Topic: Halo 4 Thread - Rumor: Gearbox might be developing it

[MysterD]

We've known for a while Microsoft and Bungie are done; yet M$ keeps the Halo franchise.

This does seem to make sense, since Gearbox ported the original Halo to the PC.

Rumor is -- Gearbox could be developing Halo 4 for whatever Microsoft's upcoming 3rd Xbox system will be, which will be sometime down the line.

Rumor: Gearbox Developing Halo 4 for Next Xbox?
OXM says the makers of the Brothers in Arms series are new stewards of Master Chief.
By Kris Pigna, 08/26/2008

In yet another juicy rumor for the day, it appears the folks at Gearbox Software might be pretty damn busy over the next few years. According to the October issue of Official Xbox Magazine (via Joystiq), the Brothers in Arms developer has been drafted to develop Halo 4 as a launch title for the next Xbox hardware. Yes, you can now mark this dark date as the day when we already began hearing rumors about the next generation of consoles.

If this report is accurate, it would shine new light on comments made by Gearbox president Randy Pitchford back in February, in a message board posting announcing that Gearbox was looking to add new staff members. "I've started a new project. It's big. It's, like, look-at-our-line-up-and-imagine-something-even-bigger kind of big," wrote Pitchford in the post. "I'm directing it myself. I can't mention it publicly yet. When you find out what this is, you'll likely agree that I can't oversell this one." It'd be hard to oversell the premier launch title for the next Xbox hardware, wouldn't it?

It's also worth noting that in a separate reply to that same thread, Pitchford also said this project would be in development for quite some time. "The project won't be completed this year, or the next... It will be in pre-production with a smaller, focused team until after both Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway and Borderlands has shipped," he wrote. "If nothing else, the information does give some insight into just how far ahead we are planning and acting."

With most estimates saying the start of the next generation of consoles won't arrive until at least 2011 or 2012, and with Bungie seeking greater independence from Microsoft, all the circumstantial evidence seems to fit. But then, circumstantial evidence is just that -- inferred and inconclusive. Besides, even if this rumor is 100% accurate (which is a big if), how much sense does it make to start anticipating the next Halo game this early? Don't we all have games to be playing right now?

[scottws]

Gearbox.  Wow.  Enjoy Halo 4's performance sucking for no good reason, Halo fans.

[gpw11]

Well at least now the performance will match the gameplay...badoom-ching!

Actually, I like the games a lot....just not as much as I like stirring the pot.

[Ghandi]

Gearbox?! Are they serious? Hahaha...

They must not have played Halo PC.

[Xessive]

Gearbox did a decent job with Brothers in Arms, and I take it they're generally alright if they're working with the Unreal engine. It's possible they'll switch Halo 4 over to the Unreal engine. That alone would be reassuring from a performance and quality standpoint.

[MysterD]

Actually, yes -- BiA: Road To Hill 30 is a decent game. Runs well and everything. I should finish it.

Ain't started BiA: EiB yet.

[MysterD]

More Halo 4 rumors.
Looks like Corrinne Yu is leaving GearBox to work for Microsoft.

And, let's add to this -- Ken Scott (who is Corrinne Yu's husband) is not longer listed working for Id Software, but now listed as working for Microsoft.

More Halo 4 Rumors - Yu to MS; Ken Scott Leaves id?  [August 28, 2008, 4:45 pm ET] - Viewing Comments

Kotaku reports that programming wiz Corrinne Yu will be departing Gearbox Software for Microsoft after Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway goes gold to "lead the team to build the engines and games for future Halo's on Xbox'es and PC's at Microsoft." They feel this lends credence to recent rumors that Gearbox will make the next Halo game (story). Shacknews adds their own piece to this puzzle, pointing out that Yu's husband Kenneth Scott is no longer listed as on the id Software staff page, where he had been listed as the company's art director, but that Scott is now listed on Microsoft's Facebook page.