343 Explains Why Halo 5 Won't Have Split-Screen

[Lizzy Finnegan]

343 Explains Why Halo 5 Won't Have Split-Screen

Developer 343 Industries explains the unpopular decision to remove split-screen from Halo 5: Guardians.

When 343 Industries revealed that Halo 5: Guardians Halo Waypoint [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/141111-Halo-5-Guardians-No-Split-Screen-Co-Op-Need-Xbox-Gold-For-Online-Co-Op], the developer explained that while the decision was difficult, they felt it was a necessary big picture determination.

"The decision to remove split-screen support from Halo 5: Guardians was one of the most difficult ones we've ever had to make as a studio," the blog post reads. "We know that for many of our fans, Halo has meant playing together with friends in the same room. We all have great memories of past Halo split-screen multiplayer matches. To move Halo's gameplay forward and deliver a true next-gen experience, tough choices had to be made."

343 states that the decision to remove split-screen from Halo 5 was "driven by a desire for scale, fidelity, and focus," and that many of their goals for the game would be compromised in a split-screen setting. In addition, they say that spending the time addressing split-screen specific issues would take focus away from building other parts of the game.

"Game development is a balancing act of resources, time and technology, and in this case we made the tough decision to sacrifice something that's been near and dear to us all."

"We are telling a story at a truly galactic scale with Halo 5's campaign. A story big enough to fill the worlds we've created for it. This is a campaign that has been designed from the ground up to support co-operative play with an ensemble cast of characters, and is supported by the gameplay mechanics, scale, features and technology required to make it sing. We're really pleased with the way it's shaping up and we can't wait for you guys to try it, and hopefully enjoy it as much as we are."



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[kat-pottz]

tldr: we couldn't get the game running at a solid framerate with all of the graphics so we said screw it.

 

[laggyteabag]

I understand why they got rid of split screen, but I just find it kinda funny that Halo 5 is the first Halo game to be built with co-op in mind, but also be the first Halo game[footnote]Barring Halo Wars, which was an RTS.[/footnote] to not feature local co-op.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Oh! So they're just spending all their time and money on DLC maps and equipment microtransactions!
Well why didn't you just say so, 343? We would have understood and simply told you to go screw yourself.

 

[Thatguyky]

tldr: we couldn't get the game running at a solid framerate with all of the graphics so we said screw it.

Right? Pretty much had the same thought.
Basically it sounds like they're tight on time, and ditched something everybody loves and came up with a semi-believable excuse. I've loved Halo since it first came out, and I really feel like 343 is going to butcher Halo entirely.

 

[Arnoxthe1]

I love how they're just skimming over how there won't be any splitscreen in the game, PERIOD. Much less co-op.

 

[warlordofpeace]

Split screen co-op will now be DLC or better yet a microtransaction that forces you to pay each time you want to use split screen.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Split screen co-op will now be DLC or better yet a microtransaction that forces you to pay each time you want to use split screen.

Or they could release co-op mode as a completely separate stand alone full priced game, that incidentally is attached to every single copy of Halo 5 as a 'bundle' option raising the price to double that of the individual Halo 5 game (because you are buying 2 games)

And there is no option to buy a Halo 5 game without the co-op bundled together.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Ahh see, if you just developed on PC and maybe PS4 instead, you wouldn't have to comprimise for your extra shiny space sparkle graphics truly next-gen experience now, would you?

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

This again? First, they give us the technical reason: the xbone can barely even handle the single player graphics they're forcing through the 'bones chips. ("Also, please buy an xbox One and a copy of Halo 5 for each member of your household.")

Now, they're giving us the "artistic" reason: "Oooo, the story is too grand for the screen to be split." Bull. Halo is an FPS, with a story that is barely a step above a cheap Saturday morning cartoon made to promote a toyline. And from what I've heard about Halo 4's plot, it not even as good as the Bungie games' narative.

If someone really wants to experience the story, they'll play it alone first or really pay attention with their friend/roommate/relative/SO sitting next to them. Good coop takes priority over story in games like this, and 343/MS failed on that part. I don't even know which is worse, MCC (and more games, I'm guessing) needing a solid connection to Xbox Live be able to play on a LAN, or removing a feature, that has been in the series since day one, that many people relied on to be able to play with others without breaking the bank.


A "true next-gen experience" must mean buying more unnecessary hardware to get old-gen features. I've watched the situation get this bad since the early years of the previous generation.

 

[vallorn]

Well I'm sold.

Now if you will excuse me I'm gonna go dust off my PS3 and play some Resistance CooP with friends since that's a game series that actually (mostly) stayed true to it's roots.

Yeah fuck you 343.

 

[Dalek Caan]

This feels like a No Win situation.

Only 30FPS and Splitscreen? People complain, make petitions and complain about the hardware.

60FPS but no Splitscreen? People complain, make petitions and complain about the hardware.

I'm on the fence about this. On one hand 60FPS is something I always want and since I rarely play with actual people in the same room it doesn't affect me. But then I think about whenever I see my cousin and we do actually play co-op Halo sometimes.

Edit: There is a petition here [https://www.change.org/p/microsoft-343-industies-bonnie-ross-kiki-wolfkill-microsoft-studios-add-split-screen-co-op/u/11086099?tk=oOd7LTVpkhpAHNUv0MxDFYfRVLsfWL8y3GwOXZEPyCw&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email] if people want to try a make a change to this.

 

[Covarr]

Only 30FPS and Splitscreen? People complain, make petitions and complain about the hardware.

60FPS but no Splitscreen? People complain, make petitions and complain about the hardware.

Or they could've done what Nintendo did with Mario Kart 8, and run the game at 60fps in single player and 30fps in splitscreen. Pretty much nobody would've complained about this.

P.S. Thanks

 

[DeepReaver]

Ahhh AAA development, put the cart before the horse and focus on graphics to the detriment of all else...

 

[Dalek Caan]

Or they could've done what Nintendo did with Mario Kart 8, and run the game at 60fps in single player and 30fps in splitscreen. Pretty much nobody would've complained about this.

P.S. Thanks

Wasn't even aware something like that existed. While I don't work at 343 and so I cannot actually know if something like that would be possible with Halo 5 I hope that it happens, either before release or through a post-release patch.

P.S. Who are you thanking?

 

[kat-pottz]

"Oooo, the story is too grand for the screen to be split." Bull. Halo is an FPS, with a story that is barely a step above a cheap Saturday morning cartoon made to promote a toyline. And from what I've heard about Halo 4's plot, it not even as good as the Bungie games' narrative.

speaking devils advocate here it was incredibly goofy in the first halo when two master chiefs stepped out of cryostasis at the same time, however! the split screen was not what made that goofy, so if they are saying that you play as this new jameson locke character and chief in the co-op there should be no reason that split screen could detract from this. (unless it's going to pull that weird dead space 3 asynchronous co-op, in which case I might let them off the hook for that.)

 

[Covarr]

P.S. Who are you thanking?

Ever since Sony trademarked P.S. Thanks, I have ended all my posts here with that in an act of mild rebellion that ultimately won't matter at all.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Soviet Heavy]

In other words, visual quality apparently trumps gameplay now.

 

[The Bandit]

Bull. Halo is an FPS, with a story that is barely a step above a cheap Saturday morning cartoon made to promote a toyline. And from what I've heard about Halo 4's plot, it not even as good as the Bungie games' narative.

Why do you feel like you're in a position to criticize 343 when you know nothing about Halo?

What other areas are you not-an-expert-but-also-an-expert in?