CVG

Microsoft expects Halo games will be "scrutinised differently" by fans now that creator Bungie has ended its relationship with the series.

That's according to the creative director of MS's 343 Industries, Frank O'Connor, who told CVG that he expects hardcore Halo fans will notice the switch in developers.

"Right now Bungie is supporting the community with matchmaking and stats, but at this point that's it," he said, adding that the studio will "continue to do that and support the community but in terms of actual Halo product this marks the first where there is no Bungie, or even tertiary Bungie involvement other than matchmaking".

O'Connor added: "It hasn't felt different for me because I used to work with all of these guys. So it feels like a continuation, but it will also be scrutinised differently by the fans - or at least the hardcore fans because there will be an apparent difference whether there is any reality to it or not."

Asked if 343 is expecting the public to notice the switch in development studios, O'Connor replied: "Absolutely. There will be things that they'll say 'oh this is better than that' about but we'll just have to wait and see. 

"I'll be watching that stuff, you have to take it seriously because your core fans are also the most educated. But you also have to remember that probably 75% of the audience doesn't know who makes the games - to them it's like 'Xbox makes the games'. Those are a bulk of the audience that you also have to pay close, careful and loving attention to."

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/294692/halo-4-will-be-scrutinised-differently-without-bungie-admits-343/

Man he underestimates his fans. 75% of the Halo fanbase don't know that Bungie made the Halo games? Thats like saying 75% of StarWars fans didn't know Goerge Lucas made the films. I bet its more like 10-25% of the Halo user base don't know that Bungie made the games.

I mean seriously how stupid does he think the Halo fanbase is? As for noticing a difference. Microsoft is doing to Halo what is being done to Age Of Empires. A new developer with staff from the former developer. In both cases I haven't been able to play or get hands on to see whether the new studio transitioned well.

I think the idea of a Halo:CombatEvolved remake makes alot of sense. It would give the new 343 team a chance to get up close and personally with the origional. Get to know the inner workings and then produce a similiar or clone experiance. Then after the team has perfected Halo:CE they will be ready to get hands on with a new Halo title.

If done properly their shouldn't be a drastic change in quality or gameplay. If done poorly then we should be able to notice right aways. Also keep in mind from Combat Evolved to Halo:Reach their were several changes. Change doesn't nescessarily mean different. Bungie changed the games often, 343 just has to keep the quality the same.

If 343 fails to keep the Halo franchises quality level top notch, then fans will notice and they may react unfavourably. But if 343 keeps the quality level high and produces a killer app Halo title. Then I don't think people will really mind the changes, as long as 343 doesn't try to do something entirely new with the franchise right out of the gate!

i wouldn't say the fanbase is stupid, they just don't really care. Though I do think it is higher as well because bungie flashes on the screen quite a few times. Your analogy is also a bit off. Yes all big halo fans know bungie makes it, but the majority of the buyers aren't huge halo fans. I'm sure all star wars fans know George Lucas made the film, but if you ask every person who watched the movies, I'm willing to be the majority of them wouldn't have a clue. 

I swear to god i'm not trolling halo cause this is common to all popular shooters but...

@ joe - a good portion of the players are like 13 and don't know what pubic hair is much less the inner workings of the industry.

OT - i agree.  i fully expect significant portions of the major reviews (GT, IGN, ect) to be dedicated to a pointing out the new developers.

I think that Bungie always got more positive reviews than it deserved because it was a Bungie game. Don't get me wrong online multiplayer canbe a blast, but the campaigns for Halo 3 and REACH are only decent and not much better or not any better than many other shooters out their. I believe all future HALO games will suffer with worse reviews from from now on unless 343 studios makes something new and brilliant with it. I doubt this will happen.

i dont think age really has anything to do with it.  most people just dont really care...its halo...its call of duty...its w/e....they are what they are and its irrelevant who made them.   i mean...how many movies do you watch where you actually care who directed it, who wrote it, who produced it...etc...

Not a single person i know knows who developed any game! You should see how confused they get by CoD having 2 (now 3) developers. Even my friends who are "gamers" do not know who bungie is.

oh believe you me...not many.  oh wait, i just proved your point. xD

but in reality there are a few i really do care about: tim burton, guillermo del toro.  a few to avoid too like bay.  but overall i generally don't care.

Most people think that Bungie made the new map pack while it is the 343 team who made so yeah they have a point  =p.

Just like people scrutinized Black Ops because IW didn't make it. Boy, did that hurt sales or what?