Bungie Bids a Silly and Fond Farewell to Halo 2

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Bungie Bids a Silly and Fond Farewell to Halo 2



The plug gets pulled tomorrow on the original Xbox Live and with it the influential Halo 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Halo-2-Xbox/dp/B00008J7NZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278534468&sr=1-1] - but before it goes, Bungie is giving it a slightly silly sendoff.

It's difficult to overestimate the impact that Halo 2 had on modern console gaming. These days, the PS3 and Xbox 360 are all about the online experience, with some games (that begin with "M" and end with "odern Warfare 2") getting literally millions of people playing online concurrently. But while online console play existed before 2004, it was Bungie's landmark shooter that cemented it as something that was to be central going forward.

Tomorrow marks the end of an era, as the original Xbox Live - and Halo 2 with it - goes offline for good. With just one day of play left, though, Bungie is putting the "Did You Know?" box on the match intro screen to good use. Usually used for tips and tricks, the Did You Know? box is now home to a host of jokes and references as Bungie bids the game and its community a very fond farewell.

Perhaps the most touching is the one seen here on the right: "Thanks for playing. Seriously? More than five years after launch? You're awesome." But there are also some more tongue-in-cheek ones, poking fun at the game and its community alike.

Some of my favorites:

"Trouble Spot? Having problems playing on Xbox LIVE? If it's after April 15th, we've got a good idea why!"

"Admit it, the first time you boarded a vehicle it was pretty awesome."

"Title Update 4 adds Theater support, screenshots, and Forge to Halo 2! Coming: NEVER."

"SMG Starts! Okay, we admit it, it was a bad idea."

"Superbouncin'! Even from waaaaaay down here, you still look like a douche!"

"Honky Tonk! Honk your horn while driving the Warthog to alert your team mates that a ride is available! Or, you know, just to be irritating."

There's also the requisite teabagging joke, that I won't reproduce here out of vanity and because it makes me feel dirty.

Well played, Bungie. You made a game that people played to the last, five years and one whole console generation later. That's something to be proud of, and it's nice to see the developer having fun with people who have stuck with it to the end.

There are screenshots of all of Bungie's (known) farewell messages over at Joystiq [http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/bungies-funny-farewell-to-halo-2-online-multiplayer/].

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SniperWolf427

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Jun 27, 2008
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Two games (well, one game and one 'expansion pack') later and they still have a community to support it. Pretty interesting, especially for a console game.

Were I the developers, I'd have made one saying: "Remember the campaign mode for this game? Yeah, neither do we."
 

thatstheguy

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Dec 27, 2008
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Never played Halo 2 at all. Kinda cool they bothered to do this with a 6 year old game, even if it was as simple as changing a bunch of text.
 

Artemicion

Need superslick, Kupo.
Dec 7, 2009
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I hated Halo 2. But I love Bungie with all of my heart. A bittersweet farewell to Halo 2 - for as much as I hated you, you were still family.
 

Azalin137

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Apr 14, 2010
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Toasty Virus said:
Goodnight sweet prince...

You shall be missed.
Killzone FTW? I still stay the most epic FPS was Black for PS2........The sequel.........PLEASE~!!!!!!
 

Pegghead

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Aug 4, 2009
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Oh I pumped more hours than I care to say into that sweet game and it's equally sweet xbox live service. I'm pretty sure my original xbox live ocnnection is dead so I won't bother.
 

Idlemessiah

Zombie Steve Irwin
Feb 22, 2009
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As much as I am indifferent to this, I have to admit, this is pretty damn impressive. Grats Bungie.
/applause
 

ben---neb

No duckies...only drowning
Apr 22, 2009
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I never played you, I don't care about you but I shed a Man Tear nevertheless. BYE BYE!
 

Fox242

El Zorro Cauto
Nov 9, 2009
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It is indeed the end of an era. Even though I am a Playstationer, I am not blind to your brilliance and what you have done for the industry. You made online gaming what it is today and we will be forever grateful. Farewell Halo 2, fare thee well.
 

Samurai Goomba

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Oct 7, 2008
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I'm glad they admit the SMG spawning thing sucked. Part of the reason I love the original Halo multiplayer so much is how everyone has a chance right from the spawn to kill any other player with any weapon.

If you spawned near somebody with a power weapon in Halo 2, you were pretty much dead.
 

Korten12

Now I want ma...!
Aug 26, 2009
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farewell halo 2, if it wasnt for you, Red vs blue wouldnt have gotten better graphics, more maps and stuff. :)