14 DAY TRIAL // The development team at 343 Industries and publisher Microsoft are aiming to change the course of the Halo franchise in the coming years in order to create a better connection between the core video games in the series and the other entertainment experiences associated with it.
The information comes from an official profile of Kiki Wolfkill, the new executive producer in charge of the franchise, which is at the moment one of the most important video game-focused properties that the two companies are working on.
She states that “With Xbox One, we have the opportunity to allow people to experience all these different modes of storytelling — game, television, even graphic novels – in the same place and without friction.”
Since the next-gen console was first announced, Microsoft has explained that it wants entertainment-like live events and TV series to be as important as games for the platform, although it has since backtracked on some of those comments.
Kiki Wolfkill adds, “Our next step is to try and make the connections between the game and its linear entertainment aspects even more experiential. I want to transform how people experience Halo in their living rooms and on their PCs.”
Many gamers have asked both 343 Industries and Microsoft to focus on creating great video game experiences rather than to try and branch out into other types of entertainment.
Two TV series based on Halo, created by Steven Spielberg and by Ridley Scott, are at the moment in development and will be offered both on the Xbox One and via other channels.
Halo was created by Bungie, which is now working on Destiny with Electronic Arts, and the Master Chief-powered franchise quickly became the most important shooter on the Xbox line of hardware.
343 Industries is made up of a number of veteran developers, and they have repeatedly said that they want to update the core story and mechanics to appeal to a wider number of players.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection for the Xbox One is the big next release in the franchise, designed to recreate the core titles of the series for the next-gen console with better graphics and a remade multiplayer.
Nightfall is designed to push the story of the entire universe forward and will be offered before the end of the year.
Halo 5: Guardians will be delivered on the Xbox One at some point in 2015.