343 Industries Extends Halo 2 Multiplayer Support

[Andy Chalk]

343 Industries Extends Halo 2 Multiplayer Support

The Halo 2 multiplayer lights will stay on into the summer, and possibly even longer.

There was a (very) quiet sigh of sadness back in January when it was announced that Halo 2 online mulitplayer servers would be shut down for good [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121565-Halo-2-PC-Servers-Going-Dark] on February 15. Server populations were consistently peaking at 20 players or less, according to Jessica Shea of Halo Waypoint, and that's just not enough to justify continued server support.

But yesterday, just three days before the plug was to be pulled, 343 Industries designer David Ellis announced that the game had been given a new lease on life. "Halo 2 PC support extended through June 2013 while we investigate further support options," he tweeted. "Now go get those achievements."

Ellis hasn't said anything about why 343 decided to keep the lights on or what "further support options" might be on the table, but tacking a four-month extension onto a game that's almost ten years old is a pretty big hint that the studio has something specific in mind. Maybe you die-hard dozen won't have to give up on your favorite Microsoft shooter after all.

Source: Twitter [https://twitter.com/DavidEllis/status/301374494252101632]


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[Soviet Heavy]

Possible hints at a Halo 2 Remake? Keep the servers open as a sign of goodwill and to drum up interest in their next endeavors?

 

[Erttheking]

Possible hints at a Halo 2 Remake? Keep the servers open as a sign of goodwill and to drum up interest in their next endeavors?

Never played that one. I'd pick it up.

 

[Elvaril]

Maybe I should go ahead and try to figure out how to download this on my laptop then. I bought it two years ago, but I could not figure out how to get it to work on Windows 7 rather than Vista.

 

[Irridium]

Are they going to let the community run things like with Halo 1? Because that'd be pretty neat. I'd also be down for a Halo 2 remake. As long as don't pull the same thing last time (making it exclusive to a new operating system that not many people have adopted).

 

[SextusMaximus]

OH MY GOD YES.

NEED SO MUCH. Loved H2 multiplayer.

 

[Korten12]

Are they going to let the community run things like with Halo 1? Because that'd be pretty neat. I'd also be down for a Halo 2 remake. As long as don't pull the same thing last time (making it exclusive to a new operating system that not many people have adopted).

What? Halo Anniversary was for the 360. o.o Plenty have adopted that...

 

[Fappy]

If you bring Halo 2 to Steam... they will come.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Are they going to let the community run things like with Halo 1?

I dunno, Halo 2 never had quite the same level of mod-insanity that Custom Edition managed, I'm not sure there's really a community there to run it. Plus it would mean Microsoft taking their GFWL shaped claws out of it...

On the other hand, free reign within Halo 2 would be amazing, Scarab guns for all!

 

[neonsword13-ops]

I've always liked the feel of Halo combat. I'm not sure to describe it, but it feels... Fun. I don't know.

Anyway. If Halo 2 comes to Steam, I wouldn't mind picking it up for a ten dolla. It's the only Halo I've never really played extensively.

 

[Darmy647]

...Why is everyone so nostalgic over the Halo 2 Multiplayer? Did no-one else play the broken-ass shit of a game? With the fucking sword that could one shot anything with NO downsides at all, and a dual weidling system that was over-hyped as hell and just not effective nor fun?

 

[Monshroud]

I would assume this might have something to do with the rumour that the first 3 Halo games may be coming to Steam. In that case they could have a huge influx of players. Either that or maybe they will be doing a Halo 2 Anniversary Edition?

 

[Triforceformer]

My guess is that it has to do with the Halo games supposedly coming to Steam soon, and the servers are staying on so you can actually play it.

 

[Irridium]

Are they going to let the community run things like with Halo 1? Because that'd be pretty neat. I'd also be down for a Halo 2 remake. As long as don't pull the same thing last time (making it exclusive to a new operating system that not many people have adopted).

What? Halo Anniversary was for the 360. o.o Plenty have adopted that...

I was talking about them making a re-released Halo 2 a Windows 8 exclusive, like how they made it a Vista exclusive when it was first released for the PC.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

I would ditch the computer and load up a server for Halo 2 on the 360 with compatibility support but I don't think that would be possible.

 

[TK421]

...Why is everyone so nostalgic over the Halo 2 Multiplayer? Did no-one else play the broken-ass shit of a game? With the fucking sword that could one shot anything with NO downsides at all, and a dual weidling system that was over-hyped as hell and just not effective nor fun?

It was fun for all of my friends and I. Halo 2 was the last Halo I was truly good at. I mean, I was good at Halo 3, but on Halo 2, I was a god.

 

[Darmy647]

...Why is everyone so nostalgic over the Halo 2 Multiplayer? Did no-one else play the broken-ass shit of a game? With the fucking sword that could one shot anything with NO downsides at all, and a dual weidling system that was over-hyped as hell and just not effective nor fun?

It was fun for all of my friends and I. Halo 2 was the last Halo I was truly good at. I mean, I was good at Halo 3, but on Halo 2, I was a god.

....Fair enough. I cant say anymore, it wouldnt be fair. My favorite Nostalgic Multiplayer Is turok Evolution, so i dont have any room to say anything.

 

[TK421]

It was fun for all of my friends and I. Halo 2 was the last Halo I was truly good at. I mean, I was good at Halo 3, but on Halo 2, I was a god.

....Fair enough. I cant say anymore, it wouldnt be fair. My favorite Nostalgic Multiplayer Is turok Evolution, so i dont have any room to say anything.

I LOVE THAT GAME
Just recently found it again. Me and my buddies played it a couple of weeks ago. Dat spider-gun.

 

[juyunseen]

Well looks like I'll be getting halo 2 to work on Windows 7 now wont I?

 

[karma9308]

...Why is everyone so nostalgic over the Halo 2 Multiplayer? Did no-one else play the broken-ass shit of a game? With the fucking sword that could one shot anything with NO downsides at all, and a dual weidling system that was over-hyped as hell and just not effective nor fun?

Different strokes for different folks. I had tons of fun with Halo 2, especially with friends and cousins. More fun than any of the other Halos in fact.