Macworld announcement, ''Blam!'' still had no permanent title; possible names included ''The Santa Machine'', ''Solipsis'', ''The Crystal Palace'', ''Hard Vacuum'', ''Star Maker'', and ''Star Shield''.<ref name="ign-historyofhalo"/> Bungie hired a branding firm that came up with the name ''Covenant'', but Bungie artist Paul Russell suggested alternatives, including ''Halo''. Though some did not like the name—likening it to something religious, or a women's shampoo—designer Marcus Lehto said, "it described enough about what our intent was for this universe in a way that created this sense of mystery."<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> On July 21, 1999, during the Macworld Conference & Expo, Jobs announced that ''Halo'' would be released for [[MacOS]] and [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] simultaneously.<ref name=ignpreview />

The game's premise at this point involved a human transport starship that crash-lands on a mysterious ringworld. Early versions of the Covenant arrive to loot what they can, and war erupts between them and the humans. Unable to match the technologically advanced alien race, the humans resort to [[guerrilla warfare]].<ref name=cgw /> At this point, Bungie promised an [[open world|open-world]] game with terrain that reacted and deformed from explosions, persistent environment details such as spent shell casings, and variable weather, none of which made it into the final product.<ref name="insidemacgames_1999">{{Cite web|last=Deniz|first=Tuncer|url=http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/99/jones/jones.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815110240/http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/99/jones/jones.shtml|website=[[Inside Mac Games]]|archive-date=2000-08-15|title=Interview: Halo's Jason Jones|date=August 15, 2000}}</ref><ref name="pcgamer_1999-10-01">{{Cite magazine|author=Morris, Daniel|date=October 1999|url=|title=Scoop; Your first look at... Halo|magazine=[[PC Gamer]]|page=40}}</ref><ref name="nextgen_1999-11-01">{{Cite magazine|author=Staff|date=November 1999|title=Game Genres; Endangered Species|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|pages=102–106}}</ref> These early versions featured ''Halo''-specific fauna, later dropped following design difficulties and the creatures' detraction from the surprise appearance of the Flood.<ref name=fauna /> The Master Chief was simply known as the cyborg. When ''Halo'' was shown at [[E3 2000|E3 in June 2000]], it was still a third-person shooter.<ref name="goldenjoystick-halo"/>

=== Move to Xbox ===
[[Bungie|Bungie's]] financial situation during ''Halo''{{'}}s development was precarious. Ahead of ''[[Myth II: Soulblighter]]''{{'}}s release, Bungie was surviving on ''Myth'' sales and had missed release dates. A glitch that caused ''Myth II'' to wipe the contents of the directory it was installed to was only discovered after 200,000 copies had already been produced for the December 1998 launch. Bungie recalled the copies and issued a fix, costing the company $800,000.<ref name="chicagoreader-myth" /> As a result, Bungie sold a share of the company and publishing rights to [[Take-Two Interactive]].<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> Still facing financial pressure, Peter Tamte contacted [[Ed Fries]], the head of [[Microsoft Game Studios]], about a possible acquisition. Fries was working on developing the software lineup for Microsoft's first game console, the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]]. Fries negotiated an agreement with Take-Two Interactive wherein Microsoft gained Bungie and the rights to ''Halo'', while Take-Two kept the ''Myth'' and ''[[Oni (video game)|Oni]]'' properties.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> Jones and Seropian pitched the purchase to the rest of Bungie as the way they could shape the future of a new game console.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> Microsoft announced its acquisition of Bungie on June 19, 2000.<ref name="microsoftpressrelease" /> ''Halo'' was now to be the tentpole launch game for the Xbox.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" />

In less than a year, Bungie had to turn ''Halo'' from a loose collection of gameplay and plot ideas into a shipping product on an unproven console. To make players feel more connected to the action, Jason Jones pushed to turn the game's perspective from third-person to first-person.<ref name="egm-afterthoughts" /> A key concern was making sure the game played well on the Xbox's [[gamepad]]; at the time, first-person shooters on consoles were rare. Spearheading the effort, designer Jaime Griesemer wrote code to discern player intent and assist the player's movement and aiming without being obvious. The game buffered player inputs so that the result was the ''desired'' player movement, rather than the movement players were actually making.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" />

Other Bungie projects were scrapped, and their teams absorbed into ''Halo'' in the rush to complete it. Griesemer said that after the Bungie team moved to the [[Microsoft Redmond campus|Microsoft campus]] in [[Redmond, Washington]], he was so busy he did not unpack his belongings for six months.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> The designers prototyped encounters and enemy AI on a sandbox level, "B30". The success of gameplay on this small chunk of the game energized the team, and B30 became "[[The Silent Cartographer]]", the fourth mission.<ref name="bungie-bravenewworld" /><!-- need timecode -->

To make the release date, Bungie made drastic cuts to the game's features and scope. The open-world plans were scrapped,<ref name="bungie-bravenewworld" />{{rp|14'40'{{'}}–14'45'{{'}}}} and it became clear the lengthy planned campaign was not feasible. One level was cut and replaced with an expositional cutscene.<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwfnAM3dBrM|title=Halo Combat Evolved: Developer Commentary Playthrough (2007)【55:12】|website=[[YouTube]]|access-date=November 18, 2021|time=13:54|archive-date=November 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118235636/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwfnAM3dBrM|url-status=live}}</ref> Staten described his role as putting "story duct tape" over gaps that appeared to smooth them over. To save time, Lehto suggested reusing campaign levels; glowing directional arrows were added after playtesters got lost backtracking.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> Microsoft game writers Eric Trautmann and Brannon Boren performed last-minute rewrites to the script.<ref name="scifishow_trautmann">{{cite web|date=November 1, 2015|url=https://www.erictrautmann.us/audio/|title=The Science Fiction Show Podcast: Eric Trautmann|website=EricTrautmann.com|access-date=November 5, 2021|archive-date=November 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105151947/https://www.erictrautmann.us/audio/|url-status=live}}</ref> An online multiplayer component was dropped because [[Xbox Live]] would not be ready. Only four months before release, it was decided that the multiplayer was still not fun, so it was scrapped and rebuilt from scratch, using team members who moved from the defunct Bungie West team after completing ''Oni''.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /><ref name="bungie-bravenewworld" /> Some personnel took to sleeping in the office for the last few months to make sure the game made its deadline.<ref name="artofhalo" />{{rp|ix–xi}}

===Design===
Bungie's social culture—and the rush to complete the game—meant that team members provided input and feedback across disciplines.<ref name="artofhalo"/>{{rp|4, 67}} Aspects such as level design demanded collaboration between the designers creating the environments for players to explore, and the artists who developed those environments' aesthetics.<ref name="artofhalo"/>{{rp|65}} Initially, artists Robert McLees and Lehto were the only artists working on what would become ''Halo''. Bungie hired Shi Kai Wang as an additional artist to refine Lehto's designs.<ref name="artofhalo"/>{{rp|5}} The aliens making up the Covenant began with varied exploratory designs that coalesced once each enemy's role in the gameplay was defined.<ref name="artofhalo"/>{{rp|28}}

Spearheaded by Paul Russell, the game's visual design changed in response to the changing gameplay and story. The artists made efforts to distinguish each faction in the game by their architecture, technology, and weaponry.<ref name="artofhalo"/>{{rp|76–77}} The UNSC's original curved look was made blockier to distinguish it from the Covenant;<ref name="goldenjoystick-halo"/> likewise human weapons remained projectile-based to provide a contrast to the Covenant's energy weapons,<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> and their vehicles based on animals, with the [[Warthog (Halo)|Warthog]] being inspired by Lehto's love of off-roading.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020207013618/http://www.bungie.net/perlbin/blam.pl?file=/site/1/news/stories/one_on_one_with_marcus_lehto.html|url=http://www.bungie.net/perlbin/blam.pl?file=/site/1/news/stories/one_on_one_with_marcus_lehto.html|title=One on One with Marcus Lehto|publisher=[[Bungie]]|date=January 22, 2002|archive-date=February 7, 2002|access-date=November 18, 2021}}</ref> The interiors of ''Pillar of Autumn'' drew significant influence from the production design of the film ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''.<ref name="artofhalo"/>{{rp|75}} Organic, curvilinear forms along with a color palette of greens and purples were used for the Covenant,<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> while the Forerunner came to be defined by their angular constructions; the interiors originally drew on Aztec patterns and the work of [[Louis Sullivan]], before being refined five months from the game's completion.<ref name="artofhalo"/>{{rp|79}}

=== Audio ===
{{Main|Halo Original Soundtrack}}
Composer [[Martin O'Donnell]] and his company TotalAudio were tasked with creating the music for ''Halo''{{'}}s MacWorld debut. Staten told O'Donnell that the music should give a feeling of ancient mystery.<ref name=xbox.cominterview /><ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo"/> O'Donnell decided [[Gregorian chant]] would be appropriate, and performed the vocals alongside his composing partner [[Michael Salvatori]] and additional singers.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo"/> Because he did not know how long the presentation would be, O'Donnell created "smushy" opening and closing sections that could be expanded or cut as the time required to back up a rhythmic middle section.<ref name="oxm183-interview"/> The music was recorded in Chicago<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521062234/http://halo.bungie.org/music_interviews/hbo_qanda_1999.html|url=http://halo.bungie.org/music_interviews/hbo_qanda_1999.html|title=TotalAudio Questions & Answers|archive-date=May 21, 2010|access-date=November 18, 2021|website=[[Halo.Bungie.Org]]}}</ref> and sent to New York for the show the same night the piece was finished.<ref name="halo.bungie.org-totalaudiointerview"/>

Shortly before Bungie was bought by Microsoft, O'Donnell joined Bungie as a staff member, while Salvatori remained at TotalAudio.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}} O'Donnell designed the music so that it "could be dissembled and remixed in such a way that would give [him] multiple, interchangeable loops that could be randomly recombined in order to keep the piece interesting as well as a variable-length". Development involved the creation of "alternative middle sections that could be transitioned to if the game called for such a change (i.e. less or more intense)."<ref name="music4gamers" />

O'Donnell sat with the level designers to walk through the levels, constructing music that would adapt to the gameplay rather than be static; "The level designer would tell me what he hoped a player would feel at certain points or after accomplishing certain tasks." Based on this information, O'Donnell would develop cues the designer could script into the level, and then he and the designer would play through the mission to see if the audio worked.<ref name="music4gamers" /> He made sparse use of music because he believes that "[music] is best used in a game to quicken the emotional state of the player and it works best when used least," and that "[if] music is constantly playing it tends to become sonic wallpaper and loses its impact when it is needed to truly enhance some dramatic component of gameplay."<ref name="gdc" /> The cutscenes came so late that O'Donnell had to score them in only three days.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" />
<!-- https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/03/23/how-the-beatles-influenced-the-halo-theme-song -->

==Release==
Ed Fries described the period before the Xbox's launch as chaotic; "You've got to imagine this environment of panic combined with adrenaline, but money's mostly no object at the same time. So we were spending lots of it, trying to do all this crazy stuff," he recalled.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> After several planned video game tie-ins to [[Steven Spielberg]]'s film ''[[A.I. Artificial Intelligence]]'' were scrapped it became clear that ''Halo'' had to serve as the tentpole title for the Xbox,<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> a role which the game was never intended to fill.<ref name="gamasutra-edfriesinterview"/>

''Halo''{{'}}s debut had been well-received, but its move to the unproven Xbox console caused press treatment to be colder than it was before.<ref name="haloeffect-rearview"/>{{rp|16}} While a playable demonstration of the game at Gamestock 2001 was well-received,<ref name=gamestock /> critics had mixed reactions to its exhibition at [[E3 2001]],<ref name=nextgen /><ref name=firingsquad /><ref name=gamepro /> where the game was shown off in a very broken state, with poor [[frame rates]] and technical issues.<ref name="haloeffect-rearview"/>{{rp|17}}

Even within Microsoft, ''Halo'' was divisive.<ref name="gamasutra-edfriesinterview"/> After Bungie refused to change the ''Halo'' name to appease marketing research teams, the subtitle "Combat Evolved" was added to make it more descriptive and compete better with other military-themed games.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /><ref name="edge-2010" /> Fries recalled analysts had suggested that ''Halo'' had the "wrong" color palette compared to competing console games; Fries never showed the results to Bungie.<ref name="gamasutra-edfriesinterview"/>

The game was released in North America simultaneously with the Xbox, on November 15, 2001.<!-- demo silent cartographer -->

''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', a [[prequel]] novel to ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', was released a few weeks before the game. Science fiction author [[Eric S. Nylund]] penned the novel in seven weeks.<ref name=xbox.com2 /> The novel was nearly killed halfway to completion; Nylund credits Trautmann with saving it.<ref name="nylund-unsung hero"/> ''The Fall of Reach'' became a ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' bestseller with almost two hundred thousand copies sold.<ref name=xbox.com3 /> The game itself would be novelized with ''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', written by [[William C. Dietz]] and released in 2003.<ref name=gamingage />

On July 12, 2002, a ''Halo'' port for Windows was announced to be under development by [[Gearbox Software]].<ref name=ign2000 /> Its showing at [[E3 2003]] was positively received by some critics,<ref name=gamespy3 /><ref name=halopcgamespotpreview /> with skepticism by others.<ref name=ign23 /> It was released on September 30, 2003,<ref name="metacritic_pc" /> and included support for online multiplayer play and featured sharper graphics, but had [[Program optimization|optimization]] issues that caused poor performance.<ref name="ignreview4" /><ref name=halopcreview /> ''Halo'' was later released for Mac OS X on December 11, 2003.<ref name="gamespot" /> On December 4, 2007, the game became available for the [[Xbox 360]] via download from the [[Xbox Live Marketplace]].<ref name="euro_update" />

===Sales===
While ''Halo'' was not an instant runaway success on release, it had a [[long tail]] sales rate and a very high [[attach rate]] for the Xbox;<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo" /> during the two months following ''Halo''{{'}}s release, the game sold alongside more than fifty percent of Xbox consoles.<ref name=wired3 /> One million units had been sold roughly five months after release, a faster pace than that of any previous [[history of video game consoles (sixth generation)|sixth-generation console]] game.<ref name=pressrelease /> The game sold three million copies worldwide by July 2003,<ref name=gamespotnews /> and four million by January 2004.<ref name=gamepro50 /> By July 2006, its Xbox version had sold 4.2&nbsp;million copies and earned $170&nbsp;million in the United States alone, while its computer version sold 670,000 copies and earned $22.2&nbsp;million.<ref name=edgesales>{{cite magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165955/http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/ |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/ |title=The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century| author=''Edge'' Staff | date=August 25, 2006 |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }}</ref> ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' ranked it as the second highest-selling game launched for the [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] or [[GameCube]] between January 2000 and July 2006 in the United States.<ref name=nextgensales2>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028115051/http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2&pop=1&page=1 |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2&pop=1&page=1 |title=The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century|author1=Campbell, Colin |author2=Keiser, Joe | date=July 29, 2006 |work=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |archive-date=October 28, 2007 }}</ref>

== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| MC = Xbox: 97/100<ref name="metacritic_xbox" /><br />PC: 83/100<ref name="metacritic_pc" />
| Allgame = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="allgamereview">{{cite web| url = http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=27626&tab=review| title = Halo: Combat Evolved - Review| author = Licata, Jonathan| publisher = [[AllGame]]| access-date =April 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114170350/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=27626&tab=review|archive-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref>
| Edge = 10/10<ref name="edge_review" />
| EuroG = 8/10<ref name="eurogamer_review" />
| Fam = 33/40<ref name="Famitsu">{{cite web|title= ヘイロー|publisher=[[Famitsu]] |url=https://www.famitsu.com/games/t/2349/|lang=JA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134841/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=2349&redirect=no|archive-date=January 14, 2024}}</ref>
| GI = 9.5/10<ref name=gi />
| GSpy = 80/100<ref name="gamespy_review" />
| GSpot = 9.7/10<ref name="gamespotreview" />
| IGN = 9.7/10<ref name="ign_review"/>
| OXM = 9.5/10<ref name="oxm-review">{{Cite magazine |title=Halo: Combat Evolved - WORLD EXCLUSIVE REVIEW! |url=https://archive.org/details/OXM_2001_12-web/page/n25/mode/1up |magazine=[[Official Xbox Magazine]] |last=Whitta |first=Gary |publisher=[[Future plc]] |issue=1 |pages=84–91 |access-date=October 22, 2021|author-link=Gary Whitta }}</ref>
| NGen = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="NGv5n1"/>
}}
}}
===2001–2010: Bungie games===
Video game developer [[Bungie]] was founded in 1991 by [[Alex Seropian]] in [[Chicago, Illinois]], who partnered with programmer [[Jason Jones (programmer)|Jason Jones]] to market and release Jones' game ''[[Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete]]''. Focusing on the [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] game market because it was smaller and easier to compete, Bungie became a preeminent game developer on the platform. What became ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' started as a [[real-time strategy]] game for the Mac, originally code-named ''Monkey Nuts'' and ''Blam!'',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Trautmann |first=Eric |title=The Art of Halo |publisher=Del Ray Publishing |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-345-47586-2 |location=New York |page=ix}}</ref> and took place on a hollowed-out world called Solipsis.<ref name="HaloHist" /> The planet eventually became a [[ringworld]] called "Halo", which in turn became the game's title.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Toyama, Kevin |date=May 2001 |title=Cover Story: Holy Halo |journal=[[Next Generation Magazine]] |page=61}}</ref>


''Halo'' was announced on July 21, 1999, during the [[Macworld Conference & Expo]].<ref name="ignpreview">{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Vincent |date=July 21, 1999 |title=Heavenly Halo Announced from Bungie |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/068/068975p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020404231952/http://pc.ign.com/articles/068/068975p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 4, 2002 |access-date=March 11, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref> The game morphed from a real-time strategy game into a third-person action game.<ref name="bungie.net20">{{Cite web |title=Inside Bungie: History |url=http://bungie.net/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=History&subsection=Main&page=6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060502035147/http://bungie.net/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=History&subsection=Main&page=6 |archive-date=May 2, 2006 |access-date=June 19, 2006 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref><ref name="ignpreview" /><ref name="CGW Hiatt">{{Cite magazine |last=Hiatt |first=Jesse |date=November 1999 |title=Halo The Closest Thing to the Real Thing |url=http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=cgw1199 |magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] |pages=94–96 |access-date=March 11, 2008 |archive-date=October 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021062437/http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=cgw1199 |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 19, 2000, Microsoft acquired Bungie and ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' became a launch title for the Xbox [[video game console]].<ref name="microsoftpressrelease">{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2000 |title=Microsoft to Acquire Bungie Software |url=https://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/Jun00/BungiePR.mspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060501214618/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/Jun00/BungiePR.mspx |archive-date=May 1, 2006 |access-date=March 11, 2008 |publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref> The game turned into a first-person shooter, and was modified to work with a controller. Though the first ''Halo'' was meant to include an online multiplayer mode, it was excluded because the [[Xbox Live]] service was not yet available.<ref name="gamestock">{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Vincent |date=March 4, 2001 |title=Playable ''Halo'' at GameStock |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/098/098271p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020223014106/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/098/098271p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 23, 2002 |access-date=March 12, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref>
''Halo'' received widespread critical acclaim, with a 97 out of 100 on review aggregator [[Metacritic]], based on reviews from 68 professional critics.<ref name="metacritic_xbox" /> [[Ste Curran]]'s review for ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' praised the game as "the most important launch game for any console, ever" and commented, "''[[GoldenEye 007 (1997 video game)|GoldenEye]]'' was the standard for multiplayer console combat. It has been surpassed."<ref name="edge_review" /> [[GameSpot]] claimed that "''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s single-player game is worth picking up an Xbox for alone," concluding, "Not only is this easily the best of the Xbox launch games, but it's easily one of the best shooters ever, on any platform."<ref name="gamespotreview" /> [[IGN]] remarked similarly, calling ''Halo'' a "can't miss, no-brainer, sure thing, five star, triple A game."<ref name="ign_review" /> [[Gary Whitta]] of ''[[Official Xbox Magazine]]'' calling ''Halo'' as "a stunning achievement."<ref name="oxm-review" /> [[AllGame]] editor Jonathan Licata praised Bungie for doing "a remarkable job with Halo, taking many successful elements from previous standouts in the genre to make one very playable game".<ref name="allgamereview" /> Among the specific aspects that reviewers praised were the balance of weapons, the role of drivable vehicles,<ref name="gamespot" /><ref name="ign_review" /> and the artificial intelligence of enemies.<ref name="gamespot" /><ref name="edge_review" />


''Halo'' was not intended to be the Xbox's flagship game due to internal concerns and gaming press criticism, but Microsoft VP of game publishing [[Ed Fries]] did not act on these concerns. The Xbox's marketing heavily featured ''Halo'', whose green color palette meshed with the console's design scheme.<ref name="gamasutra-fries">{{Cite web |last=Alexander, Leigh |date=August 14, 2009 |title=Interview: Former Microsoft Exec Fries Talks Xbox's Genesis |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24831 |access-date=August 17, 2009 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606120130/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24831 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' introduced many gameplay and plot themes common to the whole trilogy. Players battle various aliens on foot and in vehicles to complete objectives, while attempting to uncover the secrets of the [[eponym]]ous Halo. ''Halo'' limited the number of weapons players could carry to two, forcing them to carefully select their preferred armament.<ref name="gamespotreview">{{Cite web |last=Fielder |first=Joe |date=November 9, 2001 |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' review at GameSpot |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-review/1900-2823816/ |access-date=August 2, 2006 |website=[[GameSpot]] |archive-date=January 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126121430/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-review/1900-2823816/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Players fight with ranged and melee attacks, as well as grenades. Bungie referred to the "weapons-grenades-melee" format as the "Golden Triangle of ''Halo''".<ref name="golden">{{Cite AV media |title=[[Halo 3 marketing|Is Quisnam Protero Damno!]] |last=Bakken, Lars |publisher=[[Bungie]] |year=2007 |place=Washington |display-authors=etal}}</ref> The player's health is measured in both [[hit point]]s and a perpetually recharging energy shield.<ref name="gamespyreview">{{Cite web |last=Accardo |first=Sal |date=November 15, 2001 |title=GameSpy's review of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for the Xbox |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/november01/halo/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019185322/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/november01/halo/ |archive-date=October 19, 2006 |access-date=September 2, 2006 |publisher=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref> Released for the Xbox in November 2001, [[Windows]] and [[Mac OS X]] [[porting|port]]s were later developed by [[Gearbox Software]], and released in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' PC version on Metacritic |url=https://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/halo |access-date=August 22, 2006 |website=[[Metacritic]] |archive-date=January 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070103155627/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/halo |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Mac version at GameSpot |url=http://www.gamespot.com/mac/action/halo/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041010011636/http://www.gamespot.com/mac/action/halo/index.html |archive-date=October 10, 2004 |access-date=August 22, 2006 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><!-- REPLACE REFS --> A stand-alone expansion, entitled ''Halo: Custom Edition'', was released as a Windows exclusive, and allowed players to create custom content for the game.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}
The Xbox version of ''Halo'' received more than 40 awards,<ref name="xbox.com" /> including numerous [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]] awards, including from [[Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences|AIAS]],<ref name="autogenerated1" /> ''[[Electronic Gaming Monthly|EGM]]'', ''Edge'', and ''[[IGN]]''.<ref name=xbox.com /> ''GameSpot'' named ''Halo'' the third-best [[console game]] of 2001, and it won the publication's annual "Best Xbox Game" and, among console games, "Best Shooting Game" awards. It was a runner-up in the "Best Sound" category.<ref name=bestworst2001>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020803185618/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/ | url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/bestof_2001/ | title=''GameSpot''{{'}}s Best and Worst Video Games of 2001 | author=''GameSpot VG'' Staff | date=February 23, 2002 | work=[[GameSpot]] | archive-date=August 3, 2002 }}</ref> The [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts]] awarded ''Halo'' "Best Console Game" and ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' presented it with their "Best Original Soundtrack" award. ''Halo'' also won ''[[EP Daily|The Electric Playground]]''{{'}}s 2001 "Best Console Shooter" award,<ref name=blister2001>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030713062025/http://www.elecplay.com/feature.html?id=8152&page=5 | url=http://www.elecplay.com/feature.html?id=8152&page=5 | title=Blister Awards 2001 | author=Staff | date=January 25, 2002 | archive-date=July 13, 2003 | work=[[EP Daily|The Electric Playground]] }}</ref> the "11th Annual [[GamePro]] Readers' Choice Awards" for "Best Combat Game of The Year",{{efn|The Xbox Version of ''Halo'' won the awards which voted by the general public, over the [[Unreal Tournament]] ([[Epic Games]]/[[Infogrames Entertainment, SA|Infogrames]]), [[Quake III Arena|Quake III: Revolution]] ([[Activision]]/[[Electronic Arts|EA]]/[[Squaresoft]]), and the PlayStation 2 Version of [[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]] ([[Vivendi Universal Games|Vivendi]]-[[Universal Pictures|Universal]]).}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=11th Annual Gamepro Readers' Choice Awards|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=161|publisher=[[International Data Group]]|date=February 2002|pages=44–45}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Readers' Choice: Your Best of 2001|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=166|publisher=[[International Data Group]]|date=July 2002|pages=42–43}}</ref> and [[Golden Joystick Awards]] for "Xbox Game of the Year" in 2002.{{efn|The 2002 Golden Joystick Awards was hosted by [[Jonathan Ross]] of ''[[Friday Night with Jonathan Ross]]'' and ''[[Japanorama]]''.}}<ref>{{cite web |title=2002 Golden Joystick Awards Wrap-Up |url=https://www.gamezone.com/originals/2002-golden-joystick-awards-wrap-up/ |website=GameZone |author=Kombo |date=May 4, 2012 |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-date=December 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221213051708/https://www.gamezone.com/originals/2002-golden-joystick-awards-wrap-up/ |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as [[VGX (award show)|Spike Video Game Awards]] for "Best PC Game" in 2003.<ref>"Spike TV honors digital women, Ray Liotta in video game awards", ''The Victoria Advocate'', December 4, 2003.</ref>


The success of the game led to a sequel, ''[[Halo 2]]'', which was announced on August 8, 2002, at Microsoft's [[X (Xbox show)|X02]] press event.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 8, 2002 |title=Halo 2 and Project Gotham Racing 2 Announced! |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/367/367129p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020813001604/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/367/367129p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 13, 2002 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref> It featured improved graphics, new weapons and enemies, and a multiplayer mode on Xbox Live.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blevins |first=Tal |date=August 20, 2004 |title=Halo 2 Hands-On |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/540/540845p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040821185343/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/540/540845p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 21, 2004 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mirabella |first=Fran |date=May 24, 2004 |title=Halo 2 Multiplayer Hands-On Vol. 4 |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/518/518409p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040529173854/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/518/518409p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 29, 2004 |access-date=March 19, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref> ''Halo 2'' was released on the Xbox on [[2004#November|November 9, 2004]], and later for [[Windows Vista]] on May 17, 2007. The game was released in two different editions: a standard edition with just the game disc and traditional Xbox packaging; and the Collector's Edition with a specially designed steel case, along with an additional bonus DVD, extra booklet, and slightly different user manual. ''Halo 2'' introduced new gameplay elements, chief among them the ability to hold and fire two weapons simultaneously, known as "[[dual-wielding]]".<ref name="ugo halo2 retro">{{Cite web |title=''Halo'' Retrospective: Halo 2 |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/halo-retrospective/?cur=halo-2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210014408/http://www.ugo.com/games/halo-retrospective/?cur=halo-2 |archive-date=February 10, 2008 |access-date=February 19, 2008 |publisher=[[UGO Networks]]}}</ref> Unlike its predecessor, ''Halo 2'' fully supported online multiplayer via [[Xbox network|Xbox LIVE]]. The game uses "matchmaking" to facilitate joining online matches by grouping players looking for certain types of games.<ref name="ugo halo2 retro" /> This was a change from the more traditional "server list" approach, which was used to find matches in online games at this time.<ref name="halo2mostplayed">{{Cite web |date=February 21, 2006 |title=Halo 2 tops Live most-played list |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62981 |access-date=December 10, 2006 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216143357/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62981 |url-status=live }}</ref>
''Halo: Combat Evolved'' won four awards at the [[5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards]] (now known as the [[D.I.C.E. Awards]]): "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Game of the Year|Game of the Year]]", "Console Game of the Year", "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Action Game of the Year|Console Action/Adventure Game of the Year]]", and "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement|Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering]]"; it also received nominations for "Outstanding Innovation in Console Gaming", "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Design|Outstanding Achievement in Game Design]]", "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement|Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering]]", and "[[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction|Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction]]"<ref>{{cite web |title=Halo: Combat Evolved 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2002&idGame=344 |website=[[Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences|AIAS]] |access-date=3 July 2023}}</ref>


''[[Halo 3]]'' was announced at the 2006 [[E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo)|Electronic Entertainment Expo]].<ref name="announcement">{{Cite web |last=Achronos |date=May 9, 2006 |title=Halo 3 Announced |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Halo3Announcement |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504003627/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Halo3Announcement |archive-date=May 4, 2008 |access-date=August 6, 2007 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref> It utilized a proprietary, in-house [[Game engine|graphics engine]], and employed advanced graphics technologies.<ref name="igntrailer">{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Kathleen |date=May 9, 2006 |title=E3 2k6: Halo 3 Trailer Impressions |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/706/706251p1.html |access-date=June 25, 2007 |website=IGN |archive-date=February 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207214234/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/706/706251p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Klepek |first=Patrick |date=March 19, 2007 |title=Bungie Says ''Halo 3'' Graphics are coming Together |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3158071 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718154627/http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3158071 |archive-date=July 18, 2012 |access-date=October 2, 2007 |website=[[1UP.com]]}}</ref> ''Halo 3'' is the final game in the original ''Halo'' trilogy, ending the [[story arc]] begun in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.<ref name="h3announcement">{{Cite web |last=Achronos |date=May 9, 2006 |title=Halo 3 Announced |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Halo3Announcement |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504003627/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=Halo3Announcement |archive-date=May 4, 2008 |access-date=August 6, 2007 |website=Inside Bungie |publisher=Bungie}}</ref> The game was released on the [[Xbox 360]] on September 25, 2007.<ref name="h3releasedate">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Luke |date=May 15, 2007 |title=Finish the Fight on September 25, 2007 |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12467 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518024809/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12467 |archive-date=May 18, 2007 |access-date=May 16, 2007 |publisher=Bungie |quote=On September 25, 2007, players will be able to finish the fight they started in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2. Halo 3 will release in Europe on September 26, 2007 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> It adds to the series vehicles, weapons, and a class of items called equipment.<ref name="ignburning">{{Cite web |last=Goldstein, Hilary |date=August 10, 2007 |title=Burn, Baby! Burn! |url=http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/812/812177p1.html |access-date=August 10, 2007 |website=[[IGN]] |pages=1–2 |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720104610/http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/812/812177p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The game also includes a limited map-editing tool, known as the [[Forge (level editor)|Forge]], which allows players to insert game objects, such as weapons and vehicles, into existing multiplayer map geometry.<ref name="Bungie-podcast082707">{{Cite AV media |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/Bungie_Podcast_082807.mp3 |title=Official Bungie Podcast: 08/28/07 |date=August 28, 2007 |last=Jarrard, Brian; O'Connor, Frank; Smith, Luke |publisher=[[Bungie]] |access-date=September 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206033704/http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/Bungie_Podcast_082807.mp3 |archive-date=February 6, 2012}}</ref> Players can save a recording of their gameplay sessions, and view them as video, from any angle.<ref name="edge179">{{Cite magazine |date=September 2007 |title=Finish the Fight |url=http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2007/08/edge_179.php |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge (UK)]] |issue=179 |pages=66–77 |issn=1350-1593 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930183634/http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2007/08/edge_179.php |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=August 7, 2007}}</ref>
''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' reviewed the [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]] version of the game, rating it five stars out of five, and stated that "If you didn't think there was a reason to buy an Xbox, ''Halo'' will change your mind."<ref name="NGv5n1">{{cite magazine|title=Next Gen's Ultimate Xbox Review Guide|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|volume=5|issue=1|publisher=[[Future US|Imagine Media]]|date=January 2002|page=25}}</ref>


Following ''Halo 3''{{'}}s release, Bungie became an independent company once more. They created two more ''Halo'' games as part of their deal with Microsoft: a side story, ''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'' (2009), and a prequel, ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' (2010). ''Reach'' was Bungie's final work on a ''Halo'' release.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}
Although ''Halo''{{'}}s overall reception was largely positive, the game received criticism for its level design. GameSpy commented, "you'll trudge through countless hallways and control rooms that all look exactly the same, fighting identical-looking groups of enemies over and over and over...it is simply frustrating to see a game with such groundbreaking sequences too often degenerate [into] this kind of mindless, repetitive action."<ref name="gamespy_review" /> Similarly, an article on Game Studies.org remarked, "In the latter part of the game, the scenarios rely on repetition and quantity rather than innovativeness and quality."<ref name=gamestudies /> [[Eurogamer]] concluded, "Halo is very much a game of two halves. The first half is fast, exciting, beautifully designed and constantly full of surprises. The second half is festooned with gobsmacking plot twists and great cinematics but let down by repetitive paint-by-numbers level design."<ref name="eurogamer_review" /> ''Halo'' was released prior to the launch of Xbox Live, and the lack of both online multiplayer and bots to simulate human players was criticized by GameSpy;<ref name="gamespy_review" /> in 2003 GameSpy included ''Halo'' in a list of "Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time."<ref name=gamespy />


===2010–present: 343 Industries games===
''Halo''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s PC port received generally favorable reviews, garnering a score of 83% on Metacritic.<ref name="metacritic_pc" /> GameSpot stated that it was "still an incredible action game ... [and] a true classic," awarding it 9.0 out of 10.<ref name="halopcreview" /> It received a score of 8.2 out of 10 from IGN, who stated, "If you've played the game on the Xbox, there's not much for you here."<ref name="ignreview4" /> Eurogamer called the game "a missed opportunity," but stated that the online multiplayer component was "a massive draw ... for ''Halo'' veterans."<ref name="eurogamer" /> The PC Port of ''Halo'' was heavily criticised for having poor performance issues even on a [[Athlon 64]] or [[Pentium 4#Northwood (Extreme Edition)|Pentium 4 Extreme Edition]]-Based High-end PC at that time.<ref name="halopcreview" /><ref name="ignreview4" />
{{Main|Halo 4|l1 = ''Halo 4''|Halo 5: Guardians|l2 = ''Halo 5: Guardians''|Halo Infinite|l3 = ''Halo Infinite''}}


While Bungie remained involved in the ''Halo'' series by developing games such as ''ODST'' and ''Reach'', the rights to ''Halo'' remained with Microsoft. To oversee everything ''Halo'', Microsoft created an internal division, [[343 Industries]], to oversee the franchise.<ref name="latimes-halo legend">{{Cite news |last=Fritz, Ben |date=July 22, 2009 |title=Video game publishers Microsoft, Ubisoft invading Hollywood's turf |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/07/video-game-publishers-microsoft-ubisoft-invading-hollywoods-turf.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724220359/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com//entertainmentnewsbuzz//2009//07//video-game-publishers-microsoft-ubisoft-invading-hollywoods-turf.html |archive-date=July 24, 2009}}</ref><ref name="343 takes helm">{{Cite news |last=Milian |first=Mark |date=May 11, 2011 |title='Halo' and creators move on after divorce |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/05/11/bungie.halo/ |access-date=July 10, 2014 |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109221558/http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/05/11/bungie.halo/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Orry |first=James |date=July 21, 2009 |title=Is 343 Industries Microsoft's Halo studio? |url=http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/halo_reach/news/is_343_industries_microsofts_halo_studio.html |access-date=January 6, 2013 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221610/http://www.videogamer.com/xbox360/halo_reach/news/is_343_industries_microsofts_halo_studio.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="two">{{Cite news |last=Milian |first=Mark |date=May 11, 2011 |title=Halo' and creators move on after divorce |publisher=CNN |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/05/11/bungie.halo/index.html?_s=PM:TECH |access-date=January 5, 2013 |archive-date=January 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108135329/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/gaming.gadgets/05/11/bungie.halo/index.html?_s=PM:TECH |url-status=live }}</ref>
''Halo'' has been praised [[List of video games considered the best|as one of the greatest video games of all time]],<ref name="edge_list" /><ref name="gamepro_list" /> and was ranked by [[IGN]] as the fourth-best first-person shooter made.<ref name="ign_rank" /> In 2017, [[The Strong National Museum of Play]] inducted ''Halo'' to its [[World Video Game Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Halo: Combat Evolved |url=https://www.museumofplay.org/games/halo-combat-evolved/ |website=[[The Strong National Museum of Play]] |publisher=[[The Strong]] |access-date=6 May 2022 |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506140450/https://www.museumofplay.org/games/halo-combat-evolved/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:343 Industries logo.svg|alt=343 Industries was formed internally at Microsoft Game Studios in 2007 following Bungie's separation, to supervise the development of all Halo franchise products including games, television and film projects.|thumb|343 Industries was established by Microsoft Game Studios in 2007 to oversee the ''Halo'' games and associated media. ]]
343 had already codeveloped the ''[[Halo Legends]]'' animated series and had overseen production of ''Halo: Reach'' and 2011's ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'', a [[Video game remaster|remaster]] of the franchise's debut title.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 6, 2011 |title=Microsoft leaks details about next Halo game |work=[[VentureBeat]] |url=https://venturebeat.com/2011/06/06/microsoft-e3-halo-game/ |access-date=August 6, 2012 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143437/https://venturebeat.com/2011/06/06/microsoft-e3-halo-game/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The next game in the series, ''[[Halo 4]]'', was announced at [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]] 2011 as the first entry in what would be originally known as the "Reclaimer Trilogy".<ref name="ReclaimerB">{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=August 28, 2011 |title=Halo 4, 5, 6 the "Reclaimer Trilogy" |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-28-halo-4-5-6-the-reclaimer-trilogy |access-date=July 1, 2013 |website=Eurogamer |archive-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629061432/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-28-halo-4-5-6-the-reclaimer-trilogy |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ReclaimerA">{{Cite web |title=343 Industries opens up on Halo 4, The Reclaimer Trilogy |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/343-industries-opens-up-on-halo-4-the-reclaimer-trilogy/1100-6331567/ |access-date=November 13, 2014 |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc. |archive-date=October 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014130634/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/343-industries-opens-up-on-halo-4-the-reclaimer-trilogy/1100-6331567/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The game included many staples of previous games, such as new or redesigned weapon types,<ref name="G4 - Promethean Guide">{{Cite web |last=Rosenberg |first=Adam |date=November 7, 2012 |title=Halo 4 Promethean Guide&nbsp;– Enemies, New Weapons, And What It Takes To Win |url=http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/729366/halo-4-promethean-guide-enemies-new-weapons-and-what-it-takes-to-win/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114050202/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/729366/halo-4-promethean-guide-enemies-new-weapons-and-what-it-takes-to-win/ |archive-date=January 14, 2013 |access-date=November 11, 2012 |website=[[G4 (U.S. TV channel)|G4]]}}</ref> an improved map-editing tool<ref name="polygon-forge">{{Cite web |last=McElroy |first=Griffin |date=July 7, 2012 |title='Halo 4' Forge mode in development at Certain Affinity |url=http://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/7/7/3143361/halo-4-forge-mode-in-development-at-certain-affinity |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053931/http://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/7/7/3143361/halo-4-forge-mode-in-development-at-certain-affinity |archive-date=September 21, 2013 |access-date=June 6, 2013 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]}}</ref> and expanded multiplayer options and maps.<ref name="bulletin101012">{{Cite web |last=Shea |first=Jessica |date=October 10, 2012 |title=The Halo Bulletin: 10.10.12 |url=http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/10/10/The-Halo-Bulletin-101012-.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606053235/http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2012/10/10/The-Halo-Bulletin-101012-.aspx |archive-date=June 6, 2013 |access-date=October 14, 2012 |publisher=HaloWaypoint.com}}</ref> ''Halo 4'' was released worldwide on November 6, 2012,<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 18, 2012 |title=Halo 4 release date confirmed for November by Microsoft |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17755467 |access-date=June 14, 2012 |website=[[Newsbeat|BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat]] |publisher=BBC |archive-date=May 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502122545/http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/17755467 |url-status=live }}</ref> achieving record sales for the franchise.<ref name="usatoday - sales">{{Cite web |last=Molina |first=Brett |date=November 12, 2012 |title='Halo 4' snags $220 million on first day |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2012/11/12/halo-4-sales-first-day/1700277/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121204192355/http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2012/11/12/halo-4-sales-first-day/1700277/ |archive-date=December 4, 2012 |access-date=November 12, 2012 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> In a new addition to the series, a story-driven multiplayer campaign entitled ''[[Spartan Ops]]'' was released over the weeks following ''Halo 4''{{'}}s release, telling what happened after the end of the main game.<ref name="ign-spartanops">{{Cite web |last=Dyer |first=Mitch |date=April 9, 2012 |title=Spartan Ops and Infinity Change Halo 4 Multiplayer |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/04/09/spartan-ops-and-infinity-change-halo-4-multiplayer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013073242/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/04/09/spartan-ops-and-infinity-change-halo-4-multiplayer |archive-date=October 13, 2013 |access-date=July 23, 2012 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref> In announcing the formation of 343 Industries, Microsoft also announced that Xbox Live would be home to a central hub for ''Halo'' content called Halo Waypoint.<ref name="microsoft-waypoint press release">{{Cite web |date=July 23, 2009 |title=Halo Legends and Halo Waypoint Announced at Comic-Con |url=http://halo.xbox.com/article-Halo-Legends-Waypoint.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090726104727/http://halo.xbox.com/article-Halo-Legends-Waypoint.html |archive-date=July 26, 2009 |access-date=July 25, 2009 |publisher=Xbox.com}}</ref> Waypoint is accessed from the [[Xbox 360 Dashboard]] and offers players access to multimedia content in addition to tracking their ''Halo'' game "career". O'Connor described Waypoint as intended to be the prime destination for ''Halo''.<ref name="kotaku-waypoint overview">{{Cite web |last=McWhertor, Michael |date=July 25, 2009 |title=Halo Waypoint Further Detailed By Microsoft |url=http://kotaku.com/5322449/halo-waypoint-further-detailed-by-microsoft |access-date=July 25, 2009 |website=Kotaku |archive-date=July 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090726223028/http://kotaku.com/5322449/halo-waypoint-further-detailed-by-microsoft |url-status=live }}</ref>


In December 2014, 343 Industries general manager Bonnie Ross expressed Microsoft's aim for the ''Halo'' series to last at least 30 more years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=December 15, 2014 |title=Microsoft Wants Halo to Last Another 30 Years |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-wants-halo-to-last-another-30-years/1100-6424217/ |access-date=December 17, 2014 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217145258/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-wants-halo-to-last-another-30-years/1100-6424217/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Legacy ==
''Halo'' is credited with modernizing the FPS genre.<ref name="retrogamer-makingof"/> According to GameSpot, ''Halo''{{'}}s "numerous subtle innovations have been borrowed by countless other games since".<ref name=bestlaunchgames /> The game is often cited as the main reason for the Xbox's success,<ref name=theage /> and it began what is commonly regarded as the system's flagship franchise.<ref name=cnet /> In July 2006, [[Next Generation Magazine|Next-Gen.biz]] published an article estimating ''Halo'' as the second-highest revenue-generating 21st century console video game in the United States, behind ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]''.<ref name=nextgen.biz /> The game's popularity sparked the usage of terms such as "''Halo'' clone"<ref name=voodooextreme /><ref name=xboxgamezone /><ref name=eurogamer5 /> and "''Halo'' killer",<ref name="gamespy_killzone" /> applied to games either similar to or anticipated to be better than it.<ref name="joystiq_moore" /> The ''Halo'' engine has been used for the game ''[[Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse]]''.<ref name=gamespy100 />


''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', was released for the [[Xbox One]] on October 27, 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Halo Journey |url=http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/games-halo-journey-announcement |access-date=December 15, 2014 |website=Xbox Wire |date=May 16, 2014 |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |archive-date=May 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516143350/http://news.xbox.com/2014/05/games-halo-journey-announcement |url-status=live }}</ref> The game takes place across many worlds, mainly the Elite homeworld, and revolves around Spartan Locke's hunt for the rogue Master Chief, who is trying to find a still-living Cortana.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Statt |first=Nick |date=September 23, 2015 |title=Halo 5: Guardians' story shows Master Chief at his most vulnerable |url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/9/23/9372765/halo-5-guardians-campaign-mode-hands-on |access-date=November 8, 2015 |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |archive-date=November 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151112183804/http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/23/9372765/halo-5-guardians-campaign-mode-hands-on |url-status=live }}</ref>
''Halo'' has been featured at both [[Major League Gaming]] and the [[World Cyber Games]].<ref name=gamespot10 /><ref name=gamespot11 /> The game's sequel, ''[[Halo 2]]'', made [[United States dollars|US$]]125 million with unit sales of 2.38&nbsp;million on the first day of its release,<ref name=msnbc /> earning it the distinction of the fastest-selling United States media product in history.<ref name=gameindustry.biz /> Three years later, ''[[Halo 3]]'' shattered that record with the biggest opening day in entertainment history, taking in US$170&nbsp;million in its first 24 hours.<ref name="gamepro_halo3_records" />


The third part of the Reclaimer Saga, ''[[Halo Infinite]]'', was announced during [[E3 2018]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Watts |first=Steve |title=E3 2018: Halo Infinite Revealed As New Halo Xbox One Game |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2018-halo-infinite-revealed-as-new-halo-xbox-on/1100-6459571/ |access-date=June 10, 2018 |website=GameSpot}}</ref> It brings the focus back to Master Chief, and Halo's roots by taking place on the new Zeta Halo. The story mainly focuses on exploring the deeper lore of the ''Halo'' series, finding what happened to Cortana, and battles with the Banished.<ref name="playingthehits">{{Cite web |last=Byford |first=Sam |date=December 6, 2021 |title=Halo Infinite Campaign Review: Playing the Hits |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/6/22820011/halo-infinite-campaign-review-xbox-series-x |access-date=February 27, 2022 |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]]}}</ref> It released December 2021.<ref name="verge_2021-08-25">{{cite web|last=Warren|first=Tom|date=August 25, 2021|url=https://www.theverge.com/22637945/halo-infinite-release-date-launch|title=Halo Infinite is launching on December 8th|website=[[The Verge]]|access-date=October 26, 2021|archive-date=October 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026180621/https://www.theverge.com/22637945/halo-infinite-release-date-launch|url-status=live}}</ref>
In addition, the game inspired and was used in the fan-created ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' video series, which is credited as the "first big success" of [[machinima]] (the technique of using real-time 3D engines, often from video games, to create animated films).<ref name="summit_journal" />


On October 6, 2024 during the year's ''Halo'' World Championships, 343 Industries unveiled a seven-minute video where they officially announced their rebranding as Halo Studios, while also confirming that multiple new games in the series were currently in development, and that said games would use [[Unreal Engine 5]] as opposed to the proprietary Slipspace Engine.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |date=2024-10-06 |title=Future Halo Games Moving to Unreal Engine 5 as 343 Industries Rebrands, 'Multiple Projects' in Development |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/future-halo-games-moving-to-unreal-engine-as-developer-343-industries-officially-changes-its-name |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> Studio head Pierre Hintze explained that the decision to rebrand the studio came from an internal shift in development philosophy behind the franchise, giving the team a "clean break" as was the case with transitioning between Bungie and 343.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Skrebels |first=Joe |date=2024-10-06 |title=Halo Studios: New Name, New Engine, New Games, New Philosophy |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/10/06/halo-studios-unreal-engine-interview/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Xbox Wire |language=en-US}}</ref> Halo Studios also unveiled "Project Foundry", described as a "multi-discipline research and reflection" project experimenting with the series' aesthetics in Unreal Engine 5, while also acting as a reference tool for training developers on future entries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=343 INDUSTRIES |first=Official |date=October 6, 2024 |title=A New Dawn |url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/a-new-dawn |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Halo Waypoint |language=en-us}}</ref>
=== ''Halo: Custom Edition'' ===
On March 15, 2004, [[Gearbox Software]] released '''''Halo: Custom Edition''''' for Windows, which enabled players to use custom-made maps and [[mod (computer gaming)|game modifications]] via the ''Halo'' Editing Kit developed by Bungie.<ref name=ign4 /> ''Halo: Custom Edition'' consists of multiplayer maps and requires an original copy of ''Halo'' for PC to install. Custom maps can be both single and multiplayer.<ref name=ign4/>


=== Remaster ===
===Spin-offs===
{{Main|Halo Wars|l1=''Halo Wars''|Halo 3: ODST|l2=''Halo 3: ODST''|Halo: Spartan Assault|l3=''Halo: Spartan Assault''|Halo: Spartan Strike|l4=''Halo: Spartan Strike''|Halo Wars 2|l5=''Halo Wars 2''}}
{{Main|Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary}}
During the Microsoft press conference at the [[E3 2011|2011 E3 Expo]], it was revealed that ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' would be remade by [[343 Industries]] with an in-house game engine and would include achievements, Terminals, and Skulls. It was released for the Xbox 360 on November 15, 2011. The release date marks the 10th anniversary of the original game's release.<ref name=remk /> The remastered version of the original game includes online multiplayer and cooperative play functionality.<ref name="usa_today_halo_trilogy" /> The remaster is also the first ''Halo'' game to include [[Kinect]] support.<ref name="cvg_cea_kinect" /> The game is a mix of two [[game engine]]s—the original Halo engine created by Bungie, which provides gameplay, and a new engine created by 343 Industries and Saber that is responsible for improved graphics—and the player is able to switch between the improved and classic modes of the game at any time.<ref name="vg247_cea_engine" /> The game's multiplayer component uses the ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' gameplay engine, tailored with a map playlist to mimic the original multiplayer, as opposed to including the original game's multiplayer mode.


The success of the main ''Halo'' trilogy spurred the creation of spin-off games. ''[[Halo Wars]]'' is a [[real-time strategy]] game developed by [[Ensemble Studios]] for the Xbox 360. Set in the year 2531, the game takes place 21 years prior to the events of ''Halo: Combat Evolved''. Much effort was spent on developing a control scheme that was simple and intuitive, unlike other console strategy games.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Andy |date=June 21, 2007 |title=Interview: Ensemble talks up the console RTS |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=168577 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813050714/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=168577 |archive-date=August 13, 2007 |access-date=October 4, 2007 |website=[[Computer and Video Games]]}}</ref> The game was announced at [[X06 (Xbox show)|X06]], and released in February and March 2009.
''Anniversary'' was later included as part of ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]''.<ref name="eurog_mcc" /><ref name="polygon" /><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/3/21163312/halo-1-combat-evolved-windows-pc-release-343-industries |title= Halo: Combat Evolved is now on PC |first= Nicole |last= Carpenter |date= March 4, 2020 |access-date= March 4, 2020 |work= [[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |archive-date= March 4, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200304022026/https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/3/21163312/halo-1-combat-evolved-windows-pc-release-343-industries |url-status= live }}</ref>


In October 2017, 343 Industries developed and released a [[virtual reality]] demo title in partnership with Endeavor One called ''Halo Recruit''.<ref name="waypoint_recruit">{{Cite web |last=Wolfkill |first=Kiki |date=October 17, 2017 |title=Introducing Halo Recruit |url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/introducing-halo-recruit |access-date=May 5, 2019 |website=Halo Waypoint |archive-date=May 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508200330/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/introducing-halo-recruit |url-status=live }}</ref>
The ''Anniversary'' version of the game is the version featured in ''The Master Chief Collection'' for Xbox One. The single-player game is nearly identical to the Xbox 360 version, including the ability to swap between the updated "anniversary" graphics and the original game graphics, but excluding Stereoscopic 3DTV support.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2014-what-works-and-what-doesnt-in-halo-the-master-chief-collection |title=What works - and what doesn't - in Halo: The Master Chief Collection |newspaper=Eurogamer.net |date=November 11, 2014 }}</ref> However, unlike the Xbox 360 release, the multiplayer component is the original multiplayer engine from ''Combat Evolved'' as opposed to ''Halo: Reach'' and is playable over Xbox Live.
[[File:Halo Fireteam Raven.jpg|upright|thumb|A ''Fireteam Raven'' arcade booth in [[Edinburgh]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]]]In 2018, 343 Industries partnered with [[Raw Thrills]] and PlayMechanix to develop a coin-operated [[arcade game]] called ''{{vanchor|Halo: Fireteam Raven}}'' that was released in the later part of 2018, with Round1 USA and [[Dave & Buster's]] arcades releasing first.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Warren |first=Tom |date=May 17, 2018 |title=Microsoft's new Halo arcade game lives inside a giant coin-operated machine |url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/17/17365780/halo-fireteam-raven-arcade-game-details |access-date=May 17, 2018 |website=[[The Verge]] |archive-date=May 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518060716/https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/17/17365780/halo-fireteam-raven-arcade-game-details |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Raw Thrills and Microsoft join forces to bring Halo to arcades |date=May 18, 2018 |url=http://arcadeheroes.com/2018/05/17/raw-thrills-microsoft-join-forces-to-bring-halo-to-arcades/ |access-date=October 11, 2018 |publisher=Arcade Heroes |archive-date=September 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927013742/http://arcadeheroes.com/2018/05/17/raw-thrills-microsoft-join-forces-to-bring-halo-to-arcades/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


===Alternative reality games===
== Notes ==
{{Further|I Love Bees|l1=''I Love Bees''|Marketing of Halo 3|l2=Marketing of ''Halo 3''}}
{{Notelist}}


[[Alternative reality game]]s have been used to promote the release of ''Halo'' games, beginning with the [[Cortana Letters]], a series of cryptic email messages, circulated by Bungie prior to ''Halo: Combat Evolved''{{'}}s release.<ref name="HaloHist">{{Cite web |last=McLaughlin |first=Rus |date=September 20, 2007 |title=IGN Presents The History of Halo |url=http://retro.ign.com/articles/821/821618p1.html |access-date=March 20, 2008 |website=IGN |archive-date=May 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515003712/http://retro.ign.com/articles/821/821618p1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''I Love Bees'' was used to promote the release of ''Halo&nbsp;2''. The game revolved around a website created by [[42 Entertainment]], commissioned by Microsoft and endorsed by Bungie. Over the course of the game, audio clips were released that eventually formed a complete five-hour story set on Earth between ''Halo'' and ''Halo&nbsp;2''.<ref name="Bees-Wired">{{Cite magazine |last=Terdiman |first=Daniel |date=October 18, 2004 |title=I Love Bees Game a Surprise Hit |url=http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/10/65365 |magazine=[[Wired News]] |access-date=March 19, 2008 |archive-date=October 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015184726/http://archive.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/10/65365 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NYT-Bees">{{Cite news |last=Shachman |first=Noah |date=November 4, 2004 |title=Sci-Fi Fans Are Called Into an Alternate Reality |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/technology/circuits/04bees.html |access-date=March 19, 2008 |archive-date=September 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925071912/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/04/technology/circuits/04bees.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Similarly, ''Iris'' was used as a [[viral marketing]] campaign for the release of ''Halo&nbsp;3''.<ref name="brandweek">{{Cite web |last=Hein |first=Kenneth |date=September 10, 2007 |title=Anatomy Of An Onslaught: How Halo 3 Attacked |url=http://www.brandweek.com/bw/magazine/current/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003637129 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210123556/http://www.brandweek.com/bw/magazine/current/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003637129 |archive-date=February 10, 2008 |access-date=March 20, 2008 |website=[[Brandweek]]}}</ref> It featured five web servers containing various media files related to the ''Halo'' universe.
== References ==
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{{Reflist|refs=
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<ref name="artofhalo">{{cite book |last= Trautmann|first=Eric|title=The Art of Halo|year= 2004|publisher= Del Ray Publishing|location=New York |isbn=0-345-47586-0}}</ref>


===Canceled and rumoured projects===
<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web | date=February 28, 2002 | url=http://www.interactive.org/awards/2002_5th_awards.asp | title=2002 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards | publisher=[[The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]] | access-date=September 1, 2006 | archive-date=June 29, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629131730/http://www.interactive.org/awards/2002_5th_awards.asp | url-status=live }}</ref>
In the 2000s, spin-off titles were planned or rumored for the [[Game Boy Advance]],<ref name="gamespot-halo gba rumor">{{Cite web |last=Thorsen, Tor |date=June 18, 2004 |title=Rumor Control: Halo GBA and Dirty Harry: The Game |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6100959.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219060039/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6100959.html |archive-date=February 19, 2006 |access-date=June 6, 2008 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> [[Gizmondo]],<ref name="HaloGizmondo">{{Cite web |last=Thorsen, Tor |date=January 7, 2005 |title=Rumor Control: Xbox Next Patents and Gizmondo Halo |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6115985.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201044950/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6115985.html |archive-date=December 1, 2008 |access-date=June 6, 2008 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Grant, Christopher |date=May 5, 2006 |title=Gizmondo Halo "project" used cam-mouselook |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/05/gizmondo-halo-project-used-cam-mouselook/ |access-date=June 6, 2008 |publisher=Joystiq |archive-date=November 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107013755/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/05/gizmondo-halo-project-used-cam-mouselook/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Ultra-Mobile PC]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thorsen, Tor |date=March 9, 2006 |title=Origami officially unveiled |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6145658.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007085757/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6145658.html |archive-date=October 7, 2008 |access-date=June 12, 2008 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> and [[Nintendo DS]].<ref name="DS">{{Cite web |last=Casamassina, Matt |author-link=Matt Casamassina |date=January 1, 2007 |title=Matt Casamassina claims playing Halo DS |url=http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/2007/01/04/42284 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907092350/http://blogs.ign.com/Matt-IGN/2007/01/04/42284 <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=September 7, 2007 |access-date=October 2, 2007 |url-status=dead |website=IGN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-07-18 |title=Bungie: If Halo DS existed it wasn't from us |url=https://www.siliconera.com/bungie-if-halo-ds-existed-it-wasn%E2%80%99t-from-us/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Siliconera |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Casamassina, Matt |author-link=Matt Casamassina |date=October 2, 2007 |title=Matt Casamassina demonstrates 'Halo DS' |url=http://ds.kombo.com/article.php?artid=5828 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141735/http://ds.kombo.com/article.php?artid=5828 |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |access-date=October 2, 2007 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref name="Kotaku">{{Cite web |last=Crecente |first=Brian |date=October 5, 2007 |title=Bungie Owns Bungie: The Q&A |url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/feature/bungie-owns-bungie-the-qa-307656.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011004138/http://kotaku.com/gaming/feature/bungie-owns-bungie-the-qa-307656.php |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=October 5, 2007 |website=Kotaku}}</ref> Microsoft announced an episodic video game to be developed by film director [[Peter Jackson]]'s Wingnut Interactive in 2006.<ref name="bungie-update4/25/08">{{Cite web |last=O'Connor |first=Frank |date=April 25, 2008 |title=Bungie Weekly Update 04/25/08 |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13690 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611024627/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=13690 |archive-date=June 11, 2009 |access-date=April 23, 2009 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref> The game, ''Halo: Chronicles'',<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Robinson, Andy |date=August 1, 2008 |title=Microsoft STILL hiring for Halo Chronicles |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=194439 |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Computer and Video Games]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822121612/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=194439 |archive-date=August 22, 2008 |access-date=February 9, 2009}}</ref> was ultimately canceled as part of budget cuts tied to job layoffs in January 2009.<ref name="latimes-chronicles cancelled">{{Cite news |last=Fritz, Ben |date=July 27, 2009 |title=Halo project dead, Peter Jackson's working on original video games |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/07/peter-jacksons-halo-projects-dead-working-on-original-video-games.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731111522/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/07/peter-jacksons-halo-projects-dead-working-on-original-video-games.html |archive-date=July 31, 2009}}</ref><ref name="joystiq-jackson interview">{{Cite web |last=Kelly, Kevin |date=July 24, 2009 |title=Peter Jackson tells Joystiq about the Halo movie, video game project |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/24/peter-jackson-tells-joystiq-about-the-halo-movie-video-games/ |access-date=July 24, 2009 |publisher=Joystiq |archive-date=November 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107014112/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/24/peter-jackson-tells-joystiq-about-the-halo-movie-video-games/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="gamasutra-07/09 reports">{{Cite web |last=Nutt, Christian |date=July 24, 2009 |title=Reports: Halo: Reach Bungie's Last Halo Game, More |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24578 |access-date=July 25, 2009 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=July 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729180151/https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24578 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ensemble Studios developed a ''Halo''-themed [[massively multiplayer online game]], often referred to as ''Titan Project'', or just ''Titan''. The project was canceled internally in 2007–2008, without a formal announcement from Microsoft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=September 23, 2008 |title=Exclusive: Ensemble Studios' Canceled Project Was Halo MMO |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20153 |access-date=October 27, 2009 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=November 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110174502/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=20153 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=HALO MMO (Titan) [X360 PC&nbsp;– Cancelled]&nbsp;– Unseen 64 |url=http://www.unseen64.net/2008/09/23/halo-mmo-titan-x360pc-cancelled/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423030039/http://www.unseen64.net/2008/09/23/halo-mmo-titan-x360pc-cancelled/ |archive-date=April 23, 2012 |website=Unseen 64: Beta, Cancelled & Unseen Videogames!}}</ref>


{{anchor|Halo Online}}
<ref name=bungiefaq>{{cite web | url=http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=FAQs&page=1 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427084242/http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo/page.aspx?section=FAQInfo&subsection=FAQs&page=1 | archive-date=April 27, 2006 | title=''Halo'' : FAQInfo: FAQs | publisher=[[Bungie]] | access-date=September 7, 2006 }}</ref>
343 Industries announced a [[free-to-play]] ''Halo'' multiplayer game for Windows PC, ''Halo Online'', in 2015. The game launched with a closed [[beta test]] limited to Russia that year. The title was developed with [[Saber Interactive]] using modified version of the ''Halo 3'' engine, and published by Innova Systems.<ref name="halo_online">{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2015 |title=Halo Online closed beta launching in Russia |url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/halo-online-closed-beta-launching-in-russia |access-date=March 26, 2015 |website=Halo Waypoint |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |archive-date=March 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326120632/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/halo-online-closed-beta-launching-in-russia |url-status=dead }}</ref> The project was canceled in August 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Francis |first=Bryant |date=August 25, 2016 |title=Microsoft cancels free-to-play Halo Online |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/279960/Microsoft_cancels_freetoplay_Halo_Online.php |access-date=August 25, 2016 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |publisher=[[UBM plc|UBM]] |archive-date=August 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825231154/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/279960/Microsoft_cancels_freetoplay_Halo_Online.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="polygon_2016-08-25_halo online canceled">{{Cite news|url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/8/25/12650804/halo-online-pc-free-to-play-canceled|title=Russian free-to-play Halo Online canceled|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=2018-04-24|archive-date=February 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215200823/https://www.polygon.com/2016/8/25/12650804/halo-online-pc-free-to-play-canceled|url-status=live}}</ref> Players modified the game to circumvent the region limitations and add new content after the project's official cancellation.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Unofficial Halo Online mod adds six new maps from Halo 3 |language=en |work=pcgamer |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/unofficial-halo-online-mod-adds-six-new-maps-from-halo-3/ |access-date=January 30, 2017 |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202060237/http://www.pcgamer.com/unofficial-halo-online-mod-adds-six-new-maps-from-halo-3/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The "ElDewrito" project saw legal takedowns from Microsoft for violating its game usage rules.<ref name="variety_2018-04-25 eldewrito takedown">{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/halo-online-eldewrito-1202786417/|title=ElDewrito: Microsoft Freezes Development of Fan-Made 'Halo Online' Mod|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=2018-04-25|archive-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127115356/https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/halo-online-eldewrito-1202786417/|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite this, ElDewrito's playerbase remained active, and the modders claimed its popularity hastened Microsoft's plans to release a Windows version of ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' even though such a version would later officially release in December 2019 and would later include maps from Halo Online in further updates to the game.<ref name="pcgamer_2019-03-23 mcc eldewrito">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/halo-eldewrito-modders-gave-microsoft-a-kick-in-the-pants-over-master-chief-collection/|title=Halo ElDewrito modders gave Microsoft 'a kick in the pants' over Master Chief Collection|last=Horti|first=Samuel|date=2019-03-23|magazine=PC Gamer|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-21|archive-date=September 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929041740/https://www.pcgamer.com/halo-eldewrito-modders-gave-microsoft-a-kick-in-the-pants-over-master-chief-collection/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/halo-the-master-chief-collection/halo-eldewrito-mod-mcc|title=Halo ElDewrito modders are the reason MCC is coming to PC "right now"|website=PCGamesN|date=March 23, 2019 |language=en-GB|access-date=2019-06-21|archive-date=December 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205220907/https://www.pcgamesn.com/halo-the-master-chief-collection/halo-eldewrito-mod-mcc|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-28 |title=It's 2021 And Halo 3 Is Still Getting New Maps |url=https://kotaku.com/its-2021-and-halo-3-is-still-getting-new-maps-1847577777 |access-date=2024-07-05 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref>


A [[Mega Bloks]]-branded spinoff game, similar to the style of Lego video games, was prototyped for the Xbox 360 and never pursued several years prior to details and footage of the game leaking in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Good |first=Owen S. |date=2017-01-08 |title=Halo was getting a Mega Bloks game, according to leaked build (Update) |url=https://www.polygon.com/2017/1/8/14207190/halo-was-getting-a-mega-bloks-game-according-to-leaked-build |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>
<ref name=bungie.net20>{{cite web | url=http://bungie.net/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=History&subsection=Main&page=6 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041012021413/http://www.bungie.net/Inside/CustomPage.aspx?section=History&subsection=Main&page=6 | archive-date=October 12, 2004 | title= Inside Bungie: History | publisher=[[Bungie]] | access-date=June 19, 2006 }}</ref>


===Other appearances===
<ref name="bungie-bravenewworld">{{cite AV media |author=Bungie |date=August 4, 2011 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtG6--4r_qk |title=O Brave New World |publisher=Youtube |access-date=July 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819204021/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtG6--4r_qk |archive-date=August 19, 2022 }}</ref>
''Halo'' characters have appeared in tie-ins, such as the characters Spartan Nicole-458 and the Arbiter being playable fighters in ''[[Dead or Alive 4]]'' and ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct: Season Three]]'', respectively.<ref name="Bungie">{{Cite web |last=O'Connor, Frank |date=December 13, 2005 |title=Go Tell the Spartans: The Making of Slugfest |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=7349 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319093830/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=7349 |archive-date=March 19, 2008 |access-date=October 10, 2007 |publisher=[[Bungie]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McWhertor, Michael |date=February 21, 2016 |title=Halo's The Arbiter is coming to Killer Instinct Season 3 |url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/2/21/11084812/halo-the-arbiter-killer-instinct-season-3-xbox-one |access-date=February 22, 2016 |website=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |archive-date=February 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223033958/http://www.polygon.com/2016/2/21/11084812/halo-the-arbiter-killer-instinct-season-3-xbox-one |url-status=live }}</ref> Master Chief was added as a playable character in ''[[Fortnite]]'' alongside a stage inspired by a ''Halo'' multiplayer map in 2020.<ref name="game informer_2020-12-10_master chief fortnite">{{Cite magazine|url = https://www.gameinformer.com/the-game-awards-2020/2020/12/10/halos-master-chief-is-coming-to-fortnite-with-classic-map-blood|title = Halo's Master Chief is Coming to Fortnite with Classic Map Blood Gulch|magazine = [[Game Informer]]|access-date = May 27, 2021|archive-date = May 10, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210510150938/https://www.gameinformer.com/the-game-awards-2020/2020/12/10/halos-master-chief-is-coming-to-fortnite-with-classic-map-blood|url-status = dead}}</ref>


Another game, ''[[Halo 2600]]'', has the players control Master Chief and fight through four regions filled with enemies. It was written by Ed Fries, former vice president of game publishing at Microsoft, in 2010 for the [[Atari 2600]].<ref name="destructoid">{{cite web | url = http://www.destructoid.com/master-chief-joins-the-atari-age-in-halo-2600-180410.phtml | title = Master Chief joins the Atari age in Halo 2600 | first = Conrad | last = Zimmerman | website= Destructoid | date = August 2, 2010 | access-date = March 21, 2013 }}</ref>
<ref name=bestlaunchgames>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6134761/index.html |title=Best Launch Titles |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051221160222/http://www.gamespot.com/features/6134761/index.html |archive-date=December 21, 2005 }}</ref>


The ''Halo'' theme tune was also available as [[downloadable content]] for ''[[Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock]]''.<ref name="major-nelson-halo-theme">{{Cite web |last=Hryb |first=Larry |author-link=Larry Hryb |date=November 21, 2007 |title=''Guitar Hero III'': Halo Theme Mjolnir Mix (Free) |url=http://majornelson.com/2007/11/22/guitar-hero-iii-halo-theme-mjolnir-mix-free/ |access-date=June 9, 2012 |publisher=Major Nelson |archive-date=June 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609121934/http://majornelson.com/2007/11/22/guitar-hero-iii-halo-theme-mjolnir-mix-free/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In ''[[Forza Horizon 4]]'' one level has the player racing across the map in the Warthog as the Master Chief, with the Halo ring visible in the sky, Cortana on the radio and various Covenant based obstacles to avoid.<ref name="wccftech_2018">{{cite web|last=Birch|first=Nathan|date=August 21, 2018|url=https://wccftech.com/forza-horizon-4-halo-event-confirmed/|title=Forza Horizon 4 Halo-Themed Event Confirmed, Beautiful New 4K Footage Released|website=Wccftech|access-date=November 17, 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="chicagoreader-myth">{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/monsters-in-a-box/Content?oid=901762 | title=Monsters in a Box | newspaper=[[Chicago Reader]] | last=Mahin | first=Bill | date=March 23, 2000 | access-date=March 19, 2016
|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923234846/https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/monsters-in-a-box/Content?oid=901762|archive-date=September 23, 2015}}</ref>


==Cultural influences and themes==
<ref name="cea-manual">{{cite web |year=2011 |title=Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Instruction Manual |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/9/9/f99ab8f0-5191-4edd-b312-7a9b9e4784fa/haloanniversary_mnl_en-us.pdf|website=[[Microsoft Game Studios]]|access-date=June 23, 2019|archive-date=June 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609150947/http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/9/9/F99AB8F0-5191-4EDD-B312-7A9B9E4784FA/HaloAnniversary_MNL_EN-US.pdf|url-status=unfit}}</ref>
In 2006, in acknowledgment of the "wealth of influences adopted by the Bungie team", a list of Bungie employees' favorite science fiction material was published on the company's website.<ref name="bungie-scifi">{{Cite web |last=O'Connor, Frank |date=April 12, 2006 |title=The Bungie Guide to Sci Fi |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=bungiescifiguide |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018134222/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=bungiescifiguide |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |access-date=May 12, 2012 |publisher=[[Bungie]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The developers acknowledged that the ''Halo'' series' use of ring-shaped [[megastructure]]s followed on from concepts featured in [[Larry Niven]]'s ''Ringworld'' and [[Iain Banks|Iain M. Banks]]' [[Culture series]] (of which ''[[Consider Phlebas]]''<ref name="edge-2010" /> and ''[[Excession]]''<ref name="bungie-scifi" /> were said to be particularly influential). In a retrospective article in ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'', Bungie's Jaime Griesemer commented, "The influence of something like ''Ringworld'' isn't necessarily in the design—it's in that feeling of being somewhere else. That sense of scale and an epic story going on out there."<ref name="edge-2010">{{cite magazine |editor1-first=Tony |editor1-last=Mott |last1=Anon. |year=2010 |title=2001: A Space Odyssey |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] |issue=215 |page=86 }} Published online as: {{Cite magazine |date=April 29, 2011 |title=The Best Games Of 2000 To 2009: Halo: Combat Evolved |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/best-games-2000-2009-halo-combat-evolved |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629020808/http://www.edge-online.com/features/best-games-2000-2009-halo-combat-evolved |archive-date=June 29, 2012 |access-date=May 12, 2012 |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge-Online.com]]}}</ref> Griesemer also explained, "One of the main sources of inspiration was ''[[Armor (novel)|Armor]]'' [by [[John Steakley]]], in which a soldier has to constantly re-live the same war over and over again. That sense of hopelessness, a relentless battle, was influential."<ref name="edge-2010" /> The Flood were influenced by the assimilating alien species in [[Christopher Rowley]]'s ''The Vang'';<ref name="edge-2010" /> it has also been speculated that the Master Chief's name "John 117" may have been a reference to a character named Jon 6725416 in Rowley's ''Starhammer'',<ref name="ign-literary" /> or to the John Spartan character of ''[[Demolition Man (film)|Demolition Man]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Stover, Matthew |url=https://archive.org/details/haloeffectunauth0000unse |title=Halo Effect |publisher=Benbella Books |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-933771-11-3 |editor-last=Yeffeth, Glenn |series=You Are the Master Chief |location=Dallas, Texas}}</ref> An IGN article exploring the literary influences present in the ''Halo'' franchise commented on similarities between ''Halo'' and [[Orson Scott Card]]'s ''[[Ender's Game]]'': aspects of the [[SPARTAN Project]] and the design of the Covenant Drones are perceived as reminiscent of the super soldier program and Buggers found in the novel.<ref name="ign-literary">{{Cite web |last=Perry, Douglass C. |date=March 17, 2007 |title=The Influence of Literature and Myth in Videogames |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/709/709122p5.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220080109/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/709/709122p5.html |archive-date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=December 10, 2007 |url-status=dead |website=IGN}}</ref> Bungie has also acknowledged [[James Cameron]]'s film ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' as a strong cinematic influence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2010 |title=All the Right Moves |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=24843 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607225256/http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=24843 |archive-date=June 7, 2010 |access-date=June 20, 2010 |publisher=[[Bungie]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref>


A report written by Roger Travis and published by ''[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]'' compares ''Halo'' with the Latin epic ''[[Aeneid]]'', written by classical Roman poet [[Virgil]]. Travis posits similarities between the plots of both works and compares the characters present in them, with the Flood and Covenant taking the role performed by the Carthaginians and Master Chief taking the role of [[Aeneas]].<ref name="Aeneid">{{Cite web |last=Travis |first=Roger |date=October 10, 2006 |title=Bungie's Epic Achievement: Halo and the Aeneid |url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_66/384-Bungie-s-Epic-Achievement |access-date=December 10, 2007 |publisher=The Escapist |archive-date=November 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121205817/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_66/384-Bungie-s-Epic-Achievement |url-status=dead }}</ref>
<ref name=cnet>{{cite web | date=August 2, 2006 | url=http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-9020_7-6556686-1.html | title=Xbox 360 games we can't wait to play | website=[[CNET]] | access-date= September 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823045817/http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-9020_7-6556686-1.html |archive-date=August 23, 2007}}</ref>


==Forge==
<ref name=cgw>{{cite magazine|author=Hiatt, Jesse|date=November 1999|title=Games That Will Change Gaming|url=http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=cgw1199|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|access-date=August 31, 2006|archive-date=October 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021062437/http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=cgw1199|url-status=live}}</ref>
First introduced in ''Halo 3'', Forge is an in-game map editor designed for adjusting weapon, vehicle, and prop placement. While in Editor Mode, the player becomes a floating robot, or "[[343 Guilty Spark|monitor]]", who can spawn, move, and delete any game object on the map. All objects are assigned a monetary value, and cost money to spawn; the level's "Forge budget" determines how much money the player can use to spawn objects. As a component of ''Halo 3'', Forge received critical acclaim upon its release. ''[[GameSpot]]''{{'s}} [[Jeff Gerstmann]] described Forge as "an extremely powerful addition that might just take over your life", and praised the editor for the replay value it provided.<ref name="gamespotJeff">{{cite web |url = https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-3-review/1900-6179646/ |title = Halo 3 Review |accessdate=June 5, 2020 |author = Gerstmann, Jeff|date =September 23, 2007 |publisher=gamespot.com}}</ref> [[Heather Anne Campbell|Heather Campbell]] of ''Play Magazine'' named ''Halo 3'' her game of the year due to Forge, with co-editor Greg Orlando explaining later in the issue: "What separates ''Halo 3'' from other console shooters such as ''[[Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare]]'' and ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'', though, is the inclusion of a forge mode and the ability to save and edit gameplay films. [...] Although these modes are standard fare in most PC online shooters, their inclusion in a console game is something entirely new — and entirely wonderful."<ref name="playmag">{{cite magazine |date= February 2008|title= 2007 Year in Review|magazine= Play|location= United States}}</ref> In an editorial for ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'', N'Gai Croal stated that Forge could "help prove the viability of [[user-generated content]] on consoles."<ref name="edge">{{cite magazine |date= December 2007|title= Playing in the Dark|magazine= Edge|location= United Kingdom}}</ref> ''Halo 3'''s iteration of Forge has received comparisons to ''[[Garry's Mod]]'', a 2004 ''[[Half-Life 2]]'' mod with a similar emphasis on free-form construction and experimentation.<ref name="gamespotBrad">{{cite web |url = https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gc-07-halo-3s-forge-and-the-campaign-too/1100-6177495/ |title = GC '07: Halo 3's Forge (and the Campaign, Too) |accessdate=June 5, 2020 |author = Shoemaker, Brad|date =August 24, 2007 |publisher=gamespot.com}}</ref><ref name="arsShowdown">{{cite web |url = https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2007/10/the-showdown-did-halo-3-live-up-to-the-hype/ |title = The Showdown: Did Halo 3 live up to the hype? |accessdate=July 10, 2020 |author = Caron, Frank|date =October 2, 2007 |publisher=arstechnica.com}}</ref><ref name="gamespotJeff" />


Outside of its intended use as a map editor, Forge has been used to create art installations by arranging in-game props to draw pictures and write messages.<ref name="wired">{{cite web |url = https://www.wired.com/2007/12/halo3-artist/ |title = Portrait of a Halo 3 Forge Artist |accessdate=June 6, 2020 |author = Arendt, Susan|date =December 14, 2007 |publisher=wired.com}}</ref> Game modes and maps created in Forge have occasionally informed the development of ''Halo'' itself. Grifball, a fictional sport that originated in the ''Halo''-themed web series ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'', inspired a popular user-created Forge map and game mode styled after [[Rugby football|rugby]]. Grifball was developed into an official weekly playlist for ''Halo 3'', and would go on to be included in every subsequent ''Halo'' game after ''Halo: Reach''.<ref name="polygongrifball">{{cite web |url = https://www.polygon.com/2016/2/23/11100108/halo-5-is-bringing-back-grifball-but-what-on-earth-is-it |title = Halo 5 is bringing back Grifball, but what on earth is it? |accessdate=July 2, 2020 |author = Hall, Charlie|date =February 23, 2016 |publisher=polygon.com}}</ref>
<ref name="cvg_cea_kinect">{{cite web |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/308057/halo-ce-anniversary-has-kinect-support/ |title=''Halo: CE Anniversary'' has Kinect support |date=June 20, 2011 |publisher=[[ComputerAndVideoGames.com|CVG]] |author=Pakinkis, Tom |access-date=June 20, 2011 |archive-date=June 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621223711/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/308057/halo-ce-anniversary-has-kinect-support/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


343 Industries employee Nick Bird, working as Forge Quality Assurance on ''[[Halo Infinite]]'', credited Forge for his interest in game development; "My time in Forge and the Forge community eventually led me to pursue a career in the industry, and ultimately landed me a position to work on what I love in a franchise I love."<ref name="usgamer">{{cite web |url = https://www.usgamer.net/articles/how-halo-3s-forge-mode-dev-hired-for-halo-infinite |title = How Halo 3's Forge Mode Led One Dev to Get Hired for Halo Infinite |accessdate = August 28, 2020 |author = Olson, Mathew |date = July 14, 2020 |publisher = usgamer.net |archive-date = August 29, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200829192756/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/how-halo-3s-forge-mode-dev-hired-for-halo-infinite |url-status = dead }}</ref>
<ref name=covenantfaq>{{cite web | url=http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo/page.aspx?section=Guides&subsection=WeaponsVehiclesPages&page=2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041028152416/http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo/page.aspx?section=Guides&subsection=WeaponsVehiclesPages&page=2 | archive-date=October 28, 2004 | title=Covenant Weapons Intro | publisher=[[Bungie]] | access-date=September 8, 2006 }}</ref>


==Music==
<ref name="eu_aus_launch">{{cite web|url=http://news.microsoft.com/2002/03/14/xbox-goes-global-with-european-and-australian-launches/ |title=Xbox Goes Global With European and Australian Launches |work=news.microsoft.com |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |date=March 14, 2002 |access-date=May 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017231355/http://news.microsoft.com/2002/03/14/xbox-goes-global-with-european-and-australian-launches/ |archive-date=October 17, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
<!-- condense this -->
[[File:Martin O'Donnell.png|thumb|upright|[[Martin O'Donnell]], lead composer for the Bungie ''Halo'' games]]
{{Main|Halo Original Soundtrack|l1=''Halo Original Soundtrack''|Halo 2 Original Soundtrack|l2=''Halo 2 Original Soundtrack''|Halo 3 Original Soundtrack|l3=''Halo 3 Original Soundtrack''|Halo 4 Original Soundtrack|l4=''Halo 4 Original Soundtrack''}}


[[Martin O'Donnell]] and [[Michael Salvatori]] collaborated to produce the soundtracks for Bungie's ''Halo'' games. Approached by Bungie to produce something ancient and mysterious for ''Halo''{{'}}s debut, O'Donnell decided to compose a theme using [[Gregorian chant]], joining in with others to sing the vocal parts.<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo">{{cite web|author=Haske, Steven|date=May 30, 2017|url=https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|title=The Complete, Untold History of Halo|work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|url-status=live|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315011247/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|archive-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref> Due to the varying nature of gameplay, the music was designed to change dynamically based on the gameplay.<ref name="music4gamers">{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Aaron |date=December 2, 2002 |title=The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in ''Halo'': Game Music Evolved |url=http://music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011064541/http://music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=September 6, 2006 |publisher=[[Music4Games]]}}</ref> To afford a more enjoyable listening experience, O'Donnell rearranged portions of the music of ''Halo'' into standalone [[suite (music)|suites]], which follow the narrative course of the game, for the soundtrack releases.<ref name="linerhalo">{{Cite AV media notes |author-link=Martin O'Donnell |last=O'Donnell |first=Martin |chapter=Introduction |year=2002 |title=Halo: Original Soundtrack |publisher=[[Sumthing Distribution|Sumthing]]}}</ref> For ''Halo 2'', the soundtrack included licensed music from [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]] and [[Breaking Benjamin]] alongside the orchestral score; rock guitar virtuoso, [[Steve Vai]], performed various solos throughout the score.
<ref name="edge_review">{{cite magazine | magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] | title=Halo: Combat Evolved review | issue=105 | date=November 29, 2001 | url=http://www.edge-online.com/review/halo-review/ | publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014154037/http://www.edge-online.com/review/halo-review/ | archive-date=October 14, 2014 }}</ref>
<ref name="gamespy_review">{{cite web |last=Accardo |first=Sal |date=November 15, 2001 |url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/halo-combat-evolved/558851p1.html |title=Gamespy: Halo |work=[[GameSpy]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=July 25, 2012 |page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030165254/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/halo-combat-evolved/558851p1.html |archive-date=October 30, 2013 }}</ref><!-- archive page 2, 3, 4 -->


<!-- https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/halo-theme-song-choirs -->
<ref name="eurog_mcc">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-12-halo-the-master-chief-collection-is-pure-fan-service |title=Halo: The Master Chief Collection is pure fan service |work=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole |date=June 12, 2014 |access-date=May 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612071527/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-12-halo-the-master-chief-collection-is-pure-fan-service |archive-date=June 12, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The music of ''Halo'' helped spur a renewed interest in chant music.<ref name="nytimes-video game soundtracks">{{Cite news |last=Schweitzer |first=Vivien |date=December 26, 2008 |title=Aliens Are Attacking. Cue the Strings. |work=The New York Times |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/arts/music/28schw.html?pagewanted=2&fta=y |access-date=February 12, 2020 |archive-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918195410/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/arts/music/28schw.html?pagewanted=2&fta=y |url-status=live }}</ref>


For [[Halo 2 Original Soundtrack|''Halo 2''{{'}}s soundtrack]], producer [[Nile Rodgers]] and O'Donnell decided to split the music into two separate volumes. The first, Volume One, was released on November 9, 2004, and contained all the themes as well as the "inspired-by" music present in the game (featuring [[Steve Vai]], [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]], [[Hoobastank]], and [[Breaking Benjamin]]). The second release, Volume 2, contained the rest of the music, much of which was incomplete or not included in the first soundtrack, as the first soundtrack was shipped before the game was released.<ref name="vol2">{{Cite AV media notes |author-link=Martin O'Donnell |last=O'Donnell |first=Martin |chapter=Introduction |year=2006 |title=Halo 2 Original Soundtrack: Volume Two |publisher=[[Sumthing Distribution|Sumthing]]}}</ref> ''Halo&nbsp;2'', unlike its predecessor, was mixed to take full advantage of [[Dolby]] 5.1 Digital [[Surround Sound]].<ref name="vol1">{{Cite AV media notes |author-link=Martin O'Donnell |last=O'Donnell |first=Martin |chapter=Introduction |year=2006 |title=Halo 2 Original Soundtrack: Volume One |publisher=[[Sumthing Distribution|Sumthing]]}}</ref> In 2014, the in-game music was rerecorded and remastered for the ''Halo 2 Anniversary'' release which was part of the Master Chief Collection which included remastered versions of all Halo games with Master Chief as the protagonist.
<ref name="eurogamer_review">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_halo_x |title=Halo Review |work=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |first=John |last=Bye |date=March 13, 2002 |access-date=December 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150519050311/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_halo_x |archive-date=May 19, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>


The [[Halo 3 Original Soundtrack|soundtrack for ''Halo 3'']] was released on November 20, 2007. O'Donnell noted he wanted to bring back the themes from the original game to help tie together the end of the trilogy.<ref name="odonnell interview">{{Cite web |last1=O'Connor, Frank |last2=O'Donnell, Martin |last3=Smith, Luke |last4=Jarrard, Brian |title=Bungie Podcast Ep. 51: With Martin O'Donnell |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/BungiePodcast%5FEpisode%5F1.mp3 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713133701/http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d85ce76f-0cb2-41df-aaae-a8c96790332b/BungiePodcast_Episode_1.mp3 |archive-date=July 13, 2007 |access-date=December 10, 2007 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref> The tracks are presented, similarly to the [[Halo 2 Original Soundtrack: Volume Two|previous soundtrack for ''Halo 2'']],<ref name="vol2" /> in a suite form. Unlike previous soundtracks, where much of the music had been synthesized on computer, the soundtrack for ''Halo 3'' was recorded using a 60-piece orchestra, along with a 24-voice chorus.<ref name="h3ost">{{Cite AV media notes |author-link=Martin O'Donnell |last=O'Donnell |first=Martin |chapter=Introduction |year=2007 |title=Halo 3 Original Soundtrack |publisher=[[Sumthing Distribution|Sumthing]]}}</ref> The final soundtrack was recorded by the Northwest Sinfonia at Studio X in Seattle, Washington.<ref name="m4g interview">{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=September 20, 2007 |title=Interview with Halo 3 Composer Marty O'Donnell |url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=172 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309025232/http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=172 |archive-date=March 9, 2008 |access-date=April 13, 2008 |publisher=[[Music4Games]]}}</ref> The soundtracks were bundled and released as a box set in December 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Traiman |first=Steve |date=December 1, 2008 |title="Halo Trilogy" soundtrack set previews new game |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSTRE4B07BZ20081201 |access-date=December 3, 2008 |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141906/http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSTRE4B07BZ20081201 |url-status=live }}</ref> A soundtrack for ''Halo 3: ODST'' was released alongside the game and included many of the tracks from the game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Damigella |first=Rick |date=September 19, 2009 |title=Halo 3: ODST Soundtrack Review&nbsp;– Music for Repelling the Covenant |url=http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/699307/Halo-3-ODST-Soundtrack-Review---Music-for-Repelling-the-Covenant.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924075845/http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/699307/halo-3-odst-soundtrack-review-music-for-repelling-the-covenant/ |archive-date=September 24, 2012 |access-date=May 30, 2011 |publisher=[[G4tv.com]]}}</ref>
<ref name="edge_list">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/edges-top-100-games-all-time/10 | title=Edge's Top 100 games of all time | magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]] | publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] | date=July 2, 2007 | access-date=September 28, 2012 | page=10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018205115/http://www.edge-online.com/features/edges-top-100-games-all-time/10/ | archive-date=October 18, 2012 }}</ref>


For Bungie's last game in the Halo series, ''Halo: Reach'', Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori returned to compose the soundtrack. O'Donnell wrote "somber, more visceral" music to reflect the darker nature of the campaign and style of the game. As Bungie had been making ''Halo 3: ODST'' and ''Halo: Reach'' at the same time, Martin O'Donnell had also been composing the soundtracks at the same time, but production for the music of ''Halo: Reach'' did not begin until after the release of ''Halo 3: ODST''. The soundtrack was released on iTunes on September 15, 2010, and in a two-disc set on September 28, 2010.
<ref name="edge-2010">{{cite magazine |editor=Mott, Tony |year=2010 |title=2001: A Space Odyssey |magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]|issue=215 |page=86 |quote='''Jaime Griesemer''': At the time, Microsoft marketing thought ''Halo'' was not a good name for a videogame brand. It wasn't descriptive like all the military games we were competing with. We told them ''Halo'' was the name. The compromise was they could add a subtitle. Everyone at Bungie hated it. But it turned out to be a very sticky label and has now entered the gaming lexicon... so I guess in hindsight it was a good compromise. But the real name of the game is just ''Halo''.}}</ref>


For ''Halo Wars'', the task of creating the game's music fell to [[Stephen Rippy]]. Rippy listened to O'Donnell's soundtracks for inspiration and incorporated the ''Halo'' theme into parts of his arrangements. In addition to synthesized and orchestral components, the composer focused on the choir and piano as essential elements, feeling these were important in creating the "''Halo'' sound".<ref name="gamezone-ripppy interview">{{Cite web |last=Bedegian, Louis |date=February 13, 2009 |title=GameZone Chats with Halo Wars Composer Stephen Rippy |url=http://www.gamezone.com/news/02_13_09_09_00AM.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123212025/http://www.gamezone.com/news/02_13_09_09_00AM.htm |archive-date=January 23, 2010 |access-date=February 17, 2009 |publisher=GameZone}}</ref> Rather than use the Northwest Sinfonia, Rippy traveled to Prague and recorded with the FILMharmonic Orchestra before returning to the United States to complete the music. A standalone compact disc and digital download retail version of the soundtrack was announced in January 2009 for release on February 17.<ref name="soundtrack-announce">{{Cite press release |title=Sumthing Else Music Works announces release of Halo Wars Original Soundtrack |date=January 15, 2009 |publisher=Sumthing Else Music Works |url=http://music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=1137 |access-date=February 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219100309/http://music4games.net/News_Display.aspx?id=1137 |archive-date=February 19, 2009 |via=[[Music4Games]]}}</ref>
<ref name=eurogamer>{{cite web | author=Reed, Kristan | date=October 10, 2003 | url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=53472 | title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Review - PC | website=[[Eurogamer]] | access-date=September 7, 2006 | archive-date=September 3, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903182353/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_halo_pc | url-status=live }}</ref>


The music of ''Halo 4'' was composed by [[Neil Davidge]] and Kazuma Jinnouchi. The ''[[Halo 4 Original Soundtrack]]'' was released on October 22, 2012, followed by a two-disc Special Edition on November 6. Neil Davidge served as an out-of-house composer for 343 Industries which proved to be very expensive leading Kazuma Jinnouchi to take over the responsibility of music production for ''Halo 5: Guardians''. The music by Neil Davidge and Kazuma Jinnouchi for ''Halo 4'' received mixed reviews, being recognized as creative music but too different from the original Halo formula.
<ref name="eurog_bungie_patch">{{cite web|author=Miller, Arthur|date=May 12, 2014|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-12-bungie-to-update-halo-pc-with-server-fix|title=Home News Halo: Combat Evolved PC Bungie to update Halo PC with server fix|work=[[Eurogamer]]|publisher=Gamer Network|access-date=May 12, 2014|archive-date=May 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513002036/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-12-bungie-to-update-halo-pc-with-server-fix|url-status=live}}</ref>


In 2014, Kazuma Jinnouchi confirmed he would be composing the soundtrack for ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''. On October 30, 2015, ''Halo 5: Guardians Original Soundtrack'' was released on CD and vinyl. The soundtrack used a 30-person choir located in Prague, Czech Republic. The orchestral soundtrack was recorded at the Abbey Road Studio over the duration of 5 separate trips.
<ref name="egm-afterthoughts">{{cite magazine|author=Staff|title=Afterthoughts: Halo|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|date=February 2002|issue=151|issn=1058-918X|pages=52–54}}</ref>


In 2017, 343 Industries and [[Creative Assembly]] released a sequel to ''Halo Wars'' titled ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''. The soundtrack was composed by [[Gordy Haab]], Brian Lee White and Brian Trifon under the direction of Paul Lipson who had helped in the audio and music of nearly every previous Halo title. The ''Halo Wars 2'' soundtrack featured many melodies from the music that Stephen Rippy had composed for the first ''Halo Wars'' but with new arrangements and more melodies to represent the individual characters. The original game soundtrack was released on February 17, 2017, and released digitally on February 21, 2017.
<ref name=eurogamer5>{{cite web | author=Gibson, Ellie | date=November 14, 2005 | url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=61679 | title=Rare on Revolution controller | website=[[Eurogamer]] | access-date=September 7, 2006 | archive-date=May 1, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060501230329/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=61679 | url-status=live }}</ref>


The music for ''Halo Infinite'' was a collaboration between [[Gareth Coker]], Curtis Schweitzer, [[Joel Corelitz]], Alex Bhore, and Eternal Time & Space, overseen by 343 Industries Music Supervisor Joel Yarger. ''Infinite''<nowiki/>'s soundtrack was released digitally on December 8, 2021, in two albums, one covering the score for the campaign, and another covering the music for the game's multiplayer component.
<ref name="euro_update">{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=87475|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630005119/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=87475|archive-date=June 30, 2012|title=Autumn 360 update dated|website=[[Eurogamer]]|date=November 13, 2007|access-date=November 15, 2007|author=Purchese, Rob}}</ref>


==Adaptations==
<ref name=faq>{{cite web |url=http://halo.bungie.org/faq/gameplay.html |title=Frequently Asked Questions about ''Halo'': Gameplay |publisher=[[Halo.Bungie.Org]] |access-date= September 6, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20020803082341/http://halo.bungie.org/faq/gameplay.html |archive-date = August 3, 2002}}</ref>
{{Further|List of Halo media|l1=List of ''Halo'' media}}
The ''Halo'' franchise includes various types of merchandise and adaptations outside of the video games. This includes bestselling novels, graphic novels, and other licensed products, from action figures to a packaging tie-in with [[Mountain Dew]]. Numerous action figures and vehicles based on ''Halo'' have been produced. Joyride Studios created ''Halo'' and ''Halo&nbsp;2'' action figures, while ''Halo&nbsp;3'' poseable and collectible action figures, aimed at collectors, were produced by [[McFarlane Toys]] and became some of the top-selling action figures of 2007 and 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Solomon, Rizal |date=January 10, 2009 |title=Saturday Halo onslaught |page=4 |work=[[New Straits Times]]}}</ref> [[MEGA Brands|MEGA Bloks]] partnered with Microsoft to produce ''Halo Wars''-themed toys.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pachner, Joanna |date=May 29, 2009 |title=The Empire Strikes Back |page=52 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/the-empire-strikes-back/article1149686/ |access-date=August 22, 2017 |archive-date=December 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226031843/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/the-empire-strikes-back/article1149686/ |url-status=live }}</ref> <!-- http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/108/1082434p1.html -->


===Books===
<ref name=fauna>{{cite web | url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=prexboxhistory040904 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041011112259/http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=prexboxhistory040904 | archive-date=October 11, 2004 | title= One Million Years B.X. (Before Xbox) | publisher=[[Bungie]] | access-date=September 7, 2006 |date=April 9, 2004}}</ref>
[[File:Joe Staten and Eric Nylund.jpg|thumb|''Halo'' authors [[Joseph Staten]] and [[Eric Nylund]]]]


As part of Microsoft's multimedia efforts, Microsoft Studios decided to create a tie-in novel for ''Combat Evolved''. [[Eric Nylund]] wrote ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' in seven weeks, and it was published in October 2001.<ref name=".com2">{{Cite web |last=Longdale |first=Holly |title=Game Worlds in Written Words |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/spotlight.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228202019/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/spotlight.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=February 28, 2007 |access-date=September 2, 2006 |publisher=Xbox.com}}</ref> The game itself was turned into a novelization by [[William C. Dietz]] in 2003, called ''[[Halo: The Flood]]''.<ref name="gamingage">{{Cite web |last=Klepek |first=Patrick |date=May 5, 2003 |title=''Halo'' novel cracks bestseller |url=http://gaming-age.com/news/2003/5/2-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011213358/http://gaming-age.com/news/2003/5/2-15 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=September 2, 2006 |publisher=Gaming Age}}</ref> Nylund would write additional ''Halo'' works including the novels ''[[Halo: First Strike|First Strike]]'' (2003) and ''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx|Ghosts of Onyx]]'' (2006).<ref name="bungiestory">{{Cite web |date=August 29, 2006 |title=The Next ''Halo'' Novel: ''Ghosts of Onyx'' |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=8849 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019160730/http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?cid=8849 |archive-date=October 19, 2006 |access-date=September 2, 2006 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref> Other novels have been written by [[Joseph Staten]], [[Tobias S. Buckell]], [[Karen Traviss]],<ref name="traviss-tor novels">{{Cite web |date=July 20, 2010 |title=Bestselling Author Karen Traviss Set to Explore the Halo Universe |url=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/transmissions/article/2010-07-20-Bestselling-Author-Karen-Traviss-Set-To-Explore-The-Halo-Universe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723142414/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/transmissions/article/2010-07-20-Bestselling-Author-Karen-Traviss-Set-To-Explore-The-Halo-Universe <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=July 23, 2010 |access-date=July 20, 2010 |website=Halo.Xbox.com |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref> [[Greg Bear]],<ref name="waypoint-bear">{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=October 8, 2010 |title=Science Fiction Legend Greg Bear Set to Explore the Time of the Forerunners |url=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/news/headline/science-fiction-legend-greg-bear-set-to-explore-the-time-of-the-forerunners/5011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008172013/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us |archive-date=October 8, 2010 |website=Halo Waypoint |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref> [[Matt Forbeck]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=GrimBrother One |date=January 22, 2015 |title=Bam, said the lady |url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-bam-said-the-lady |website=Halo Waypoint |access-date=January 20, 2018 |archive-date=April 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413112255/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-bam-said-the-lady |url-status=live }}</ref> [[John Shirley]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hillier |first=Brenna |date=November 4, 2014 |title=Read a chunk of the new Halo novel |url=http://www.vg247.com/2014/10/28/halo-broken-circle-excerpt/ |access-date=November 4, 2014 |website=VG 24/7 |archive-date=November 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104150635/http://www.vg247.com/2014/10/28/halo-broken-circle-excerpt/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Troy Denning]], [[Cassandra Rose Clarke]], and [[Kelly Gay]].
<ref name=firingsquad>{{cite web|author1=Wojnarowicz, Jakub |author2=Colayco, Bob |date=May 18, 2001 |url=http://www.firingsquad.com/features/2001e3part1/ |title=2001 E3 Part 1 |publisher=FiringSquad |access-date=September 5, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016234304/http://www.firingsquad.com/features/2001e3part1/ |archive-date=October 16, 2006 }}</ref>


A collection of ''Halo'' short stories, ''Halo: Evolutions'', was simultaneously released in print and audiobook formats in November 2009. ''Evolutions'' includes original material by Nylund, Buckell, [[Karen Traviss]] and contributions from Bungie.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thorson, Tor |date=August 12, 2009 |title=Tor Books forging Halo short-story comp |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tor-books-forging-halo-short-story-comp/1100-6215210/ |access-date=September 12, 2009 |website=[[GameSpot]] |archive-date=April 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401011853/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/tor-books-forging-halo-short-story-comp/1100-6215210/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Tor re-released the first three ''Halo'' novels with new content and cover art.<ref name="gamespot-makeover">{{Cite web |last=Parker, Laura |date=May 19, 2010 |title=Halo novels get a makeover |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6263133.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523085910/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6263133.html |archive-date=May 23, 2010 |access-date=May 19, 2010 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Another collection, ''Halo: Fractures'', compiled new and previously released short fiction in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 13, 2016 |title=The Write Stuff |url=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-the-write-stuff |website=Halo – Official Site |access-date=January 20, 2018 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807164546/https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-the-write-stuff |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="gamasutra-edfriesinterview">{{cite web|author=Alexander, Leigh|date=August 14, 2009|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/115775/Interview_Former_Microsoft_Exec_Fries_Talks_Xboxs_Genesis.php|title=Interview: Former Microsoft Exec Fries Talks Xbox's Genesis|work=[[Gamasutra]]|publisher=UBM Technology Group|access-date=September 6, 2019|archive-date=January 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112235824/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/115775/Interview_Former_Microsoft_Exec_Fries_Talks_Xboxs_Genesis.php|url-status=live}}</ref>


===Comics===
<ref name="gamespot">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/mac/action/halo/index.html |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Macintosh |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=August 22, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020185712/http://www.gamespot.com/mac/action/halo/index.html |archive-date=October 20, 2006 }}</ref>
The ''Halo'' universe was first adapted into the graphic novel format in 2006, with the release of ''[[The Halo Graphic Novel]]'', a collection of four [[short story|short stories]].<ref name="igncomic">{{Cite web |last=Staff |title=''Halo Graphic Novel'' at IGN |url=http://comics.ign.com/objects/818/818453.html |access-date=September 2, 2006 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615073204/http://comics.ign.com/objects/818/818453.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was written and illustrated by graphic novelists [[Lee Hammock]], [[Jay Faerber]], [[Tsutomu Nihei]], Brett Lewis, [[Simon Bisley]], Ed Lee and [[Jean Giraud]]. At the 2007 [[New York Comic Con]], [[Marvel Comics]] announced they would be working on an ongoing ''Halo'' series with [[Brian Michael Bendis]] and [[Alex Maleev]]. The limited series, titled ''[[Halo: Uprising]]'', bridges the gap between the events of ''Halo&nbsp;2'' and ''Halo&nbsp;3'';<ref name="IGN-Marvel">{{Cite web |last=George |first=Richard |date=May 18, 2007 |title=IGN Exclusive Interview&nbsp;– Halo: Uprising |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/789/789811p1.html |access-date=April 24, 2008 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |archive-date=July 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721100314/http://comics.ign.com/articles/789/789811p1.html |url-status=live }}{{undue weight inline|date=May 2015}}</ref> initially planned to conclude shortly before the release of ''Halo 3'', the constant delays led to the final issue being published April 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2009 |title=Halo Uprising #4 Hits Stores Today! |url=http://marvel.com/news/comicstories.7613.Halo_Uprising_%234_Hits_Stores_Today |access-date=April 17, 2009 |publisher=[[Marvel Comics]] |archive-date=April 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419120610/http://www.marvel.com/news/comicstories.7613.Halo_Uprising_ |url-status=live }}</ref>


Marvel announced at the 2009 Comic Con that two new comics, a five-part series written by [[Peter David]] and a second series written by [[Fred Van Lente]], would appear the coming summer and winter.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collura, Scott |date=February 7, 2009 |title=NYCC 09: Halo Returns to Marvel |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952434p1.html |access-date=February 8, 2009 |website=IGN |archive-date=February 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210013304/http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952434p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> David's series, ''Halo: Helljumper'', is set prior to ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and focuses on the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The five-part series was published between July and November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bailey, Kat |date=April 22, 2009 |title=Halo: Helljumpers Coming This July |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173869 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730095353/http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3173869 |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |access-date=April 22, 2009 |website=[[1UP.com]]}}</ref> Lente's series, originally titled ''Spartan Black'', revolves around a black ops team of Spartan supersoldiers assigned to the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence.<ref name="newcomicsign">{{Cite web |last=George, Richard |date=February 8, 2009 |title=The Halo War Continues at Marvel |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952462p1.html |access-date=February 14, 2009 |website=IGN |archive-date=February 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212194114/http://comics.ign.com/articles/952/952462p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The rebranded comic, ''Halo: Blood Line'', debuted in December 2009.<ref name="ign-dec09">{{Cite web |last=George, David |date=September 22, 2009 |title=Marvel's December '09 Releases |url=http://comics.ign.com/articles/102/1027154p1.html |access-date=September 23, 2009 |website=IGN |archive-date=September 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090926050839/http://comics.ign.com/articles/102/1027154p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The most recent comic series is a comic retelling of the novel ''Halo: The Fall of Reach'', titled ''Halo: Fall of Reach''. ''Fall of Reach'' is split into three mini-stories: ''Boot Camp'', ''Covenant'', and ''Invasion''.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Schedeen |first1=Jesse |last2=Esposito |first2=Joey |date=April 28, 2011 |title=Halo: Orchestrating the Fall of Reach |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2011/04/29/halo-orchestrating-the-fall-of-reach |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref> Two new series were announced in 2013. A three-part series, ''Halo: Initiation'' was released August 2013 with Brian Reed returning as writer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=August 14, 2013 |title=Halo: Initiation #1 Review |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/08/15/halo-initiation-1-review |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref> Also announced was ''Halo: Escalation'', an ongoing comic series covering the period directly after ''Halo 4''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=July 22, 2013 |title=Comic-Con: Halo Goes Ongoing at Dark Horse |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/07/23/comic-con-halo-goes-ongoing-at-dark-horse |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]}}</ref>
<ref name=gamepro>{{cite magazine | author=Nihei, Wes | title=A World Apart | url=http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=gamepro.0501 | magazine=[[GamePro]] | date=May 1999 | page=42 | access-date=September 27, 2007 | archive-date=October 11, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011062025/http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=gamepro.0501 | url-status=live }}</ref>


===Live-action===
<ref name="gamepro_list">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/international/games/features/110028.shtml | title=The 52 Most Important Video Games of All Time | magazine=[[GamePro]] | date=April 25, 2007 | access-date=September 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520142756/http://www.gamepro.com/gamepro/international/games/features/110028.shtml | archive-date=May 20, 2007 }}</ref>
====Unproduced feature====
{{anchor|Film}}
In 2005, [[Columbia Pictures]] president Peter Schlessel began working outside the studio system to produce a ''Halo'' film adaptation. [[Alex Garland]] wrote a script,<ref name="filmforce">{{Cite web |last=Linder |first=Brian |date=February 3, 2005 |title=''Halo'' Goes Hollywood |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/585/585098p1.html |access-date=September 9, 2006 |website=IGN |archive-date=December 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207130047/http://movies.ign.com/articles/585/585098p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which was then pitched to studios by couriers dressed as Master Chief. Microsoft's terms required $10&nbsp;million against 15&nbsp;percent of gross; most studios passed, citing the lack of risk for Microsoft compared to their large share of potential profits. [[20th Century Fox]] and [[Universal Pictures]] decided to partner to produce the film, paying Microsoft $5&nbsp;million to option the film and 10&nbsp;percent of grosses.<ref name="nymag-halofilm">{{Cite web |last=Brodesser-Akner, Claude |date=October 6, 2010 |title=The New Halo Game Is a Hit&nbsp;– So What's the Status of the Halo Movie? |url=https://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/10/the_new_halo_video_game_is_a_h.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009120735/http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/10/the_new_halo_video_game_is_a_h.html |archive-date=October 9, 2010 |access-date=October 8, 2010 |website=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]}}</ref> [[Peter Jackson]] was slated to be the [[executive producer]],<ref name="hollywood">{{Cite web |last=Staten |first=Joseph |title=The Great Hollywood Journey, Part II |url=http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=biggorilla&p=4955829 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051025080922/http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=biggorilla&p=4955829 |archive-date=October 25, 2005 |access-date=September 9, 2006 |publisher=[[Bungie]]}}</ref> with [[Neill Blomkamp]] as director. Before Blomkamp signed on, [[Guillermo del Toro]] was in negotiations to direct.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hewitt, Chris |date=February 8, 2008 |title=Guillermo Del Toro Talks The Hobbit |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |url=https://www.empireonline.com/interviews/Interview.asp?IID=740 |url-status=dead |access-date=February 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107052950/http://www.empireonline.com/interviews/Interview.asp?IID=740 |archive-date=November 7, 2011}}</ref>


[[D. B. Weiss]] and [[Josh Olson]] rewrote Garland's script during 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fritz |first=Ben |date=October 31, 2006 |title=No home for 'Halo' pic |url=https://www.variety.com/VR1117953031.html |access-date=October 20, 2007 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212054302/https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117953031.html?categoryid=1043&cs=1|archivedate=December 12, 2007}}</ref> Pre-production of the film was halted and restarted several times.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=October 31, 2006 |title=Halo movie indefinitely postponed |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160742.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227205244/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160742.html |archive-date=February 27, 2007 |access-date=March 13, 2007 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Later that year, 20th Century Fox threatened to pull out of the project, leading Universal to issue an ultimatum to Jackson and Schlessel: either reduce their large [[First-dollar gross|"first-dollar"]] revenue deals, or the project was ended. Both refused, and the project stalled.<ref name="nymag-halofilm" /> Blomkamp would produce a series of live-action shorts as promotion for ''Halo 3'', collectively titled ''Halo: Landfall''.<ref name="pcgamer_2021-08-23">{{cite web |last=Stanton |first=Rich |date=August 23, 2021 |title=Neill Blomkamp ripped his ear off in a Warthog while filming Halo |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/neill-blomkamp-ripped-his-ear-off-in-a-warthog-while-filming-halo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026182713/https://www.pcgamer.com/neill-blomkamp-ripped-his-ear-off-in-a-warthog-while-filming-halo/ |archive-date=October 26, 2021 |access-date=October 26, 2021 |website=[[PC Gamer]]}}</ref> The rights for the film reverted to Microsoft.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Blomkamp, Neill |last2=Jackson, Peter |date=July 27, 2009 |title=Halo Movie Interview&nbsp;– SDCC 09: Will Halo Still Happen? |url=http://movies.ign.com/dor/objects/40236/halo/videos/sdcc09cap_inv_peterj_halo.html |access-date=July 27, 2009 |website=IGN |archive-date=August 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819174039/http://movies.ign.com/dor/objects/40236/halo/videos/sdcc09cap_inv_peterj_halo.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=gamespotfaq>{{cite web|date=October 17, 2003 |url=http://au.gamespot.com/features/6075824/p-34.html |title=Halo Game Guide - The Covenant |page=34 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 8, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929225255/http://au.gamespot.com/features/6075824/p-34.html |archive-date=September 29, 2007 }}</ref>


====''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''====
<ref name=gamespotfaq2>{{cite web|date=October 17, 2003 |url=http://au.gamespot.com/features/6075824/p-36.html |title=''Halo'' Game Guide - The Flood |page=36 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 8, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926212434/http://au.gamespot.com/features/6075824/p-36.html |archive-date=September 26, 2007 }}</ref>
{{main|Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn|l1=''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''}}
''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'' is a live-action film and miniseries set in the Halo universe. Although shot as a feature-length film, ''Forward Unto Dawn'' was originally released as a webseries consisting of five episodes released between October 5, 2012, and November 2, 2012. The series' plot, occurring in the early days of the Human-Covenant War, revolves around Thomas Lasky, a young cadet at Corbulo Academy of Military Science, and how John-117 inspired him to eventually become a leader. Lasky is also a prominent character in ''Halo 4'' as a commander on the UNSC Infinity. The name of the series, aside from being a reference to the UNSC frigate ''Forward Unto Dawn'', is given new significance in the series as part of a running motif based on a poem. The film cut was released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 4, 2012.


====''Halo: Nightfall''====
<ref name=gamespotreview>{{cite web | author=Fielder, Joe | date=November 9, 2001 | url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-review/1900-2823816/ | title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Xbox Review | website=[[GameSpot]] | access-date=January 19, 2014 | archive-date=January 26, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140126121430/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/halo-review/1900-2823816/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
On April 3, 2014, it was announced that [[Ridley Scott]] and his production company, [[Scott Free Productions]], were working on a ''Halo'' digital feature alongside 343 Industries and [[Xbox Entertainment Studios]]; Scott would be the executive producer, with [[David W. Zucker]] and [[Sergio Mimica-Gezzan]] as the directors. The feature was expected to follow the same format as Machinima's ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RIDLEY SCOTT AND MICROSOFT TEAM FOR HALO DIGITAL FEATURE |url=https://ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/ridley-scott-and-microsoft-team-for-halo-digital-feature |access-date=February 3, 2014 |website=IGN |archive-date=April 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403022755/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/ridley-scott-and-microsoft-team-for-halo-digital-feature |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 9, 2014, it was announced at E3 2014 that the feature, titled ''Halo: Nightfall'', would be included with ''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' at its November 2014 launch. The feature introduces a new character to the franchise, Agent Jameson Locke, played by actor [[Mike Colter]]; ''Nightfall'' is considered to be his origin story.<ref>{{Cite web |title=News: Halo: Nightfall first look: meet |url=http://www.totalxbox.com/79695/halo-nightfall-first-look-meet-legendary-manhunter-jameson-locke/ |access-date=September 24, 2014 |archive-date=December 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230072845/http://www.totalxbox.com/79695/halo-nightfall-first-look-meet-legendary-manhunter-jameson-locke/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Locke is one of the Spartans portrayed on the cover art and plays a large role in the series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert, Henry |date=July 24, 2014 |title=Halo: Nightfall is the origin story of next big Spartan |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/halo-nightfall-origin-story-halo-5s-next-big-spartan/ |access-date=February 18, 2020 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807201207/https://www.gamesradar.com/halo-nightfall-origin-story-halo-5s-next-big-spartan/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On July 24, 2014, 343 Industries released the first trailer for the feature.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eerste boek Borderlands verschenen |url=http://www.meerdangames.nl/2014/07/eerste-trailer-halo-nightfall/ |website=Meer dan Games |date=July 24, 2014 |access-date=July 25, 2014 |archive-date=July 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728104745/http://www.meerdangames.nl/2014/07/eerste-trailer-halo-nightfall/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Halo: Nightfall'' is available to watch through Halo Channel, an application for the Xbox One, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LeBlanc |first=Brandon |date=November 11, 2014 |title=Immerse yourself in the Halo Universe with The Halo Channel |url=http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/11/11/immerse-yourself-in-the-halo-universe-with-the-halo-channel/ |access-date=February 24, 2015 |website=Windows Blog |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |archive-date=February 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224063747/http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2014/11/11/immerse-yourself-in-the-halo-universe-with-the-halo-channel/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On March 16, 2015, the series became available to stream, download, and buy on physical disc.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Tom |date=February 24, 2015 |title=Halo: Nightfall available on demand, DVD next month |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-24-halo-nightfall-available-on-demand-dvd-next-month |access-date=February 24, 2015 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |archive-date=February 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224143908/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-24-halo-nightfall-available-on-demand-dvd-next-month |url-status=live }}</ref>


====Paramount+ television series====
<ref name=gdc>{{cite web | author=O'Donnell, Martin | author-link=Martin O'Donnell | date=March 24, 2002 | url=http://halo.bungie.org/misc/gdc.2002.music/ | title=Producing Audio for ''Halo'' | publisher=[[Halo.Bungie.Org]] | access-date=September 6, 2006 | archive-date=June 1, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060601080834/http://halo.bungie.org/misc/gdc.2002.music/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
{{main|Halo (TV series)|l1=''Halo'' (TV series)}}
On May 21, 2013, [[Xbox Entertainment Studios]] and 343 announced that a live-action [[television show]] of ''Halo'' would be produced with [[Steven Spielberg]] serving as executive producer through what is now [[Amblin Television]]. It was originally titled ''Halo: The Television Series''. Neill Blomkamp was rumored to be directing the pilot for the series.<ref>{{Cite news |last=El Mayimbe |date=January 25, 2014 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Take A Guess Who's Directing Spielberg Produced 'Halo' Pilot! |work=Latino Review |url=http://latino-review.com/2014/01/exclusive-take-guess-whos-directing-spielberg-produced-halo-pilot/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129020707/http://latino-review.com/2014/01/exclusive-take-guess-whos-directing-spielberg-produced-halo-pilot/ |archive-date=January 29, 2014}}</ref> Xbox Entertainment Studios shut down in 2014. Later, it was announced the series would premiere on the American premium cable network [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldman |first=Eric |date=August 11, 2015 |title=Showtime Still Developing Halo TV Series |work=[[IGN]] |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/08/11/showtime-still-developing-halo-tv-series |access-date=August 11, 2015 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807203340/https://www.ign.com/articles/2015/08/11/showtime-still-developing-halo-tv-series |url-status=live }}</ref> It had been in [[development hell]] for many years. On March 1, 2018, it was announced that the series would start filming in late 2018, with speculation of the series airing in mid- to late-2019.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 1, 2018 |title=Spielberg's Halo TV Series Starts Filming This Fall |language=en-US |work=Screen Rant |url=https://screenrant.com/showtime-halo-tv-series-2018-filming-start/ |access-date=March 1, 2018 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807203639/https://screenrant.com/showtime-halo-tv-series-2018-filming-start/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 28, 2018, [[Kyle Killen]] was hired as showrunner and executive producer and [[Rupert Wyatt]] as director and executive producer.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 28, 2018 |title=Halo TV show finally greenlit by Showtime: 'Our most ambitious series ever |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/06/28/halo-tv-series-showtime/ |access-date=April 13, 2019 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807204143/https://ew.com/tv/2018/06/28/halo-tv-series-showtime/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On December 4, 2018, Wyatt stepped down as director and executive producer from the project due to scheduling conflicts.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 4, 2018 |title=Showtime's Halo TV Show Loses Producer/Director Rupert Wyatt |work=Screen Rant |url=https://screenrant.com/halo-tv-show-rupert-wyatt-exit/ |access-date=April 13, 2019 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807204409/https://screenrant.com/halo-tv-show-rupert-wyatt-exit/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On February 21, 2019, [[Otto Bathurst]] replaced Wyatt as director and executive producer.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 21, 2019 |title=Showtime's Halo TV Series Hires Robin Hood Director Otto Bathurst |work=Screen Rant |url=https://screenrant.com/showtime-halo-tv-series-otto-bathurst-director-robin-hood/ |access-date=April 13, 2019 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807204553/https://screenrant.com/showtime-halo-tv-series-otto-bathurst-director-robin-hood/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On April 17, 2019, it was announced that [[Pablo Schreiber]] was cast as Master Chief.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 17, 2019 |title=Pablo Schreiber to Play Master Chief in Showtime's 'Halo' Live-Action Series |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/showtimes-halo-casts-pablo-schreiber-as-master-chief-1202661 |access-date=April 17, 2019 |archive-date=July 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702225641/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/showtimes-halo-casts-pablo-schreiber-as-master-chief-1202661 |url-status=live }}</ref> On August 2, 2019, ''Deadline'' reported that [[Natascha McElhone]] had been cast in two key roles: [[Cortana (Halo)|Cortana]] and Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]], [[Bokeem Woodbine]] was also cast as Soren-066, along with [[Shabana Azmi]] as Admiral Margaret Parangosky, and [[Yerin Ha]] as Kwan Ha. It was also announced that the series would be released in early 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2, 2019 |title='Halo': Natascha McElhone & Bokeem Woodbine Among Six Cast In Showtime Series Based On Xbox Franchise |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/halo-natascha-mcelhone-bokeem-woodbine-cast-showtime-series-based-xbox-franchise-1202659705/ |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-date=May 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514183508/https://deadline.com/2019/08/halo-natascha-mcelhone-bokeem-woodbine-cast-showtime-series-based-xbox-franchise-1202659705/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Filming was incorrectly reported to have officially begun in October 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 22, 2020 |title=Defending Jacob's Pablo Schreiber on Apple TV+ Drama and Halo TV Show |url=https://collider.com/defending-jacob-pablo-schreiber-interview-halo-tv-show/ |access-date=November 23, 2020 |website=Collider |language=en-US |archive-date=November 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106182119/https://collider.com/defending-jacob-pablo-schreiber-interview-halo-tv-show/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2020, [[Jen Taylor]], who voiced Cortana in every major game in the ''Halo'' franchise, replaced McElhone in that role.<ref>{{Citation |title=Halo TV Series Recasts Cortana With Original Voice Actress – IGN |date=November 11, 2020 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-tv-series-recasts-cortana-with-original-voice-actor |language=en |access-date=November 23, 2020 |archive-date=November 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113183010/https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-tv-series-recasts-cortana-with-original-voice-actor |url-status=live }}</ref> It then was reported that filming began in February 2021 and that ViacomCBS was shifting the show from Showtime to [[Paramount+]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/video/halo-trailer-paramount-pablo-schreiber/|title='Halo': Paramount+ Touts A "New Beginning" in Trailer for Video Game Series Starring Pablo Schreiber|date=December 10, 2021|access-date=December 10, 2021|archive-date=December 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211210035122/https://deadline.com/video/halo-trailer-paramount-pablo-schreiber/|url-status=live}}</ref> with Showtime retaining production credits. The series premiered on March 24, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Bailey|first1=Kat|last2=Bankhurst|first2=Adam|date=2022-01-30|title=Halo TV Series Release Date and Official Trailer Revealed|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-tv-series-release-date-premiere-date-revealed-trailer|access-date=2022-01-31|website=IGN|language=en|archive-date=January 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131233123/https://www.ign.com/articles/halo-tv-series-release-date-premiere-date-revealed-trailer|url-status=live}}</ref>


===Animated series===
<ref name=gi>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200111/R03.0805.1634.24132.htm?CS_pid=210001|title=''Halo'': The Xbox Essential | magazine=[[Game Informer]] | author=McNamara, Andy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011045908/http://gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200111/R03.0805.1634.24132.htm?CS_pid=210001|archive-date=October 11, 2007 | access-date=September 26, 2006 }}</ref>
{{Main|Halo Legends|l1=''Halo Legends''}}
Microsoft announced at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]] 2009 that it was overseeing production of a series of seven short [[anime]] films, together called ''Halo Legends''. Financed by 343 Industries, the animation was created by six Japanese production houses: [[Bee Train Production]], [[Bones (studio)|Bones]], Casio Entertainment, [[Production I.G.]], [[Studio 4°C]], and [[Toei Animation]]. [[Shinji Aramaki]], creator and director of ''[[Appleseed (2004 film)|Appleseed]]'' and ''[[Appleseed Ex Machina]]'', served as the project's creative director. [[Warner Bros.]] distributed ''Legends'' on DVD and Blu-ray in February 2010.<ref name="latimes-halo legend" /><ref name="gamespot-delayed">{{Cite web |last=Sinclair, Brendan |date=January 7, 2010 |title=Halo Legends slips to Feb. 16 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6245077.html?sid=6245077&part=rss&subj=6245077 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204062110/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6245077.html?sid=6245077&part=rss&subj=6245077 |archive-date=February 4, 2012 |access-date=January 25, 2010 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> Six of the stories are officially part of the ''Halo'' canon, with the seventh, made by Toei, intended to be a parody of the universe.<ref name="ign-sdcc live blog">{{Cite web |last1=Goldstein |first1=Hilary |last2=Brudvig |first2=Erik |date=July 23, 2009 |title=SDCC 09: Halo Panel Live Blog |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/100/1006627p1.html |access-date=July 24, 2009 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=July 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725222733/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/100/1006627p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


An animated version of ''The Fall of Reach'' is included in the ''Halo 5: Guardians'' Limited Edition and Collector's Edition.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Futter |first=Mike |date=July 10, 2015 |title=Halo: The Fall Of Reach Animated Series Comes With Halo 5 Collector's Editions |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/games/halo_5_guardians/b/xboxone/archive/2015/07/10/halo-the-fall-of-reach-animated-series-comes-with-halo-5-collector-s-editions.aspx |access-date=September 21, 2015 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |publisher=GameStop |archive-date=October 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027004149/http://www.gameinformer.com/games/halo_5_guardians/b/xboxone/archive/2015/07/10/halo-the-fall-of-reach-animated-series-comes-with-halo-5-collector-s-editions.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mejia |first=Ozzie |date=July 10, 2015 |title=Halo: The Fall of Reach gets first teaser while Halo Channel goes mobile |url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/90376/halo-the-fall-of-reach-gets-first-teaser-while-halo-channel-goes-mobile |access-date=September 21, 2015 |website=[[Shacknews]] |archive-date=September 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925000144/http://www.shacknews.com/article/90376/halo-the-fall-of-reach-gets-first-teaser-while-halo-channel-goes-mobile |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=gamespy3>{{cite web | author=Accardo, Sal | date=May 13, 2003 | url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/halo-combat-evolved/5870p1.html | title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'': The Very First Look | publisher=[[GameSpy]] | access-date=September 20, 2006 | archive-date=February 6, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060206112240/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/halo-combat-evolved/5870p1.html | url-status=live }}</ref>


==Reception and critical response==
<ref name=gamestock>{{cite web | author=Lopez, Vincent | date=March 4, 2001 | url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/098/098271p1.html | title=Playable ''Halo'' at GameStock | website=IGN | access-date=September 5, 2006 | archive-date=September 13, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060913143224/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/098/098271p1.html }}</ref>


===Sales===
<ref name="gamespy_killzone">{{cite web | url=http://au.ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/killzone/562748p1.html | title=Gamespy: Killzone | work=[[GameSpy]] | publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] | date=November 2, 2004 | access-date=October 14, 2007 | last=Tuttle | first=Will|quote='''Will Tuttle:''' "So it was with great disappointment that I finished my review copy of Sony's Killzone, a game that was at one time unfairly labeled a "''Halo'' killer" by some members of the gaming press. | page=1 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509171555/http://au.ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/killzone/562748p1.html | archive-date=May 9, 2015 | url-status=live}}</ref>
{{stack begin | float=right | clear=false}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:22em;"
|-
! Date !! Total units sold !! Ref.
|-
| August 30, 2007 || 14.5+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2007 |title=Prepare for all-out war |url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |publisher=[[Fairfax Media]] |page=1 |archive-date=November 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053430/http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| January 8, 2009 || 25+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Matt |date=January 8, 2009 |title=Halo series sells 25m worldwide |url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/halo-series-sells-25m-worldwide |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] |publisher=Gamer Network |archive-date=October 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017192350/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/halo-series-sells-25m-worldwide |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| May 24, 2010 || 34+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Osborne |first=Eric |date=May 24, 2010 |title=Halo: Reach Launches 09.14.2010! |url=http://halo.bungie.net/news/content.aspx?cid=26642 |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[Bungie]] |archive-date=October 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141026122204/http://halo.bungie.net/news/content.aspx?cid=26642 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| October 31, 2012 || 46+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yin-Poole |first=Wesley |date=October 31, 2012 |title=More than 46 million Halo games have been sold worldwide |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-31-more-than-46-million-halo-games-have-been-sold-worldwide |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=Gamer Network |archive-date=July 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717160611/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-31-more-than-46-million-halo-games-have-been-sold-worldwide |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| October 19, 2014 || 60+ million ||<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 17, 2014 |title=Halo: The Master Chief Collection Now Available for Pre-order and Pre-download |url=http://news.xbox.com/2014/10/games-halo-master-chief-collection-pre-download |access-date=March 3, 2015 |website=Xbox Wire |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |archive-date=February 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213081415/http://news.xbox.com/2014/10/games-halo-master-chief-collection-pre-download |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| July 13, 2015 || 65+ million ||<ref name="gamespot-65mil">{{Cite web |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=July 13, 2015 |title=Halo Series Reaches 65 Million Units Sold |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-series-reaches-65-million-units-sold/1100-6428844 |access-date=July 13, 2015 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=July 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714191917/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-series-reaches-65-million-units-sold/1100-6428844/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| February 24, 2021 || 81+ million ||<ref name="deadline-81mil">{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=February 24, 2021 |title='Halo' TV Series Moves From Showtime To Paramount+ |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/halo-tv-series-latest-paramount-plus-move-1234698703/amp/?__twitter_impression=true |access-date=February 26, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225094420/https://deadline.com/2021/02/halo-tv-series-latest-paramount-plus-move-1234698703/amp/?__twitter_impression=true |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}


{{stack end}}
<ref name=gamerevolution>{{cite web | author=Sanders, Shawn | url=http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/xbox/halo-combat-evolved | title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' review for the XBOX | publisher=[[Game Revolution]] | date=November 1, 2001 | access-date=September 2, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927041942/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/halo-combat-evolved | archive-date=September 27, 2012 }}</ref>
{{VG Series Reviews
|updated = December 17, 2021
|gr = no
|game1 = [[Halo: Combat Evolved]]
|mc1 = Xbox: 97<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-combat-evolved/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |access-date=November 15, 2011 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121015010/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/halo-combat-evolved |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 83<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-combat-evolved/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=November 15, 2011 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=November 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117051848/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-combat-evolved |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game2 = [[Halo 2]]
|mc2 = Xbox: 95<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo 2'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-2/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |access-date=November 15, 2011 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121015149/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/halo-2 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 72<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo 2'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-2/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=November 15, 2011 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=January 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120114082547/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game3 = [[Halo 3]]
|mc3 = Xbox 360: 94<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo 3'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-3/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |access-date=November 15, 2011 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=October 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029204703/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-3 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 88 <ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'' – Halo 3 for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-3/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=April 14, 2021 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=November 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105070123/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-the-master-chief-collection---halo-3 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game4 = [[Halo Wars]]
|mc4 = Xbox 360: 82<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo Wars'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-wars/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |access-date=October 20, 2012 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105082916/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-wars |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game5 = [[Halo 3: ODST]]
|mc5 = Xbox 360: 83<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo 3: ODST'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-3-odst/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |access-date=October 20, 2012 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022152834/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-3-odst |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game6 = [[Halo: Reach]]
|mc6 = Xbox 360: 91<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Reach'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-reach/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |access-date=October 20, 2012 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=October 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023055103/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-reach |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 81<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Reach Remastered'' for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-reach-remastered/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=April 14, 2021 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210531072911/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-reach-remastered |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game7 = [[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]
|mc7 = Xbox 360: 82<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |access-date=November 15, 2011 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=November 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113025823/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 79<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'' for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=April 14, 2021 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=May 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525015134/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game8 = [[Halo 4]]
|mc8 = Xbox 360: 87<ref name="mc_halo4">{{Cite web |title=''Halo 4'' Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-4/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |access-date=November 17, 2012 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=November 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121117025934/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-4 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game9 = [[Halo: Spartan Assault]]
|mc9 = PC: 70<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo: Spartan Assault for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-spartan-assault/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=November 12, 2014 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=August 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825042620/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-spartan-assault |url-status=live }}</ref><br />Xbox One: 53<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo: Spartan Assault for Xbox One Review |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-spartan-assault/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |access-date=November 12, 2014 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=December 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225112652/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/halo-spartan-assault |url-status=live }}</ref><br />Xbox 360: 51<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo: Spartan Assault for Xbox 360 Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-spartan-assault/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360 |access-date=November 12, 2014 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227055845/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-spartan-assault |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game10 = [[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]
|mc10 = Xbox One: 85<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Xbox One Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-master-chief-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |access-date=February 13, 2015 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=July 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706000219/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/halo-the-master-chief-collection |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game11 = [[Halo: Spartan Strike]]
|mc11 = iOS: 86<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo: Spartan Strike for iPhone/iPad Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-spartan-strike/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad |access-date=October 3, 2015 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=October 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006235320/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/halo-spartan-strike |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 66<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo: Spartan Strike for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-spartan-strike/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |access-date=October 3, 2015 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=October 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025234006/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-spartan-strike |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game12 = [[Halo 5: Guardians]]
|mc12 = Xbox One: 84<ref name="halo5MC">{{Cite web |title=Halo 5: Guardians for Xbox One Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-5-guardians/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |access-date=October 26, 2015 |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=October 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025175630/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/halo-5-guardians |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game13 = [[Halo Wars 2]]
|mc13 = Xbox One: 79<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo Wars 2 for Xbox One Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-wars-2/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |website=Metacritic |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=March 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190311070455/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/halo-wars-2 |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 70<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo Wars 2 for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-wars-2/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |website=Metacritic |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613122404/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-wars-2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|game14 = [[Halo Infinite]]
|mc14 = Xbox Series X/S: 87<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-infinite/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-series-x |title=Halo Infinite for Xbox Series X Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206081808/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-series-x/halo-infinite |url-status=live }}</ref><br />PC: 81<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-infinite/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Halo Infinite for PC Reviews |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211206080026/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-infinite |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}


The ''Halo'' franchise has been highly successful commercially and critically. During the two months following ''Halo: Combat Evolved''{{'}}s release, it sold alongside more than fifty percent of Xbox consoles.<ref name="wired3">{{Cite magazine |last=Patrizio |first=Andy |date=January 8, 2002 |title=Xbox Assault Only Starting |url=http://archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/01/49600 |access-date=September 27, 2006 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |publisher=[[Condé Nast]] |archive-date=October 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016035723/http://archive.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/01/49600 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Halo&nbsp;2''{{'}}s sales generated [[United States dollars|US$]]125&nbsp;million on its premiere day, making it the fastest selling United States media product in history up to that time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thorsen |first=Tor |date=November 10, 2004 |title=Microsoft raises estimated first-day Halo 2 sales to $124&nbsp;million-plus |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-raises-estimated-first-day-halo-2-sales-to-125-million-plus/1100-6112915/ |access-date=March 15, 2006 |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-date=March 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303045119/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-raises-estimated-first-day-halo-2-sales-to-125-million-plus/1100-6112915/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=January 2005 |title=November 9&nbsp;– By the Numbers |magazine=[[Official Xbox Magazine]] |issue=40 |page=15}}</ref> Combined with ''Halo''{{'}}s sales, the two games sold 14.8&nbsp;million units before ''Halo 3''{{'}}s release.<ref name="GWR08-Charts">{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008 |date=March 11, 2008 |publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-1-904994-21-3 |editor-last=Glenday, Craig |series=[[Guinness World Records]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/14 14] |chapter=Review of the Year: 2007 Chart |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/14}}</ref> At the end of 2007, ''Halo&nbsp;2'' and ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' were the number one and two best-selling Xbox titles, respectively, and ''Halo&nbsp;3'' was the best-selling Xbox&nbsp;360 title.<ref name="GWR08-BestSeller">{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008 |date=March 11, 2008 |publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-1-904994-21-3 |editor-last=Glenday, Craig |series=[[Guinness World Records]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/51 51] |chapter=Hardware: Best-Sellers by Platform |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/51}}</ref> The ''Halo'' series had sold more than 81&nbsp;million copies by 2021,<ref name="deadline-81mil"/> and total franchise sales amounted to more than $6 billion in 2021.<ref name="gamespot_2021-11-10">{{cite web |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |date=November 10, 2021 |title=Halo Hits 81 Million Copies Sold Ahead Of Halo Infinite's Release |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-hits-81-million-copies-sold-ahead-of-halo-infinites-release/1100-6497908/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110200821/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/halo-hits-81-million-copies-sold-ahead-of-halo-infinites-release/1100-6497908/ |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |access-date=November 11, 2021 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>
<ref name=gamespotnews>{{cite web|author=Parker, Sam |date=July 14, 2003 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo/news.html?sid=6071658&mode=news |title=''Halo'' reaches 3 million |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929160607/http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo/news.html?sid=6071658&mode=news |archive-date=September 29, 2007 }}</ref>


''Halo''{{'}}s success led to the term "''Halo'' killer" being used to describe console games that aspire, or are considered, to be better than ''Halo''.<ref name="halokiller">{{Cite web |last=Islam |first=Zak |date=July 11, 2011 |title=Respawn Entertainment's Next Game Will be Halo Killer |url=http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2010/07/11/pachter-respawn-entertainment%E2%80%99s-next-game-will-be-halo-killer/ |access-date=July 23, 2012 |website=PlayStation LifeStyle |archive-date=June 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601214647/http://playstationlifestyle.net/2010/07/11/pachter-respawn-entertainment%e2%80%99s-next-game-will-be-halo-killer/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was the Xbox's [[killer app]].<ref name="GWR08-Hardware">{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008 |date=March 11, 2008 |publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-1-904994-21-3 |editor-last=Glenday, Craig |series=[[Guinness World Records]] |page=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/27 27] |chapter=Hardware History II |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/27}}</ref>
<ref name=gamepro50>{{cite magazine| date=January 28, 2004 | url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/33151/halo-sells-over-four-million-for-xbox/ |title=''Halo'' Sells Over Four Million for Xbox | magazine=[[GamePro]] | access-date=September 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206144055/http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/33151/halo-sells-over-four-million-for-xbox/|archive-date=December 6, 2008}}</ref>


The soundtracks to ''Halo 2'', ''Halo 3'', ''ODST'' and ''Reach'' all appeared on the Billboard 200 charts for at least one week.<ref name="billboard-reach">{{Cite magazine |last=Trust, Gary |date=September 23, 2010 |title=Weekly Chart Notes: Bruno Mars, Rihanna, 'Halo' |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/956121/weekly-chart-notes-bruno-mars-rihanna-halo |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927101515/http://www.billboard.com/ |archive-date=September 27, 2010 |access-date=September 26, 2010 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> By May 2011, total gross of ''Halo'' merchandise was $2&nbsp;billion, with 40&nbsp;million copies of the games sold.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GameSpy.com&nbsp;– Gaming's Homepage |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september03/25overrated/index17.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060224034417/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september03/25overrated/index17.shtml |archive-date=February 24, 2006}}</ref> The total amount climbed to $2.3&nbsp;billion in July 2011,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halo News&nbsp;– Halo Official Site&nbsp;– Tor Books Reveals Title, Cover Art, And Release Date of Second Halo Novel By Greg Bear |url=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/news/headline/tor-books-reveals-title-cover-art-and-release-date-of-second-halo-novel-by-greg-bear/113219 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722180807/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/news/headline/tor-books-reveals-title-cover-art-and-release-date-of-second-halo-novel-by-greg-bear/113219 |archive-date=July 22, 2011}}</ref> and $2.8&nbsp;billion in January 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bs Angel |date=January 3, 2012 |title=Tor Books Announces the On-sale Availability of Halo: Primordium |url=http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/01/03/Tor-Books-Announces-the-On-sale-Availability-of-HALO-PRIMORDIUM.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717152328/http://halo.xbox.com/blogs/Headlines/post/2012/01/03/Tor-Books-Announces-the-On-sale-Availability-of-HALO-PRIMORDIUM.aspx |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |publisher=Halo Waypoint}}</ref> Total franchise grosses exceeded $4.6&nbsp;billion by October 2015, with 25% of the figure from non-game-related merchandise.<ref name="bloomberg-bonnieross">{{Cite web |last=Brustein |first=Joshua |date=October 22, 2015 |title=Can the Woman Behind Halo 5 Save the Xbox? |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-halo-5-bonnie-ross/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023015630/http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-halo-5-bonnie-ross/ |archive-date=October 23, 2015 |access-date=November 11, 2015 |website=[[Bloomberg Business]]}}</ref>
<ref name=gamestudies>{{cite journal | author=Järvinen, Aki | url=http://www.gamestudies.org/0102/jarvinen/ | title=''Halo'' and the Anatomy of the FPS | journal=Game Studies | volume=2 | issue=1 | date=July 2002 | access-date=September 4, 2006 | archive-date=September 3, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903071410/http://www.gamestudies.org/0102/jarvinen/ | url-status=live }}</ref>


The ''Halo'' adaptations have been successful as well. Many of the novels have appeared on ''[[Publishers Weekly]]''{{'}}s [[bestseller]] charts and the ''Halo Graphic Novel'' sold more than 100,000 copies, a "rare hit" for the games-to-comics genre.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 4, 2008 |title=BC-Best-sellers-Books-PW |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/04/entertainment/e125508S23.DTL&hw=cole+protocol&sn=002&sc=917 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220055929/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2008%2F12%2F04%2Fentertainment%2Fe125508S23.DTL&hw=cole%2Bprotocol&sn=002&sc=917 |archive-date=February 20, 2009}}</ref> ''Ghosts of Onyx'', ''Contact Harvest'', ''The Cole Protocol'' and the first volume of ''Cryptum'' appeared on ''[[The New York Times]]'' bestseller lists,<ref name="gamingage" /><ref name="xbox.com3">{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Marty |title=''First Strike'' Author Eric Nylund Q&A |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/spotlight2.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821171442/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/spotlight2.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=August 21, 2006 |access-date=September 2, 2006 |publisher=Xbox.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brightman, James |date=November 19, 2007 |title=Halo: Contact Harvest Becomes New York Times Bestseller in First Week |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/halo-3/xbox-360/game-news/halo-contact-harvest-becomes-new-york-times-bestseller-in-first-week/5186/18598/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215054216/http://www.gamedaily.com/games/halo-3/xbox-360/game-news/halo-contact-harvest-becomes-new-york-times-bestseller-in-first-week/5186/18598/ |archive-date=February 15, 2009 |access-date=January 15, 2008 |publisher=GameDaily.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Berardini, Cesar |date=August 5, 2007 |title=Halo: Ghosts of Onyx Enjoys Mass Market Debut Today |url=http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13188/Halo-Ghosts-of-Onyx-Enjoys-Mass-Market-Debut-Today/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314193851/http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/13188/Halo-Ghosts-of-Onyx-Enjoys-Mass-Market-Debut-Today/ |archive-date=March 14, 2008 |access-date=April 13, 2008 |website=[[IGN|Team Xbox]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 23, 2011 |title=Best Sellers |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-01-23/hardcover-fiction/list.html |access-date=August 17, 2012 |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195436/http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-01-23/hardcover-fiction/list.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 23, 2011 |title=Best Sellers |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-01-30/hardcover-fiction/list.html |access-date=August 17, 2012 |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004034815/http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2011-01-30/hardcover-fiction/list.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and ''The Cole Protocol'' also opened 50th overall on ''[[USA Today]]''{{'s}} bestsellers list.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 4, 2008 |title=BC-Best-sellers-Books-USAToday |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/04/entertainment/e125424S22.DTL&hw=cole+protocol&sn=003&sc=914 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422050619/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2008%2F12%2F04%2Fentertainment%2Fe125424S22.DTL&hw=cole%2Bprotocol&sn=003&sc=914 |archive-date=April 22, 2009}}</ref> Tor's first three novels sold more than one million copies by April 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 6, 2009 |title=New Halo Trilogy from Tor Books |url=http://halo.xbox.com/article-new-halo-trilogy.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515112243/http://halo.xbox.com/article-new-halo-trilogy.html <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archive-date=May 15, 2009 |access-date=July 24, 2009 |website=Halo.Xbox.com |publisher=Microsoft}}</ref>
<ref name=gamespy>{{cite web|date=September 15, 2003 |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september03/25overrated/index17.shtml |title=Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |access-date=June 26, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060622142425/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september03/25overrated/index17.shtml |archive-date=June 22, 2006 }}</ref>


Overall, the ''Halo'' series has been very well received by critics. ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' has received numerous [[List of Game of the Year awards|Game of the Year]] awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 28, 2002 |title=The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences:: Awards |url=http://www.interactive.org/awards.php?winners&year=2002&cat=200201#200201 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929094428/http://www.interactive.org/awards.php?winners&year=2002&cat=200201#200201 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |access-date=September 1, 2006 |publisher=[[The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved''&nbsp;– Awards |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/awards.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061210190117/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/awards.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=December 10, 2006 |access-date=September 1, 2006 |publisher=Xbox.com}}</ref> In March 2007, IGN listed it as the top Xbox game of all time, while readers ranked it the fourteenth best game ever on "IGN Readers' Choice 2006&nbsp;– The Top 100 Games Ever".<ref name="IGN-Top25XB">{{Cite web |last1=Perry, Douglass C. |last2=Brudvig, Erik |last3=Miller, Jon |date=March 17, 2007 |title=The Top 25 Xbox Games of All Time |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/772/772315p5.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320012940/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/772/772315p5.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 20, 2007 |access-date=April 23, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref name="top100">{{Cite web |year=2006 |title=Readers' Picks Top 100 Games: 11–20 |url=http://top100.ign.com/2006/011-020.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831080059/http://top100.ign.com/2006/011-020.html |archive-date=August 31, 2011 |access-date=January 23, 2008 |website=IGN Readers' Choice 2006&nbsp;– The Top 100 Games Ever |publisher=IGN}}</ref> Conversely, [[GameSpy|Game Spy]] ranked ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' tenth on its list of "Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time", citing repetitive level design and the lack of an online multiplayer mode.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 15, 2003 |title=Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time |url=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/news/headline/titan-books-signs-up-10th-anniversary-halo-art-book/52225 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513024349/http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/news/headline/titan-books-signs-up-10th-anniversary-halo-art-book/52225 |archive-date=May 13, 2011 |access-date=June 26, 2006 |publisher=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref> ''Halo 2'' also received numerous awards,<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Halo 2'' Awards |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/awards.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626231116/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/awards.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=June 26, 2007 |access-date=February 12, 2007 |publisher=Xbox.com}}</ref> with IGN listing it as the number two top Xbox game of all time in March 2007.<ref name="IGN-Top25XB" /> From its initial release on the Xbox in November 2004 until the launch of ''[[Gears of War]]'' on the Xbox 360 in November 2006&nbsp;– two years later&nbsp;– ''Halo 2'' was the most popular video game on Xbox Live.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 21, 2006 |title=Halo 2 tops Live most-played list |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62981 |access-date=March 18, 2008 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216143357/http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=62981 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Halo 3'' was nominated for and won multiple awards; it won [[Time (magazine)|''Time'' magazine's]] "Game of the Year" and IGN chose it as the Best Xbox 360 Online Multiplayer Game and Innovative Design of 2007.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grossman, Lev |date=December 9, 2007 |title=50 Top 10 Lists of 2007&nbsp;– Top 10 Video Games |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686305_1692236,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212030112/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686305_1692236,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2007 |access-date=March 10, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Best of 2007: Best Online Multiplayer Game (Xbox 360) |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/17.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110230530/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/17.html |archive-date=January 10, 2008 |access-date=January 14, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Best of 2007: Most Innovative Design (Xbox 360) |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/20.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110023228/http://bestof.ign.com/2007/xbox360/20.html |archive-date=January 10, 2008 |access-date=January 14, 2008 |website=IGN}}</ref> Most publications called the multiplayer aspect one of the best features; IGN said the multiplayer map lineup was the strongest of the series, and GameSpy added that the multiplayer offering will greatly please "''Halo'' veterans".<ref name="H3-ignrev">{{Cite web |last=Goldstein, Hilary |date=September 23, 2007 |title=IGN (USA) ''Halo 3'' Review |url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p5.html |access-date=September 23, 2007 |website=IGN |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011012123/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p5.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="H3-gamespy review">{{Cite web |last=Graziani, Gabe |date=September 23, 2007 |title=GameSpy ''Halo 3'' Review |url=http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/halo-3/821976p1.html |access-date=September 23, 2007 |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |archive-date=October 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005002257/http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/halo-3/821976p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Complaints focused on the game's plot. ''The New York Times'' said the game had a "throwaway" plot and Total Video Games judged the single-player aspect ultimately disappointing.<ref name="nytreview">{{Cite news |last=Herold, Charles |date=September 27, 2007 |title=Halo 3 Mimics Halo 2, With Some Improved Graphic |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/technology/circuits/27games.html?_r=1&ex=1191470400 |access-date=October 3, 2007}}</ref><ref name="tvg review">{{Cite web |last=Wilcox, Jon |date=September 27, 2007 |title=TVG Review: ''Halo 3'' |url=http://www.totalvideogames.com/articles/Halo_3_12180.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214103451/http://www.totalvideogames.com/articles/Halo_3_12180.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2007 |access-date=October 3, 2007 |publisher=Total Video Games}}</ref> The series' music and audio has received enthusiastic response from game reviewers.<ref name="H3-gamespy review" /><ref name="ignreview">{{Cite web |last=Boulding |first=Aaron |date=November 9, 2001 |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' review at IGN |url=http://xbox.ign.com/articles/165/165922p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020401234155/http://xbox.ign.com/articles/165/165922p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 1, 2002 |access-date=August 31, 2006 |website=IGN}}</ref><ref name="gi">{{Cite magazine |last=McNamara |first=Andy |title=''Halo 2'' review at ''Game Informer'' |url=http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/AF4EAEF7-1136-4985-82E0-EB6588130908.htm?CS_pid=210263 |magazine=[[Game Informer]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060109094139/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/AF4EAEF7-1136-4985-82E0-EB6588130908.htm?CS_pid=210263 |archive-date=January 9, 2006 |access-date=February 9, 2007}}</ref>
<ref name=gamespy100>{{cite web|author=Van Autrijve, Rainier |date=October 29, 2004 |url=http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/stubbs-the-zombie-in-rebel-without-a-pulse/561824p1.html |title=''Rebel Without a Pulse'' Announced |publisher=[[GameSpy]] |access-date=September 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060507230902/http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/stubbs-the-zombie-in-rebel-without-a-pulse/561824p1.html |archive-date=May 7, 2006 }}</ref>


==Cultural impact==
<ref name=gamespot10>{{cite web|author=Olsen, Jennifer |date=October 7, 2004 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo/news.html?sid=6109868&mode=news |title=The pomp before the stomp: The World Cyber Games kicks off |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930014722/http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo/news.html?sid=6109868&mode=news |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref>
The main trilogy, particularly its protagonist, are considered iconic and a symbol of today's video games; a wax replica of Master Chief was made by [[Madame Tussauds]] in [[Las Vegas]], where [[Pete Wentz]] compared the character to notable characters from previous generations like [[Spider-Man]], [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], and [[Luke Skywalker]].<ref name="wax">{{Cite web |date=September 10, 2007 |title=Master Chief Invades Madame Tussauds |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo3/articles/20070910-madametussaud.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070916150920/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo3/articles/20070910-madametussaud.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=September 16, 2007 |access-date=September 21, 2007 |publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref> ''[[GamesTM]]'' stated ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' "changed video game combat forever", and ''Halo&nbsp;2'' showcased Xbox Live as a tool for communities.<ref name="gamesTM-61">{{Cite journal |date=September 2007 |title=Hail to the Chief |journal=[[gamesTM]] |issue=61 |pages=30–41}}</ref> Game Daily noted ''Halo&nbsp;2''{{'}}s launch was "easily comparable to the biggest in other sectors of the entertainment industry", marking the first time a video game launch has become a major cultural event in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brightman, James |date=November 17, 2004 |title=Halo 2's Success A Part of Pop Culture |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/halo-2s-success-a-part-of-pop-culture/67308/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220012915/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/halo-2s-success-a-part-of-pop-culture/67308/ |archive-date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=November 13, 2007 |publisher=GameDaily}}</ref> ''Halo'' has been described as a series that "has reinvented a genre that didn't know it needed to be reinvented", with aspects of the main trilogy being duplicated in other first-person shooter games multiple times.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Beatty, D'Marcus |title=Halo Influence on the Gaming Industry |url=http://www.cheatcc.com/extra/haloinfluenceonthegamingindustry2.html |access-date=November 13, 2007 |publisher=CheatCC.com |archive-date=November 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112111413/http://www.cheatcc.com/extra/haloinfluenceonthegamingindustry2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called ''Halo'' "the equivalent of ''[[Star Wars]]''".<ref name="variety-halo care">{{Cite news |last=Graser, Mark |date=September 4, 2010 |title='Halo': the care and feeding of a franchise |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://variety.com/2010/digital/features/halo-the-care-and-feeding-of-a-franchise-1118023688/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912132458/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118023688.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |archive-date=September 12, 2010}}</ref> The fandom is referred to as the "''Halo'' nation".<ref name="microsoft-halo 5 effect">{{Cite web |last=Kohnstamm, Thomas |title=The 'Halo 5' Effect |url=https://news.microsoft.com/stories/halo5/ |access-date=February 19, 2020 |website=Microsoft Story Labs |publisher=Microsoft |archive-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219192205/https://news.microsoft.com/stories/halo5/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name=gamespot11>{{cite web | author=Calvert, Justin | date=September 10, 2003 | url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/10000-in-prize-money-for-first-mlg-event/1100-6074860/ | title=$10,000 in prize money for first MLG event | website=[[GameSpot]] | access-date=September 7, 2006 | archive-date=March 22, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322154509/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/10000-in-prize-money-for-first-mlg-event/1100-6074860/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
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===Machinima===
<ref name=gameindustry.biz>{{cite web | author=Fahey, Rob | date=November 11, 2004 | url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/halo-2-us-sales-top-125-million-uk-retail-celebrates-successful-launch | title=''Halo 2'' US sales top $125 million; UK retail celebrates successful launch | work=GamesIndustry.biz | publisher=[[Eurogamer]] | access-date=September 7, 2006 | archive-date=December 3, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203002843/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/halo-2-us-sales-top-125-million-uk-retail-celebrates-successful-launch | url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Main|Machinima}}
The ''Halo'' franchise spurred an array of productions in an emerging genre of [[machinima]]—the use of games for filmmaking.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chong, David |date=April 15, 2008 |title=Turning video games into movies |url=http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/04/15/machinima/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927141818/http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/04/15/machinima/ |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |access-date=May 12, 2008 |website=[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]] |publisher=[[American Public Media]]}}</ref> Most productions are set outside ''Halo'' canon, while others are based on [[fan fiction]] closely relating to the story. ''Halo 3'' includes a saved film function that allows camera angles not possible in previous games, and other features that simplify production. The game has become one of the most popular tools for generating machinima, and Microsoft updated its [[Software license agreement|user license agreement]] to allow noncommercial distribution of such films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Price, Peter |date=October 16, 2007 |title=Machinima waits to go mainstream |work=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7045018.stm |access-date=February 11, 2009 |archive-date=October 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018041600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7045018.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>


A notable machinima production is the [[comedy]] series ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'' created by [[Rooster Teeth Productions]]. It has achieved an unparalleled level of success in ''Halo'' machinima in specific, and machinima in general; it is credited with bringing attention to the genre.<ref name="GWR08-Halo">{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008 |date=March 11, 2008 |publisher=Guinness |isbn=978-1-904994-21-3 |editor-last=Glenday, Craig |series=[[Guinness World Records]] |pages=[https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/98 98–99] |chapter=Record-Breaking Shooting Games: Halo |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/guinnessworldrec00guin_0/page/98}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Clive |date=August 7, 2005 |title=The Xbox Auteurs |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/magazine/07MACHINI.html?ex=1281067200&en=a0b469a4346f3cbb&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss |access-date=January 8, 2006 |archive-date=January 9, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060109195937/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/magazine/07MACHINI.html?ex=1281067200&en=a0b469a4346f3cbb&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Red vs. Blue'' generated annual revenues of US$200,000, and special promotional episodes were commissioned by Bungie.<ref name="GWR08-Halo" /> The first series, ''[[The Blood Gulch Chronicles]]'', ended on June 28, 2007, after 100 regular episodes and numerous promotional videos.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kohler |first=Chris |date=June 26, 2007 |title=Machinima Series Red vs. Blue Ends Tour of Duty |url=http://archive.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/news/2007/06/redversusblue |access-date=June 13, 2011 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402132816/http://archive.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/news/2007/06/redversusblue |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequent series include ''[[Red vs. Blue#Seasons 6–8 (The Recollection)|The Recollection]]'', which contains more dramatic elements than its comedic predecessor,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gallaga, Omar |date=March 27, 2007 |title=Game Over [Final Edition] |page=F1 |work=[[Austin American-Statesman]]}}</ref> ''[[Red vs. Blue#Seasons 9 & 10 (Project Freelancer)|Project Freelancer]]'', ''[[Red vs. Blue#Seasons 11–13 (The Chorus Trilogy)|The Chorus Trilogy]]'', [[Red vs. Blue (season 14)|Anthology]], and The Shisno Paradox. Other machinima series include ''Arby ‘n the Chief'', ''Fire Team Charlie'', ''The Codex'', and the in-game interview show ''[[This Spartan Life]]''.
<ref name="gamepro_halo3_records">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/136548/halo-3-shatters-retail-record-sells-170m-in-24-hrs/ |title=''Halo 3'' shatters retail record; sells $170M in 24 hrs |access-date=September 27, 2007 |author=Snow, Blake |magazine=[[GamePro]] |date=September 26, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206003930/http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/136548/halo-3-shatters-retail-record-sells-170m-in-24-hrs/|archive-date=December 6, 2008}}</ref>


===Esports===
<ref name=gamingage>{{cite web|author=Klepek, Patrick |date=May 5, 2003 |url=http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2003/5/2-15 |title=''Halo'' novel cracks bestseller |publisher=Gaming-Age |access-date=September 2, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050426111227/http://www.gaming-age.com/news/2003/5/2-15 |archive-date=April 26, 2005 }}</ref>
Players began creating impromptu ''Halo'' tournaments and local parties after the release of the first game. Bungie looked at the success of these matches as inspiration for crafting the online multiplayer components of ''Halo 2''.<ref name="theringer-h2 retrospective">{{Cite web |last=Agnello, Anthony |date=November 11, 2019 |title=When 'Halo 2' Invaded Planet Earth |url=https://www.theringer.com/2019/11/11/20958715/halo-2-anniversary-first-person-shooter-xbox-master-chief-history-i-love-bees |access-date=January 24, 2020 |website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218065943/https://www.theringer.com/2019/11/11/20958715/halo-2-anniversary-first-person-shooter-xbox-master-chief-history-i-love-bees |url-status=live }}</ref>


Larger organizations soon began operating ''Halo'' competitive games. In August 2002, [[G4 (American TV network)|G4]] hosted the Halo National Championship Finals, a FFA [free-for-all] tournament involving sixteen players from across the country (hosted by [[Wil Wheaton]] of ''Star Trek'' fame.)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mnemesis |date=August 31, 2002 |title=Halo National Finals |url=http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=38 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013173945/http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=38 |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2020 |website=Bungie.net}}</ref> The Associates of Gaming Professionals (AGP), which focused solely on ''Halo'', held its first event in November 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jarrard, Brian |date=November 7, 2003 |title=Interview with the AGP |url=https://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=87 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013171249/http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?cid=87 |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |access-date=August 17, 2020 |website=Bungie.net}}</ref> Inspired by friends placing bets on their ''Halo'' matches, Mike Sepso and Sundance DiGiovanni formed [[Major League Gaming]] the same year.<ref name="haloeffect-havegun">{{Cite book |last=Kix, Paul |title=Halo Effect |publisher=BenBella Books |year=2005 |editor-last=Yeffeth, Glenn |chapter=Have Gun Will Travel}}</ref>
<ref name="goldenjoystick-halo">{{cite book|editor=Castle, Matthew|year=2015|title=Golden Joystick Presents... Halo|publisher=Future Publishing|url=http://msgfocus.com/files/amf_future_publishing/project_721/GR_Free_EBooks/Halo_Ultimate_Guide.pdf|access-date=March 3, 2019|archive-date=June 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626130131/http://msgfocus.com/files/amf_future_publishing/project_721/GR_Free_EBooks/Halo_Ultimate_Guide.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>


Microsoft and 343 Industries sponsored their own professional ''Halo'' league, called the '''Halo Championship Series''' ('''HCS'''), in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gies |first=Arthur |date=November 5, 2014 |title=Halo gets serious about eSports with the Halo Championship Series |url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/5/7160695/halo-gets-serious-about-esports-with-the-halo-championship-series |access-date=December 8, 2015 |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |archive-date=December 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210224047/http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/5/7160695/halo-gets-serious-about-esports-with-the-halo-championship-series |url-status=live }}</ref> It was started in partnership with the [[Electronic Sports League]] (ESL). Seasons 1 and 2 ran on ''The Master Chief Collection''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Puga |first=Lauren |date=November 4, 2015 |title=Halo Gets Official eSports League: Halo Championship Series |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/05/343-industries-announces-the-halo-championship-series |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=March 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325182354/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/05/343-industries-announces-the-halo-championship-series |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2015 Microsoft announced it would be increasing the total prize pool of the HCS to $1 million USD, for the newly announced Halo World Championship, which will be the debut event for ''Halo 5''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mueller |first=Saira |date=August 4, 2015 |title=Microsoft's 'Halo' eSports Tournament, Halo Championship Series, Offers $1 Million Prize Money |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/microsofts-halo-esports-tournament-halo-championship-series-offers-1-million-prize-2037971 |access-date=December 8, 2015 |website=[[International Business Times]]}}</ref> This prize pool was later announced to be crowd-funded, which later resulted in [[Major League Gaming]] announcing that the prize pool had climbed to $2 million USD. Later that week, 343 announced that the prize pool was locked at $2.5 million USD. This was the largest console esports prize pool ever.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stubbsy |first=Mike |date=May 14, 2016 |title=The 10 largest console eSports prize pools ever |url=https://www.redbull.com/us-en/the-10-largest-console-esports-prize-pools-ever |website=Red Bull |access-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-date=February 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206063723/https://www.redbull.com/us-en/the-10-largest-console-esports-prize-pools-ever |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="gamesradar-history of halo">{{cite web |author=Staff|date=October 8, 2007|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-history-of-halo/a-2007100812649684036 |title=The History of Halo; How two students went from Pong clones to the biggest game of all time |website=[[GamesRadar]] |pages=1–4 |access-date=October 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081123041945/http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-history-of-halo/a-2007100812649684036 |archive-date=November 23, 2008 }}</ref>


==References==
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{{Reflist}}
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==External links==
<ref name="haloeffect-rearview">{{cite book|author=Gillen, Kieron|year=2006|editor-first=Glenn|editor-last=Yeffeth|chapter=Planetary Objects In the Rear View Mirror|title=Halo Effect: An Unauthorized Look at the Most Successful Video Game of All Time|publisher=BenBella Books|isbn=1-933771-11-9|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/haloeffectunauth0000unse|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/haloeffectunauth0000unse}}</ref>
{{Commons category|Halo (series)}}

{{Wikiquote}}
<ref name="halo.bungie.org-totalaudiointerview">{{cite web|url=http://nikon.bungie.org/music.html|title=TotalAudio Questions & Answers|publisher=[[Halo.Bungie.Org]]|access-date=January 30, 2008|archive-date=August 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190811195927/http://nikon.bungie.org/music.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
<!--Please do not add an external link to this section without proposing it and achieving consensus on the talk page first.-->

* {{Official website|https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us}}
<ref name=humanfaq>{{cite web | url=http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo/page.aspx?section=Guides&subsection=WeaponsVehiclesPages&page=1 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041028151828/http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo/page.aspx?section=Guides&subsection=WeaponsVehiclesPages&page=1 | archive-date=October 28, 2004 | title=Human Weapons Intro | publisher=[[Bungie]] | access-date=September 8, 2006 }}</ref>
* [http://halo.bungie.net/Projects/HaloUniverse.aspx ''Halo''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014221125/http://halo.bungie.net/Projects/HaloUniverse.aspx |date=October 14, 2016 }} at Bungie

* [http://www.halopedia.org/ Halopedia]&nbsp;– an external wiki
<ref name=halopcreview>{{cite web|author=Kasavin, Greg |date=September 29, 2003 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halo/review.html |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' PC Review |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023072805/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halo/review.html |archive-date=October 23, 2006 }}</ref>

<ref name=halopcgamespotpreview>{{cite web|author=Parker, Sam |date=May 15, 2003 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halo/news.html?sid=6028228 |title=''Halo'' PC Hands-On |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=September 20, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060928015112/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/halo/news.html?sid=6028228 |archive-date=September 28, 2006 }}</ref>

<ref name=ign2000>{{cite web | date=July 12, 2002 | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/364/364726p1.html | title=''Halo'' Officially Official for the PC! | website=IGN | access-date=September 20, 2006 | archive-date=June 13, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613045848/http://pc.ign.com/articles/364/364726p1.html }}</ref>

<ref name=ign23>{{cite web | author=Sulic, Ivan | date=May 16, 2003 | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/403/403470p1.html | title=E3 2003: ''Halo'' Hands-On | website=IGN | access-date=September 20, 2006 | archive-date=December 11, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061211124420/http://pc.ign.com/articles/403/403470p1.html }}</ref>

<ref name="ign_gamespy_shutdown">{{cite web|author=Dyer, Mitch|date=April 3, 2014|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/gamespy-multiplayer-shutting-down-hundreds-of-games-at-risk|title=GAMESPY MULTIPLAYER SHUTTING DOWN, HUNDREDS OF GAMES AT RISK|work=[[IGN]]|publisher=Ziff Davis|access-date=May 12, 2014|archive-date=May 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512043624/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/03/gamespy-multiplayer-shutting-down-hundreds-of-games-at-risk|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=ign4>{{cite web | url=http://pc.ign.com/objects/692/692670.html | title=''Halo: Custom Edition'' - PC | website=IGN | access-date=September 2, 2006 | archive-date=November 27, 2004 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041127050923/http://pc.ign.com/objects/692/692670.html }}</ref>

<ref name=ignpreview>{{cite web | author=Lopez, Vincent | date=July 21, 1999 | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/068/068975p1.html | title=Heavenly ''Halo'' Announced from Bungie | website=IGN | access-date=August 31, 2006 | archive-date=August 7, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807074453/http://pc.ign.com/articles/068/068975p1.html }}</ref>

<ref name=ignreview4>{{cite web | author=Butts, Steve | date=September 27, 2003 | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/451/451902p1.html | title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' Review - PC Review | website=IGN | access-date=September 7, 2006 | archive-date=November 8, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108004438/http://pc.ign.com/articles/451/451902p1.html }}</ref>

<ref name="joystiq_moore">{{cite web | last=Ransom-Wiley | first=James | date=January 23, 2006 | url=http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/23/joystiq-interview-peter-moore-ces/ | title=Joystiq Interview: Peter Moore @ CES | work=[[Joystiq]] | publisher=[[AOL]] | access-date=September 7, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128024300/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/23/joystiq-interview-peter-moore-ces/ | archive-date=January 28, 2015 }}</ref>

<!-- <ref name="ign_halo_360">{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/11/30/fall-update-details |title=Fall Update Details |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |first=Nate |last=Ahearn |date=November 30, 2007 |access-date=May 20, 2015 |page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929060418/http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/11/30/fall-update-details |archive-date=September 29, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>-->

<ref name="ign_rank">{{cite web |url=http://ign.com/top/shooters/4 |title=Halo: Combat Evolved -#4 Top Shooters |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |date=September 13, 2013 |access-date=February 23, 2014 |page=4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716050610/http://www.ign.com/top/shooters/4 |archive-date=July 16, 2015 }}</ref>

<ref name="ign_review">{{cite web |last=Boulding |first=Aaron |date=November 9, 2001 |url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2001/11/10/halo-review |title=Halo Review |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=May 20, 2015 |page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502102021/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/10/halo-review |archive-date=May 2, 2015 }}</ref><!-- archive page 2 -->

<ref name="ign-historyofhalo">{{cite web|author=McLaughlin, Rus|date=2007-09-20|url=http://retro.ign.com/articles/821/821618p1.html|title=IGN Presents The History of Halo|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=2008-11-01|pages=1–3|archive-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515003712/http://retro.ign.com/articles/821/821618p1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="manual">{{cite book|year=2001|editor=[[Bungie]]|title=Halo: Combat Evolved Instruction Manual|url=http://www.bungie.net/images/games/halo/about/xbox_manual.pdf|publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios]]|access-date=June 23, 2011|archive-date=December 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215154249/http://www.bungie.net/images/games/halo/about/xbox_manual.pdf}}</ref>

<ref name=microsoftpressrelease>{{cite web|date=June 19, 2000 |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/Jun00/BungiePR.mspx |title=Microsoft to Acquire Bungie Software |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=August 22, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060501214618/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2000/Jun00/BungiePR.mspx |archive-date=May 1, 2006 }}</ref>

<ref name="metacritic_xbox">{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/halo-combat-evolved/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox |title=Halo: Combat Evolved for Xbox Reviews |work=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=June 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511085008/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/halo-combat-evolved |archive-date=May 11, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="metacritic_pc">{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/halo |title=Halo: Combat Evolved for PC Reviews |work=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=August 22, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626070552/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/halo-combat-evolved |archive-date=June 26, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=music4gamers>{{cite web | author=Marks, Aaron | date=December 2, 2002 | url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24 | title=The Use and Effectiveness of Audio in ''Halo'': Game Music Evolved | publisher=[[Music4Games]] | access-date=September 6, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619120737/http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=24|archive-date=June 19, 2006}}</ref>

<ref name=msnbc>{{cite web | date=November 10, 2004 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6456214 | title='Halo 2' reports $125 million in first-day sales | work=NBC News | access-date=September 7, 2006 | archive-date=November 21, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131121115124/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6456214/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name=mythguide>{{cite book|author=Farkas, Bart|chapter=12: The Making of ''Myth''|title=Myth: The Fallen Lords: Strategies & Secrets|editor1-last=Brodnitz|editor1-first=Dan|editor2-last=Adams|editor2-first=Maureen|editor3-last=Auer|editor3-first=Lisa|editor4-last=Loucks|editor4-first=Jonathan|publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)#Brands and partnerships|Cybex]]|location=[[Alameda, California]]|year=1999|pages=261–271}}</ref>

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<ref name="nylund-unsung hero">{{cite web|author=Nylund, Eric|date=October 2, 2015|url=http://ericnylund.com/?p=1256|title=Unsung Hero of the HALO Franchise|website=EricNylund.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=August 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803022643/http://ericnylund.com/?p=1256/|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=nextgen>{{cite journal|author=Toyama, Kevin|title=Holy ''Halo''|url=http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=nextgen.0501|journal=[[Next Generation Magazine]]|date=May 2001|page=1|access-date=September 27, 2007|archive-date=October 11, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011053604/http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=nextgen.0501|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=nextgen.biz>{{cite web | author1=Campbell, Colin | author2=Keiser, Joe | date=July 29, 2006 | url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-games-21st-century/ | title=The Top 100 Games of the 21st Century | work=Next-Gen.biz | publisher=[[Future US]] | access-date=December 3, 2011 | page=11 | archive-date=April 18, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418225219/http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-games-21st-century | url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="oxm183-interview">{{cite magazine|author1=Amrich, Dan |first2=Ryan |last2=McCaffrey |date=September 25, 2009 |url=http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com/2009/09/25/koxm-episode-183/ |title=KOXM Episode 183 |magazine=[[Official Xbox Magazine]] |access-date=September 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001221741/http://oxmpodcast.podbean.com/2009/09/25/koxm-episode-183/ |archive-date=October 1, 2009 }}—interview segment from 0:22:15–1:02:00.</ref>

<ref name=pressrelease>{{cite web|date=April 8, 2002 |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/apr02/04-08halomillionpr.mspx |title=''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for Xbox Tops 1 Million Mark In Record Time |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=September 1, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106211440/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2002/apr02/04-08halomillionpr.mspx |archive-date=January 6, 2008 }}</ref>

<ref name="pcgamer-halo scoop">{{cite journal|author=Morris, Daniel|title=Your first look at... ''Halo''|journal=[[PC Gamer]]|date=October 1999|page=40}}<!-- http://halo.bungie.org/pressscans/display.html?scan=pcgamerusoct99 --></ref>

<ref name=polygon>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/12/18261738/halo-master-chief-collection-pc-windows-steam|title=Halo: The Master Chief Collection coming to PC|author=Polygon|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=March 23, 2019|archive-date=October 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191026163508/https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/12/18261738/halo-master-chief-collection-pc-windows-steam|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="rps_pc_patch">{{cite web|url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/05/19/halo-pc-patch-gamespy/|title=Is It Bungie You're Looking For? Halo Patch Drops GameSpy|last=O'Connor|first=Alice|date=May 19, 2014|publisher=[[Rock, Paper, Shotgun]]|access-date=May 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519211941/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/05/19/halo-pc-patch-gamespy/|archive-date=May 19, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="retrogamer-makingof">{{cite web|author=Staff|date=March 23, 2015|url=https://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games00/the-making-of-halo-combat-evolved/|title=The Making of Halo: Combat Evolved|work=[[Retro Gamer]]|publisher=Imagine Publishing|url-status=live|access-date=January 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530225152/https://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games00/the-making-of-halo-combat-evolved/|archive-date=May 30, 2016}}</ref>

<ref name=remk>{{cite magazine | author=Davison, Pete | date=June 6, 2011 | url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/219999/e3-halo-anniversary-coming-november-15/ | title=E3: ''Halo Anniversary'' Coming November 15 | magazine=[[GamePro]] | access-date=June 6, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202051157/http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/219999/e3-halo-anniversary-coming-november-15/ | archive-date=December 2, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

<ref name="summit_journal">{{cite CiteSeerX |last1=Tavares |first1=José Pedro |last2=Gil |first2=Rui |last3=Roque |first3=Licino |date=April 15, 2005 |title=Player as Author: conjecturing online game creation modalities and infrastructure |citeseerx=10.1.1.132.6927 }}</ref>

<!-- <ref name=teamxbox>{{cite web|author=Soboleski, Brent |date=November 9, 2001 |url=http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/101/Halo/p1/ |title=''Halo'' Review (Xbox) |publisher=[[TeamXbox]] |access-date=September 2, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060328162606/http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/101/Halo/p1/ |archive-date=March 28, 2006 }}</ref> unused -->

<ref name=theage>{{cite web | author=Hill, Jason | date=November 4, 2004 | url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Livewire/Xbox-wears-a-Halo-of-success/2004/11/03/1099362207594.html | title=Xbox wears a ''Halo'' of success | work=[[The Age]] | access-date=September 19, 2006 | archive-date=December 4, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204183513/http://www.theage.com.au/news/Livewire/Xbox-wears-a-Halo-of-success/2004/11/03/1099362207594.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

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<ref name="usa_today_halo_trilogy">{{cite news|author=Snider, Mike|date=June 7, 2011|url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2011-06-06-Halo-trilogy_n.htm|title=At E3: Something old, new for 'Halo' gamers|work=[[USA Today]]|access-date=June 8, 2011|archive-date=June 9, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609051045/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2011-06-06-Halo-trilogy_n.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="vice-untoldhistoryhalo">{{cite web|author=Haske, Steven|date=May 30, 2017|url=https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|title=The Complete, Untold History of Halo|work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|publisher=Vice Media|url-status=live|access-date=March 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315011247/https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/xwqjg3/the-complete-untold-history-of-halo-an-oral-history|archive-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="vg247_cea_engine">{{cite web|title=Halo Anniversary to run two engines side by side|date=June 10, 2011|author=Hillier, Brenna|url=http://www.vg247.com/2011/06/10/halo-anniversary-to-run-two-engines-side-by-side/|website=[[VG247]]|access-date=August 23, 2011|archive-date=May 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508141747/http://www.vg247.com/2011/06/10/halo-anniversary-to-run-two-engines-side-by-side/|url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name=voodooextreme>{{cite web|author=Howarth, Robert |date=May 20, 2006 |url=http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/features/5128/VE3D-Best-of-E3-2006-Awards |title=VE3D Best of E3 2006 Awards |work=Voodoo Extreme |publisher=IGN |access-date=September 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815164157/http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/features/5128/VE3D-Best-of-E3-2006-Awards |archive-date=August 15, 2007 }}</ref>

<ref name=wired3>{{cite magazine|author=Patrizio, Andy |date=January 9, 2002 |url=https://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/01/49600 |title=Xbox Assault Only Starting |magazine=[[Wired News|Wired]] |access-date=September 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216142548/http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/01/49600 |archive-date=December 16, 2008 }}</ref>

<ref name=xboxgamezone>{{cite web|author=Bedigian, Louis |date=May 28, 2003 |url=http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19468.htm |title=''Brute Force'' - XB - Review |publisher=GameZone |access-date=September 7, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011104157/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19468.htm |archive-date=October 11, 2007 }}</ref>

<ref name=xbox.cominterview>{{cite web | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/themakers3.htm |title= Just the Right Sense of "Ancient" | work=Xbox.com|publisher=[[Microsoft]] | access-date=September 6, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070301150741/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/themakers3.htm |archive-date = March 1, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=xbox.com>{{cite web | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/awards.htm | title= ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' - Awards | work=Xbox.com |publisher=[[Microsoft]]| access-date=September 1, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061210190117/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/awards.htm |archive-date = December 10, 2006}}</ref>

<ref name=xbox.com2>{{cite web | author=Longdale, Holly | url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/spotlight.htm | title=Game Worlds in Written Words | work=Xbox.com | publisher=[[Microsoft]]| access-date=September 2, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070228202019/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo/spotlight.htm |archive-date = February 28, 2007}}</ref>

<ref name=xbox.com3>{{cite web | author=Greene, Marty|url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/spotlight2.htm | title=''First Strike'' Author Eric Nylund Q&A | work=Xbox.com |publisher=[[Microsoft]]| access-date=September 2, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060821171442/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo2/spotlight2.htm |archive-date = August 21, 2006}}</ref>

<ref name=xboxnation>{{cite journal|author=Cox, Simon|title=H1; How Combat Evolved: The making of the first ''Halo''|journal=[[Xbox Nation]]|date=November 2004|pages=70–77}}</ref>

}}
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== External links ==
{{wikiquote|Halo: Combat Evolved|''Halo: Combat Evolved''}}
{{commons category}}
* {{official website|http://halo.bungie.net/projects/Halo/|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' at Bungie}}
* {{official website|https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-combat-evolved/xbox|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' at Halo Waypoint}}
*[https://www.Halopedia.org/Halo:_Combat_Evolved ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' at Halopedia]
* {{IMDb title|tt0309654}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Halo 1}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halo (Series)}}
[[Category:2001 video games]]
[[Category:Halo (franchise)| ]]
[[Category:Bungie games]]
[[Category:Video games about ancient astronauts]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:Esports games]]
[[Category:First-person shooters]]
[[Category:Gearbox Software games]]
[[Category:Golden Joystick Award winners]]
[[Category:Halo (franchise) games|Combat Evolved]]
[[Category:MacOS games]]
[[Category:MacSoft games]]
[[Category:Microsoft games]]
[[Category:Military science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer online games]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Split-screen multiplayer games]]
[[Category:Microsoft franchises]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Military science fiction]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Martin O'Donnell]]
[[Category:Video games about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Video games scored by Michael Salvatori]]
[[Category:Video game franchises introduced in 2001]]
[[Category:BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Award for Best Games winners]]
[[Category:Video games adapted into novels]]
[[Category:Spike Video Game Award winners]]
[[Category:Video games adapted into comics]]
[[Category:World Video Game Hall of Fame]]
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[[Category:Westlake Interactive games]]
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[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Fiction about megastructures]]
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[[Category:Mythopoeia]]
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Revision as of 18:20, 4 December 2024

Template:Good article is only for Wikipedia:Good articles.

Halo
Genre(s)
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Xbox Game Studios
Platform(s)
First releaseHalo: Combat Evolved
November 15, 2001
Latest releaseHalo Infinite
December 8, 2021

Halo is a military science fiction video game series and media franchise, originally developed and created by Bungie and currently managed and developed by Halo Studios (previously 343 Industries), part of Microsoft's Xbox Game Studios. The series launched in November 2001 with the first-person shooter video game Halo: Combat Evolved and its tie-in novel, The Fall of Reach. The latest major installment, Halo Infinite, was released in late 2021. Spinoffs include real-time strategy and twin-stick shooter games.

Combat Evolved started life as a real-time strategy game for personal computers, turning into a first-person shooter exclusive to the Xbox video game console after Bungie was acquired by Microsoft. Bungie regained its independence in 2007, releasing additional Halo games through 2010 before moving on from the franchise. Microsoft established 343 Industries to oversee Halo going forward, producing games itself and in partnership with other studios.

Combat Evolved was a critical and commercial success, serving as the Xbox's "killer app" and cementing Microsoft as a major player in the video game console space. Its sequels expanded the franchise's commercial and critical success, and have sold more than 81 million copies worldwide. With more than $6 billion in franchise grosses, Halo is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, spanning novels, graphic novels, comic books, short films, animated films, feature films, and other licensed products.

Plot

Millions of years in the past, a species known as the Precursors assumes the Mantle of Responsibility - the guardianship of life in the galaxy. The Precursors chose an ancient form of humanity as their successors, over another species known as the Forerunners. In retaliation, the Forerunners attacked their former masters and drove the Precursors into extinction. Instead of fighting back, the Precursors allowed themselves to die, with some turning into dust intended to spread and later transform into themselves once again. This dust eventually became defective, infecting and contorting organisms into a new parasitic species, connected by a hivemind to the minds of the last Precursors: the Flood. The Forerunners sent the humans to Earth, reverting them to a primitive civilization based in Africa, and fought the Flood, which spread through an infestation of sentient life and overran much of the Milky Way Galaxy. Exhausting all other strategies, the Forerunners conceived the Halo Array—ring-shaped megastructures and weapons of last resort that would destroy all sentient life in the galaxy to stop the Flood. A civil war began between the Forerunners' commander, known as the Ur-Didact, who wanted to assimilate all the humans on Earth into his army as AIs, thus immune to the Flood, and his wife, the Librarian, who created the Ark, an instrument that was to shelter sentient species outside the galaxy and allow for the mass creation of Halo installations which could all be activated simultaneously. The Librarian, along with all the remaining Forerunners, trapped her husband inside a Forerunner repository of knowledge known as the Domain, and disappeared as the Array was activated, thus destroying all sentient life in the galaxy and ending the outbreak of the Flood— though some Forerunners are known to have left the Milky Way galaxy for a different, unknown galaxy.

Nearly a hundred thousand years later, in the 26th century, humanity—under the auspices of a Unified Earth Government and their military arm, the United Nations Space Command (UNSC)—colonizes many worlds thanks to the development of faster-than-light "slipstream" engines. Tensions between the central government and colonies desiring independence sparks violent clashes. The UNSC's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) develops the SPARTAN-II Project to train an elite group of enhanced supersoldiers to suppress the rebellions and prevent wider conflict. In 2525, human worlds come under attack by a theocratic alliance of alien races known as the Covenant, whose leadership declares humanity heretics and an affront to their gods: the Forerunners. The Covenant's superior technology and numbers prove to be decisive advantages in the resulting genocidal war; although effective, the Spartans are too few to turn the tide of battle in humanity's favor. After the Covenant invades Reach in 2552, the UNSC's last major stronghold besides Earth, Master Chief John-117 is left as one of the few remaining Spartans.

Fleeing Reach and pursued by the Covenant, the human ship Pillar of Autumn discovers a Halo ring. The Covenant believe they are instruments of transcendence, not destruction. Learning the truth about the Halos, Master Chief and his artificial intelligence Cortana destroy the Halo ring to stop the Covenant and the threat of the Flood. While another Halo is discovered, the Covenant begins to fracture as the truth about the conflict and the rings is revealed. The disgraced former Covenant Sangheili commander known as the Arbiter helps the humans stop the Covenant from activating the Halo Array via the Ark. The Human-Covenant War ends, though new conflicts began to emerge throughout the universe.

In the post-war era, the UNSC trains a new generation of Spartans, and tensions between the UNSC and colonist rebels resumes. The Master Chief and Cortana accidentally free the Didact and he attempts to reassert Forerunner supremacy. Master Chief and Cortana stop the Didact, although Cortana is initially presumed lost. Cortana survives through the Domain, and leads her to break with the UNSC and assert a new hegemony over the galaxy, with artificial intelligences (the "Created") in control.[1] After two years of a scattered war between Cortana and the UNSC, Cortana attacks the Banished, a mercenary organization largely led by the Jiralhanae race. The Banished win the resultant conflict, terminating Cortana and battling the UNSC for control of Zeta Halo.[2]

Game series

Release timeline
Mainline number entries in bold
2001Halo: Combat Evolved
2002–2003
2004Halo 2
2005–2006
2007Halo 3
2008
2009Halo Wars
Halo 3: ODST
2010Halo: Reach
2011Halo: Combat Evolved (remaster)
2012Halo 4
2013Halo: Spartan Assault
2014Halo: The Master Chief Collection
2015Halo: Spartan Strike
Halo 5: Guardians
2016
2017Halo Wars 2
Halo Recruit
2018Halo: Fireteam Raven
2019–2020
2021Halo Infinite

2001–2010: Bungie games

Video game developer Bungie was founded in 1991 by Alex Seropian in Chicago, Illinois, who partnered with programmer Jason Jones to market and release Jones' game Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete. Focusing on the Mac game market because it was smaller and easier to compete, Bungie became a preeminent game developer on the platform. What became Halo: Combat Evolved started as a real-time strategy game for the Mac, originally code-named Monkey Nuts and Blam!,[3] and took place on a hollowed-out world called Solipsis.[4] The planet eventually became a ringworld called "Halo", which in turn became the game's title.[5]

Halo was announced on July 21, 1999, during the Macworld Conference & Expo.[6] The game morphed from a real-time strategy game into a third-person action game.[7][6][8] On June 19, 2000, Microsoft acquired Bungie and Halo: Combat Evolved became a launch title for the Xbox video game console.[9] The game turned into a first-person shooter, and was modified to work with a controller. Though the first Halo was meant to include an online multiplayer mode, it was excluded because the Xbox Live service was not yet available.[10]

Halo was not intended to be the Xbox's flagship game due to internal concerns and gaming press criticism, but Microsoft VP of game publishing Ed Fries did not act on these concerns. The Xbox's marketing heavily featured Halo, whose green color palette meshed with the console's design scheme.[11] Halo: Combat Evolved introduced many gameplay and plot themes common to the whole trilogy. Players battle various aliens on foot and in vehicles to complete objectives, while attempting to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo. Halo limited the number of weapons players could carry to two, forcing them to carefully select their preferred armament.[12] Players fight with ranged and melee attacks, as well as grenades. Bungie referred to the "weapons-grenades-melee" format as the "Golden Triangle of Halo".[13] The player's health is measured in both hit points and a perpetually recharging energy shield.[14] Released for the Xbox in November 2001, Windows and Mac OS X ports were later developed by Gearbox Software, and released in 2003.[15][16] A stand-alone expansion, entitled Halo: Custom Edition, was released as a Windows exclusive, and allowed players to create custom content for the game.[citation needed]

The success of the game led to a sequel, Halo 2, which was announced on August 8, 2002, at Microsoft's X02 press event.[17] It featured improved graphics, new weapons and enemies, and a multiplayer mode on Xbox Live.[18][19] Halo 2 was released on the Xbox on November 9, 2004, and later for Windows Vista on May 17, 2007. The game was released in two different editions: a standard edition with just the game disc and traditional Xbox packaging; and the Collector's Edition with a specially designed steel case, along with an additional bonus DVD, extra booklet, and slightly different user manual. Halo 2 introduced new gameplay elements, chief among them the ability to hold and fire two weapons simultaneously, known as "dual-wielding".[20] Unlike its predecessor, Halo 2 fully supported online multiplayer via Xbox LIVE. The game uses "matchmaking" to facilitate joining online matches by grouping players looking for certain types of games.[20] This was a change from the more traditional "server list" approach, which was used to find matches in online games at this time.[21]

Halo 3 was announced at the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo.[22] It utilized a proprietary, in-house graphics engine, and employed advanced graphics technologies.[23][24] Halo 3 is the final game in the original Halo trilogy, ending the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved.[25] The game was released on the Xbox 360 on September 25, 2007.[26] It adds to the series vehicles, weapons, and a class of items called equipment.[27] The game also includes a limited map-editing tool, known as the Forge, which allows players to insert game objects, such as weapons and vehicles, into existing multiplayer map geometry.[28] Players can save a recording of their gameplay sessions, and view them as video, from any angle.[29]

Following Halo 3's release, Bungie became an independent company once more. They created two more Halo games as part of their deal with Microsoft: a side story, Halo 3: ODST (2009), and a prequel, Halo: Reach (2010). Reach was Bungie's final work on a Halo release.[citation needed]

2010–present: 343 Industries games

While Bungie remained involved in the Halo series by developing games such as ODST and Reach, the rights to Halo remained with Microsoft. To oversee everything Halo, Microsoft created an internal division, 343 Industries, to oversee the franchise.[30][31][32][33]

343 Industries was formed internally at Microsoft Game Studios in 2007 following Bungie's separation, to supervise the development of all Halo franchise products including games, television and film projects.
343 Industries was established by Microsoft Game Studios in 2007 to oversee the Halo games and associated media.

343 had already codeveloped the Halo Legends animated series and had overseen production of Halo: Reach and 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, a remaster of the franchise's debut title.[34] The next game in the series, Halo 4, was announced at E3 2011 as the first entry in what would be originally known as the "Reclaimer Trilogy".[35][36] The game included many staples of previous games, such as new or redesigned weapon types,[37] an improved map-editing tool[38] and expanded multiplayer options and maps.[39] Halo 4 was released worldwide on November 6, 2012,[40] achieving record sales for the franchise.[41] In a new addition to the series, a story-driven multiplayer campaign entitled Spartan Ops was released over the weeks following Halo 4's release, telling what happened after the end of the main game.[42] In announcing the formation of 343 Industries, Microsoft also announced that Xbox Live would be home to a central hub for Halo content called Halo Waypoint.[43] Waypoint is accessed from the Xbox 360 Dashboard and offers players access to multimedia content in addition to tracking their Halo game "career". O'Connor described Waypoint as intended to be the prime destination for Halo.[44]

In December 2014, 343 Industries general manager Bonnie Ross expressed Microsoft's aim for the Halo series to last at least 30 more years.[45]

Halo 5: Guardians, was released for the Xbox One on October 27, 2015.[46] The game takes place across many worlds, mainly the Elite homeworld, and revolves around Spartan Locke's hunt for the rogue Master Chief, who is trying to find a still-living Cortana.[47]

The third part of the Reclaimer Saga, Halo Infinite, was announced during E3 2018.[48] It brings the focus back to Master Chief, and Halo's roots by taking place on the new Zeta Halo. The story mainly focuses on exploring the deeper lore of the Halo series, finding what happened to Cortana, and battles with the Banished.[2] It released December 2021.[49]

On October 6, 2024 during the year's Halo World Championships, 343 Industries unveiled a seven-minute video where they officially announced their rebranding as Halo Studios, while also confirming that multiple new games in the series were currently in development, and that said games would use Unreal Engine 5 as opposed to the proprietary Slipspace Engine.[50] Studio head Pierre Hintze explained that the decision to rebrand the studio came from an internal shift in development philosophy behind the franchise, giving the team a "clean break" as was the case with transitioning between Bungie and 343.[51] Halo Studios also unveiled "Project Foundry", described as a "multi-discipline research and reflection" project experimenting with the series' aesthetics in Unreal Engine 5, while also acting as a reference tool for training developers on future entries.[52]

Spin-offs

The success of the main Halo trilogy spurred the creation of spin-off games. Halo Wars is a real-time strategy game developed by Ensemble Studios for the Xbox 360. Set in the year 2531, the game takes place 21 years prior to the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. Much effort was spent on developing a control scheme that was simple and intuitive, unlike other console strategy games.[53] The game was announced at X06, and released in February and March 2009.

In October 2017, 343 Industries developed and released a virtual reality demo title in partnership with Endeavor One called Halo Recruit.[54]

A Fireteam Raven arcade booth in Edinburgh, UK

In 2018, 343 Industries partnered with Raw Thrills and PlayMechanix to develop a coin-operated arcade game called Halo: Fireteam Raven that was released in the later part of 2018, with Round1 USA and Dave & Buster's arcades releasing first.[55][56]

Alternative reality games

Alternative reality games have been used to promote the release of Halo games, beginning with the Cortana Letters, a series of cryptic email messages, circulated by Bungie prior to Halo: Combat Evolved's release.[4] I Love Bees was used to promote the release of Halo 2. The game revolved around a website created by 42 Entertainment, commissioned by Microsoft and endorsed by Bungie. Over the course of the game, audio clips were released that eventually formed a complete five-hour story set on Earth between Halo and Halo 2.[57][58] Similarly, Iris was used as a viral marketing campaign for the release of Halo 3.[59] It featured five web servers containing various media files related to the Halo universe.

Canceled and rumoured projects

In the 2000s, spin-off titles were planned or rumored for the Game Boy Advance,[60] Gizmondo,[61][62] Ultra-Mobile PC,[63] and Nintendo DS.[64][65][66][67] Microsoft announced an episodic video game to be developed by film director Peter Jackson's Wingnut Interactive in 2006.[68] The game, Halo: Chronicles,[69] was ultimately canceled as part of budget cuts tied to job layoffs in January 2009.[70][71][72] Ensemble Studios developed a Halo-themed massively multiplayer online game, often referred to as Titan Project, or just Titan. The project was canceled internally in 2007–2008, without a formal announcement from Microsoft.[73][74]

343 Industries announced a free-to-play Halo multiplayer game for Windows PC, Halo Online, in 2015. The game launched with a closed beta test limited to Russia that year. The title was developed with Saber Interactive using modified version of the Halo 3 engine, and published by Innova Systems.[75] The project was canceled in August 2016.[76][77] Players modified the game to circumvent the region limitations and add new content after the project's official cancellation.[78] The "ElDewrito" project saw legal takedowns from Microsoft for violating its game usage rules.[79] Despite this, ElDewrito's playerbase remained active, and the modders claimed its popularity hastened Microsoft's plans to release a Windows version of Halo: The Master Chief Collection even though such a version would later officially release in December 2019 and would later include maps from Halo Online in further updates to the game.[80][81][82]

A Mega Bloks-branded spinoff game, similar to the style of Lego video games, was prototyped for the Xbox 360 and never pursued several years prior to details and footage of the game leaking in 2017.[83]

Other appearances

Halo characters have appeared in tie-ins, such as the characters Spartan Nicole-458 and the Arbiter being playable fighters in Dead or Alive 4 and Killer Instinct: Season Three, respectively.[84][85] Master Chief was added as a playable character in Fortnite alongside a stage inspired by a Halo multiplayer map in 2020.[86]

Another game, Halo 2600, has the players control Master Chief and fight through four regions filled with enemies. It was written by Ed Fries, former vice president of game publishing at Microsoft, in 2010 for the Atari 2600.[87]

The Halo theme tune was also available as downloadable content for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.[88] In Forza Horizon 4 one level has the player racing across the map in the Warthog as the Master Chief, with the Halo ring visible in the sky, Cortana on the radio and various Covenant based obstacles to avoid.[89]

Cultural influences and themes

In 2006, in acknowledgment of the "wealth of influences adopted by the Bungie team", a list of Bungie employees' favorite science fiction material was published on the company's website.[90] The developers acknowledged that the Halo series' use of ring-shaped megastructures followed on from concepts featured in Larry Niven's Ringworld and Iain M. Banks' Culture series (of which Consider Phlebas[91] and Excession[90] were said to be particularly influential). In a retrospective article in Edge, Bungie's Jaime Griesemer commented, "The influence of something like Ringworld isn't necessarily in the design—it's in that feeling of being somewhere else. That sense of scale and an epic story going on out there."[91] Griesemer also explained, "One of the main sources of inspiration was Armor [by John Steakley], in which a soldier has to constantly re-live the same war over and over again. That sense of hopelessness, a relentless battle, was influential."[91] The Flood were influenced by the assimilating alien species in Christopher Rowley's The Vang;[91] it has also been speculated that the Master Chief's name "John 117" may have been a reference to a character named Jon 6725416 in Rowley's Starhammer,[92] or to the John Spartan character of Demolition Man.[93] An IGN article exploring the literary influences present in the Halo franchise commented on similarities between Halo and Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game: aspects of the SPARTAN Project and the design of the Covenant Drones are perceived as reminiscent of the super soldier program and Buggers found in the novel.[92] Bungie has also acknowledged James Cameron's film Aliens as a strong cinematic influence.[94]

A report written by Roger Travis and published by The Escapist compares Halo with the Latin epic Aeneid, written by classical Roman poet Virgil. Travis posits similarities between the plots of both works and compares the characters present in them, with the Flood and Covenant taking the role performed by the Carthaginians and Master Chief taking the role of Aeneas.[95]

Forge

First introduced in Halo 3, Forge is an in-game map editor designed for adjusting weapon, vehicle, and prop placement. While in Editor Mode, the player becomes a floating robot, or "monitor", who can spawn, move, and delete any game object on the map. All objects are assigned a monetary value, and cost money to spawn; the level's "Forge budget" determines how much money the player can use to spawn objects. As a component of Halo 3, Forge received critical acclaim upon its release. GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann described Forge as "an extremely powerful addition that might just take over your life", and praised the editor for the replay value it provided.[96] Heather Campbell of Play Magazine named Halo 3 her game of the year due to Forge, with co-editor Greg Orlando explaining later in the issue: "What separates Halo 3 from other console shooters such as Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Team Fortress 2, though, is the inclusion of a forge mode and the ability to save and edit gameplay films. [...] Although these modes are standard fare in most PC online shooters, their inclusion in a console game is something entirely new — and entirely wonderful."[97] In an editorial for Edge, N'Gai Croal stated that Forge could "help prove the viability of user-generated content on consoles."[98] Halo 3's iteration of Forge has received comparisons to Garry's Mod, a 2004 Half-Life 2 mod with a similar emphasis on free-form construction and experimentation.[99][100][96]

Outside of its intended use as a map editor, Forge has been used to create art installations by arranging in-game props to draw pictures and write messages.[101] Game modes and maps created in Forge have occasionally informed the development of Halo itself. Grifball, a fictional sport that originated in the Halo-themed web series Red vs. Blue, inspired a popular user-created Forge map and game mode styled after rugby. Grifball was developed into an official weekly playlist for Halo 3, and would go on to be included in every subsequent Halo game after Halo: Reach.[102]

343 Industries employee Nick Bird, working as Forge Quality Assurance on Halo Infinite, credited Forge for his interest in game development; "My time in Forge and the Forge community eventually led me to pursue a career in the industry, and ultimately landed me a position to work on what I love in a franchise I love."[103]

Music

Martin O'Donnell, lead composer for the Bungie Halo games

Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori collaborated to produce the soundtracks for Bungie's Halo games. Approached by Bungie to produce something ancient and mysterious for Halo's debut, O'Donnell decided to compose a theme using Gregorian chant, joining in with others to sing the vocal parts.[104] Due to the varying nature of gameplay, the music was designed to change dynamically based on the gameplay.[105] To afford a more enjoyable listening experience, O'Donnell rearranged portions of the music of Halo into standalone suites, which follow the narrative course of the game, for the soundtrack releases.[106] For Halo 2, the soundtrack included licensed music from Incubus and Breaking Benjamin alongside the orchestral score; rock guitar virtuoso, Steve Vai, performed various solos throughout the score.

The music of Halo helped spur a renewed interest in chant music.[107]

For Halo 2's soundtrack, producer Nile Rodgers and O'Donnell decided to split the music into two separate volumes. The first, Volume One, was released on November 9, 2004, and contained all the themes as well as the "inspired-by" music present in the game (featuring Steve Vai, Incubus, Hoobastank, and Breaking Benjamin). The second release, Volume 2, contained the rest of the music, much of which was incomplete or not included in the first soundtrack, as the first soundtrack was shipped before the game was released.[108] Halo 2, unlike its predecessor, was mixed to take full advantage of Dolby 5.1 Digital Surround Sound.[109] In 2014, the in-game music was rerecorded and remastered for the Halo 2 Anniversary release which was part of the Master Chief Collection which included remastered versions of all Halo games with Master Chief as the protagonist.

The soundtrack for Halo 3 was released on November 20, 2007. O'Donnell noted he wanted to bring back the themes from the original game to help tie together the end of the trilogy.[110] The tracks are presented, similarly to the previous soundtrack for Halo 2,[108] in a suite form. Unlike previous soundtracks, where much of the music had been synthesized on computer, the soundtrack for Halo 3 was recorded using a 60-piece orchestra, along with a 24-voice chorus.[111] The final soundtrack was recorded by the Northwest Sinfonia at Studio X in Seattle, Washington.[112] The soundtracks were bundled and released as a box set in December 2008.[113] A soundtrack for Halo 3: ODST was released alongside the game and included many of the tracks from the game.[114]

For Bungie's last game in the Halo series, Halo: Reach, Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori returned to compose the soundtrack. O'Donnell wrote "somber, more visceral" music to reflect the darker nature of the campaign and style of the game. As Bungie had been making Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach at the same time, Martin O'Donnell had also been composing the soundtracks at the same time, but production for the music of Halo: Reach did not begin until after the release of Halo 3: ODST. The soundtrack was released on iTunes on September 15, 2010, and in a two-disc set on September 28, 2010.

For Halo Wars, the task of creating the game's music fell to Stephen Rippy. Rippy listened to O'Donnell's soundtracks for inspiration and incorporated the Halo theme into parts of his arrangements. In addition to synthesized and orchestral components, the composer focused on the choir and piano as essential elements, feeling these were important in creating the "Halo sound".[115] Rather than use the Northwest Sinfonia, Rippy traveled to Prague and recorded with the FILMharmonic Orchestra before returning to the United States to complete the music. A standalone compact disc and digital download retail version of the soundtrack was announced in January 2009 for release on February 17.[116]

The music of Halo 4 was composed by Neil Davidge and Kazuma Jinnouchi. The Halo 4 Original Soundtrack was released on October 22, 2012, followed by a two-disc Special Edition on November 6. Neil Davidge served as an out-of-house composer for 343 Industries which proved to be very expensive leading Kazuma Jinnouchi to take over the responsibility of music production for Halo 5: Guardians. The music by Neil Davidge and Kazuma Jinnouchi for Halo 4 received mixed reviews, being recognized as creative music but too different from the original Halo formula.

In 2014, Kazuma Jinnouchi confirmed he would be composing the soundtrack for Halo 5: Guardians. On October 30, 2015, Halo 5: Guardians Original Soundtrack was released on CD and vinyl. The soundtrack used a 30-person choir located in Prague, Czech Republic. The orchestral soundtrack was recorded at the Abbey Road Studio over the duration of 5 separate trips.

In 2017, 343 Industries and Creative Assembly released a sequel to Halo Wars titled Halo Wars 2. The soundtrack was composed by Gordy Haab, Brian Lee White and Brian Trifon under the direction of Paul Lipson who had helped in the audio and music of nearly every previous Halo title. The Halo Wars 2 soundtrack featured many melodies from the music that Stephen Rippy had composed for the first Halo Wars but with new arrangements and more melodies to represent the individual characters. The original game soundtrack was released on February 17, 2017, and released digitally on February 21, 2017.

The music for Halo Infinite was a collaboration between Gareth Coker, Curtis Schweitzer, Joel Corelitz, Alex Bhore, and Eternal Time & Space, overseen by 343 Industries Music Supervisor Joel Yarger. Infinite's soundtrack was released digitally on December 8, 2021, in two albums, one covering the score for the campaign, and another covering the music for the game's multiplayer component.

Adaptations

The Halo franchise includes various types of merchandise and adaptations outside of the video games. This includes bestselling novels, graphic novels, and other licensed products, from action figures to a packaging tie-in with Mountain Dew. Numerous action figures and vehicles based on Halo have been produced. Joyride Studios created Halo and Halo 2 action figures, while Halo 3 poseable and collectible action figures, aimed at collectors, were produced by McFarlane Toys and became some of the top-selling action figures of 2007 and 2008.[117] MEGA Bloks partnered with Microsoft to produce Halo Wars-themed toys.[118]

Books

Halo authors Joseph Staten and Eric Nylund

As part of Microsoft's multimedia efforts, Microsoft Studios decided to create a tie-in novel for Combat Evolved. Eric Nylund wrote Halo: The Fall of Reach in seven weeks, and it was published in October 2001.[119] The game itself was turned into a novelization by William C. Dietz in 2003, called Halo: The Flood.[120] Nylund would write additional Halo works including the novels First Strike (2003) and Ghosts of Onyx (2006).[121] Other novels have been written by Joseph Staten, Tobias S. Buckell, Karen Traviss,[122] Greg Bear,[123] Matt Forbeck,[124] John Shirley,[125] Troy Denning, Cassandra Rose Clarke, and Kelly Gay.

A collection of Halo short stories, Halo: Evolutions, was simultaneously released in print and audiobook formats in November 2009. Evolutions includes original material by Nylund, Buckell, Karen Traviss and contributions from Bungie.[126] Tor re-released the first three Halo novels with new content and cover art.[127] Another collection, Halo: Fractures, compiled new and previously released short fiction in 2016.[128]

Comics

The Halo universe was first adapted into the graphic novel format in 2006, with the release of The Halo Graphic Novel, a collection of four short stories.[129] It was written and illustrated by graphic novelists Lee Hammock, Jay Faerber, Tsutomu Nihei, Brett Lewis, Simon Bisley, Ed Lee and Jean Giraud. At the 2007 New York Comic Con, Marvel Comics announced they would be working on an ongoing Halo series with Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. The limited series, titled Halo: Uprising, bridges the gap between the events of Halo 2 and Halo 3;[130] initially planned to conclude shortly before the release of Halo 3, the constant delays led to the final issue being published April 2009.[131]

Marvel announced at the 2009 Comic Con that two new comics, a five-part series written by Peter David and a second series written by Fred Van Lente, would appear the coming summer and winter.[132] David's series, Halo: Helljumper, is set prior to Halo: Combat Evolved and focuses on the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The five-part series was published between July and November 2009.[133] Lente's series, originally titled Spartan Black, revolves around a black ops team of Spartan supersoldiers assigned to the UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence.[134] The rebranded comic, Halo: Blood Line, debuted in December 2009.[135] The most recent comic series is a comic retelling of the novel Halo: The Fall of Reach, titled Halo: Fall of Reach. Fall of Reach is split into three mini-stories: Boot Camp, Covenant, and Invasion.[136] Two new series were announced in 2013. A three-part series, Halo: Initiation was released August 2013 with Brian Reed returning as writer.[137] Also announced was Halo: Escalation, an ongoing comic series covering the period directly after Halo 4.[138]

Live-action

Unproduced feature

In 2005, Columbia Pictures president Peter Schlessel began working outside the studio system to produce a Halo film adaptation. Alex Garland wrote a script,[139] which was then pitched to studios by couriers dressed as Master Chief. Microsoft's terms required $10 million against 15 percent of gross; most studios passed, citing the lack of risk for Microsoft compared to their large share of potential profits. 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures decided to partner to produce the film, paying Microsoft $5 million to option the film and 10 percent of grosses.[140] Peter Jackson was slated to be the executive producer,[141] with Neill Blomkamp as director. Before Blomkamp signed on, Guillermo del Toro was in negotiations to direct.[142]

D. B. Weiss and Josh Olson rewrote Garland's script during 2006.[143] Pre-production of the film was halted and restarted several times.[144] Later that year, 20th Century Fox threatened to pull out of the project, leading Universal to issue an ultimatum to Jackson and Schlessel: either reduce their large "first-dollar" revenue deals, or the project was ended. Both refused, and the project stalled.[140] Blomkamp would produce a series of live-action shorts as promotion for Halo 3, collectively titled Halo: Landfall.[145] The rights for the film reverted to Microsoft.[146]

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn is a live-action film and miniseries set in the Halo universe. Although shot as a feature-length film, Forward Unto Dawn was originally released as a webseries consisting of five episodes released between October 5, 2012, and November 2, 2012. The series' plot, occurring in the early days of the Human-Covenant War, revolves around Thomas Lasky, a young cadet at Corbulo Academy of Military Science, and how John-117 inspired him to eventually become a leader. Lasky is also a prominent character in Halo 4 as a commander on the UNSC Infinity. The name of the series, aside from being a reference to the UNSC frigate Forward Unto Dawn, is given new significance in the series as part of a running motif based on a poem. The film cut was released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 4, 2012.

Halo: Nightfall

On April 3, 2014, it was announced that Ridley Scott and his production company, Scott Free Productions, were working on a Halo digital feature alongside 343 Industries and Xbox Entertainment Studios; Scott would be the executive producer, with David W. Zucker and Sergio Mimica-Gezzan as the directors. The feature was expected to follow the same format as Machinima's Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.[147] On June 9, 2014, it was announced at E3 2014 that the feature, titled Halo: Nightfall, would be included with Halo: The Master Chief Collection at its November 2014 launch. The feature introduces a new character to the franchise, Agent Jameson Locke, played by actor Mike Colter; Nightfall is considered to be his origin story.[148] Locke is one of the Spartans portrayed on the cover art and plays a large role in the series.[149] On July 24, 2014, 343 Industries released the first trailer for the feature.[150] Halo: Nightfall is available to watch through Halo Channel, an application for the Xbox One, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone.[151] On March 16, 2015, the series became available to stream, download, and buy on physical disc.[152]

Paramount+ television series

On May 21, 2013, Xbox Entertainment Studios and 343 announced that a live-action television show of Halo would be produced with Steven Spielberg serving as executive producer through what is now Amblin Television. It was originally titled Halo: The Television Series. Neill Blomkamp was rumored to be directing the pilot for the series.[153] Xbox Entertainment Studios shut down in 2014. Later, it was announced the series would premiere on the American premium cable network Showtime.[154] It had been in development hell for many years. On March 1, 2018, it was announced that the series would start filming in late 2018, with speculation of the series airing in mid- to late-2019.[155] On June 28, 2018, Kyle Killen was hired as showrunner and executive producer and Rupert Wyatt as director and executive producer.[156] On December 4, 2018, Wyatt stepped down as director and executive producer from the project due to scheduling conflicts.[157] On February 21, 2019, Otto Bathurst replaced Wyatt as director and executive producer.[158] On April 17, 2019, it was announced that Pablo Schreiber was cast as Master Chief.[159] On August 2, 2019, Deadline reported that Natascha McElhone had been cast in two key roles: Cortana and Dr. Catherine Halsey, Bokeem Woodbine was also cast as Soren-066, along with Shabana Azmi as Admiral Margaret Parangosky, and Yerin Ha as Kwan Ha. It was also announced that the series would be released in early 2021.[160] Filming was incorrectly reported to have officially begun in October 2019.[161] In November 2020, Jen Taylor, who voiced Cortana in every major game in the Halo franchise, replaced McElhone in that role.[162] It then was reported that filming began in February 2021 and that ViacomCBS was shifting the show from Showtime to Paramount+[163] with Showtime retaining production credits. The series premiered on March 24, 2022.[164]

Animated series

Microsoft announced at Comic-Con 2009 that it was overseeing production of a series of seven short anime films, together called Halo Legends. Financed by 343 Industries, the animation was created by six Japanese production houses: Bee Train Production, Bones, Casio Entertainment, Production I.G., Studio 4°C, and Toei Animation. Shinji Aramaki, creator and director of Appleseed and Appleseed Ex Machina, served as the project's creative director. Warner Bros. distributed Legends on DVD and Blu-ray in February 2010.[30][165] Six of the stories are officially part of the Halo canon, with the seventh, made by Toei, intended to be a parody of the universe.[166]

An animated version of The Fall of Reach is included in the Halo 5: Guardians Limited Edition and Collector's Edition.[167][168]

Reception and critical response

Sales

Date Total units sold Ref.
August 30, 2007 14.5+ million [169]
January 8, 2009 25+ million [170]
May 24, 2010 34+ million [171]
October 31, 2012 46+ million [172]
October 19, 2014 60+ million [173]
July 13, 2015 65+ million [174]
February 24, 2021 81+ million [175]
Aggregate review scores
As of December 17, 2021.
Game Metacritic
Halo: Combat Evolved Xbox: 97[176]
PC: 83[177]
Halo 2 Xbox: 95[178]
PC: 72[179]
Halo 3 Xbox 360: 94[180]
PC: 88 [181]
Halo Wars Xbox 360: 82[182]
Halo 3: ODST Xbox 360: 83[183]
Halo: Reach Xbox 360: 91[184]
PC: 81[185]
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Xbox 360: 82[186]
PC: 79[187]
Halo 4 Xbox 360: 87[188]
Halo: Spartan Assault PC: 70[189]
Xbox One: 53[190]
Xbox 360: 51[191]
Halo: The Master Chief Collection Xbox One: 85[192]
Halo: Spartan Strike iOS: 86[193]
PC: 66[194]
Halo 5: Guardians Xbox One: 84[195]
Halo Wars 2 Xbox One: 79[196]
PC: 70[197]
Halo Infinite Xbox Series X/S: 87[198]
PC: 81[199]

The Halo franchise has been highly successful commercially and critically. During the two months following Halo: Combat Evolved's release, it sold alongside more than fifty percent of Xbox consoles.[200] Halo 2's sales generated US$125 million on its premiere day, making it the fastest selling United States media product in history up to that time.[201][202] Combined with Halo's sales, the two games sold 14.8 million units before Halo 3's release.[203] At the end of 2007, Halo 2 and Halo: Combat Evolved were the number one and two best-selling Xbox titles, respectively, and Halo 3 was the best-selling Xbox 360 title.[204] The Halo series had sold more than 81 million copies by 2021,[175] and total franchise sales amounted to more than $6 billion in 2021.[205]

Halo's success led to the term "Halo killer" being used to describe console games that aspire, or are considered, to be better than Halo.[206] It was the Xbox's killer app.[207]

The soundtracks to Halo 2, Halo 3, ODST and Reach all appeared on the Billboard 200 charts for at least one week.[208] By May 2011, total gross of Halo merchandise was $2 billion, with 40 million copies of the games sold.[209] The total amount climbed to $2.3 billion in July 2011,[210] and $2.8 billion in January 2012.[211] Total franchise grosses exceeded $4.6 billion by October 2015, with 25% of the figure from non-game-related merchandise.[212]

The Halo adaptations have been successful as well. Many of the novels have appeared on Publishers Weekly's bestseller charts and the Halo Graphic Novel sold more than 100,000 copies, a "rare hit" for the games-to-comics genre.[213] Ghosts of Onyx, Contact Harvest, The Cole Protocol and the first volume of Cryptum appeared on The New York Times bestseller lists,[120][214][215][216][217][218] and The Cole Protocol also opened 50th overall on USA Today's bestsellers list.[219] Tor's first three novels sold more than one million copies by April 2009.[220]

Overall, the Halo series has been very well received by critics. Halo: Combat Evolved has received numerous Game of the Year awards.[221][222] In March 2007, IGN listed it as the top Xbox game of all time, while readers ranked it the fourteenth best game ever on "IGN Readers' Choice 2006 – The Top 100 Games Ever".[223][224] Conversely, Game Spy ranked Halo: Combat Evolved tenth on its list of "Top 25 Most Overrated Games of All Time", citing repetitive level design and the lack of an online multiplayer mode.[225] Halo 2 also received numerous awards,[226] with IGN listing it as the number two top Xbox game of all time in March 2007.[223] From its initial release on the Xbox in November 2004 until the launch of Gears of War on the Xbox 360 in November 2006 – two years later – Halo 2 was the most popular video game on Xbox Live.[227] Halo 3 was nominated for and won multiple awards; it won Time magazine's "Game of the Year" and IGN chose it as the Best Xbox 360 Online Multiplayer Game and Innovative Design of 2007.[228][229][230] Most publications called the multiplayer aspect one of the best features; IGN said the multiplayer map lineup was the strongest of the series, and GameSpy added that the multiplayer offering will greatly please "Halo veterans".[231][232] Complaints focused on the game's plot. The New York Times said the game had a "throwaway" plot and Total Video Games judged the single-player aspect ultimately disappointing.[233][234] The series' music and audio has received enthusiastic response from game reviewers.[232][235][236]

Cultural impact

The main trilogy, particularly its protagonist, are considered iconic and a symbol of today's video games; a wax replica of Master Chief was made by Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas, where Pete Wentz compared the character to notable characters from previous generations like Spider-Man, Frodo, and Luke Skywalker.[237] GamesTM stated Halo: Combat Evolved "changed video game combat forever", and Halo 2 showcased Xbox Live as a tool for communities.[238] Game Daily noted Halo 2's launch was "easily comparable to the biggest in other sectors of the entertainment industry", marking the first time a video game launch has become a major cultural event in the United States.[239] Halo has been described as a series that "has reinvented a genre that didn't know it needed to be reinvented", with aspects of the main trilogy being duplicated in other first-person shooter games multiple times.[240]

Variety called Halo "the equivalent of Star Wars".[241] The fandom is referred to as the "Halo nation".[242]

Machinima

The Halo franchise spurred an array of productions in an emerging genre of machinima—the use of games for filmmaking.[243] Most productions are set outside Halo canon, while others are based on fan fiction closely relating to the story. Halo 3 includes a saved film function that allows camera angles not possible in previous games, and other features that simplify production. The game has become one of the most popular tools for generating machinima, and Microsoft updated its user license agreement to allow noncommercial distribution of such films.[244]

A notable machinima production is the comedy series Red vs. Blue created by Rooster Teeth Productions. It has achieved an unparalleled level of success in Halo machinima in specific, and machinima in general; it is credited with bringing attention to the genre.[245][246] Red vs. Blue generated annual revenues of US$200,000, and special promotional episodes were commissioned by Bungie.[245] The first series, The Blood Gulch Chronicles, ended on June 28, 2007, after 100 regular episodes and numerous promotional videos.[247] Subsequent series include The Recollection, which contains more dramatic elements than its comedic predecessor,[248] Project Freelancer, The Chorus Trilogy, Anthology, and The Shisno Paradox. Other machinima series include Arby ‘n the Chief, Fire Team Charlie, The Codex, and the in-game interview show This Spartan Life.

Esports

Players began creating impromptu Halo tournaments and local parties after the release of the first game. Bungie looked at the success of these matches as inspiration for crafting the online multiplayer components of Halo 2.[249]

Larger organizations soon began operating Halo competitive games. In August 2002, G4 hosted the Halo National Championship Finals, a FFA [free-for-all] tournament involving sixteen players from across the country (hosted by Wil Wheaton of Star Trek fame.)[250] The Associates of Gaming Professionals (AGP), which focused solely on Halo, held its first event in November 2002.[251] Inspired by friends placing bets on their Halo matches, Mike Sepso and Sundance DiGiovanni formed Major League Gaming the same year.[252]

Microsoft and 343 Industries sponsored their own professional Halo league, called the Halo Championship Series (HCS), in 2014.[253] It was started in partnership with the Electronic Sports League (ESL). Seasons 1 and 2 ran on The Master Chief Collection.[254] In August 2015 Microsoft announced it would be increasing the total prize pool of the HCS to $1 million USD, for the newly announced Halo World Championship, which will be the debut event for Halo 5.[255] This prize pool was later announced to be crowd-funded, which later resulted in Major League Gaming announcing that the prize pool had climbed to $2 million USD. Later that week, 343 announced that the prize pool was locked at $2.5 million USD. This was the largest console esports prize pool ever.[256]

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