Microsoft Wasn't Fond of the "Halo" Brand

Tom Goldman

Crying on the inside.
Aug 17, 2009
14,499
0
0
Microsoft Wasn't Fond of the "Halo" Brand



If Microsoft had its way, Halo would have been called something completely different.

Halo is a big name today, but back before the first title in the series, Halo: Combat Evolved [http://www.amazon.com/Halo-Combat-Evolved-Xbox/dp/B00005NZ1G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1276201031&sr=1-1], came out in 2001, Microsoft wanted to change that name to something else. Microsoft apparently didn't feel "Halo" would sell and forced developer Bungie to add the "Combat Evolved" subtitle.

Bungie ended up under Microsoft's corporate umbrella after being acquired in 2000, and Halo: Combat Evolved turned into a massively successful launch title for the original Xbox. However, Bungie wasn't too enthused with calling the game anything other than Halo at Microsoft's request.

Halo designer Jaime Griesemer recently told Edge Magazine (via CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=249196]): "Oh, man... the subtitle. At the time, Microsoft marketing thought Halo was not a good name for a video game brand. It wasn't descriptive like all the military games we were competing with."

Bungie stuck to its guns though. "We told them Halo was the name," Greisemer said. Neither party was satisfied, so a compromise was reached where Microsoft could add the subtitle which "everyone at Bungie hated," revealed Greisemer.

"But it turned out to be a very sticky label and has now entered the gaming lexicon to the point where articles that have nothing to do with Halo get titles like 'Skateboarding Evolved'. So I guess in hindsight it was a good compromise," he admitted.

Bungie obviously gained some clout after Halo: Combat Evolved's success, which would explain why lengthy deal with Activision [http://www.amazon.com/Halo-2-Xbox/dp/B00008J7NZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1276201060&sr=1-1] earlier this year.

Via: CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=249196]

Permalink
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
17,032
0
0
I like "Pyramid".

And Combat Evolved abbreviates to "Collector's Edition". So, glad they didn't have one, or it'd be "Halo: CE: CE"
 

daz_O_O

Click me I'm here!
Aug 27, 2008
172
0
0
No offense intended, but I've never laughed at a news article on this site, smiled, but never laughed. The bit about Halo 3 caught me off guard though, good one.

On topic, I always thought the name 'Halo' was a little silly, but it works and it's iconic now. I still refer to Halo: CE as Halo 1 though, it's just easier.
 
Jun 11, 2008
5,331
0
0
So no offense to them they think they will be better off with Activision? I mean just look what they have done to the CoD series. They are only trading one devil for another.
 

Pandalisk

New member
Jan 25, 2009
3,248
0
0
Halo was a great name for a game i thought.
and adding the :Combat evolved bit i quite fancied as well..
 

reg42

New member
Mar 18, 2009
5,390
0
0
I dunno, I kind of liked the subtitle. I mean, Halo isn't a very descriptive name.
 

LeonLethality

New member
Mar 10, 2009
5,810
0
0
Halo sounds better than "SPACE SHOOTER IN SPACE!" or something like that. Besides I don't see how Halo is a bad name. That combat evolved was unnecessary though.
 

imaloony

New member
Nov 19, 2009
1,025
0
0
Halo: Reach for the Stars

I always thought Combat Evolved was an odd subtitle, but it did describe it rather well, so w/e.
 
Apr 28, 2008
14,634
0
0
Well I don't like it that much. Its confusing when talking about Halo: Custom Edition for the PC.

Glademaster said:
So no offense to them they think they will be better off with Activision? I mean just look what they have done to the CoD series. They are only trading one devil for another.
I hope the contract they agreed to had a clause that states "Don't fuck with Bungie's shit" somewhere in there.
 
Jun 11, 2008
5,331
0
0
Irridium said:
Well I don't like it that much. Its confusing when talking about Halo: Custom Edition for the PC.

Glademaster said:
So no offense to them they think they will be better off with Activision? I mean just look what they have done to the CoD series. They are only trading one devil for another.
I hope the contract they agreed to had a clause that states "Don't fuck with Bungie's shit" somewhere in there.
It probably does but Activision in their infinite demonism and total business ethic probably has in teeny tiny fine print under that which say that all Bungie's rights are belong to us or something along those lines.
 

Jared

The British Paladin
Jul 14, 2009
5,630
0
0
Well, Mictosoft would have been idiots if they went with anything else. Halo, is a great name...small, to the point, and these days...full of clout!
 
Apr 28, 2008
14,634
0
0
Glademaster said:
Irridium said:
Well I don't like it that much. Its confusing when talking about Halo: Custom Edition for the PC.

Glademaster said:
So no offense to them they think they will be better off with Activision? I mean just look what they have done to the CoD series. They are only trading one devil for another.
I hope the contract they agreed to had a clause that states "Don't fuck with Bungie's shit" somewhere in there.
It probably does but Activision in their infinite demonism and total business ethic probably has in teeny tiny fine print under that which say that all Bungie's rights are belong to us or something along those lines.
That would not surprise me actually.
In fact its probably dictated in Egyptian Hieroglyphics.
 

Brotherofwill

New member
Jan 25, 2009
2,566
0
0
This thread calls for: The Silliest Video Game titles! Let's Go!!!

Number 5: Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers

Number 4: Grand Theft Auto. Awesome title, altough half the world won't know what the fuck it means. I never did.

Number 3:Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days...not a day less. Almost like Naked gun 33 1/3.

Number 2: Pro Evolution Soccer. It's not soccer, and pro evolution? Why didn't they keep Winning Eleven? That's a cool name.

Number 1: And the winner is....Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker! Peace Walker? Solid Metal? The title isn't too bad for fans and people that know the series but I've never seen such a random collection of words qualified as a title. Game looks great though.

I really like the tile Halo, but the CE subtitle sucks. It makes it more descriptive by ironically being undestriptive. So it's modern combat? Wow, I never. I like short words best as titles because the become iconic and are easily referenced in dialogue like Sims, Ico, Halo. A small descriptor also works like Plants vs Zombies.
 

Digikid

New member
Dec 29, 2007
1,030
0
0
Jaredin said:
Well, Mictosoft would have been idiots if they went with anything else. Halo, is a great name...small, to the point, and these days...full of clout!
Agreed. The name is PERFECT for the series. Microsoft know nothing about naming.
 
Jun 11, 2008
5,331
0
0
Irridium said:
Glademaster said:
Irridium said:
Well I don't like it that much. Its confusing when talking about Halo: Custom Edition for the PC.

Glademaster said:
So no offense to them they think they will be better off with Activision? I mean just look what they have done to the CoD series. They are only trading one devil for another.
I hope the contract they agreed to had a clause that states "Don't fuck with Bungie's shit" somewhere in there.
It probably does but Activision in their infinite demonism and total business ethic probably has in teeny tiny fine print under that which say that all Bungie's rights are belong to us or something along those lines.
That would not surprise me actually.
In fact its probably dictated in Egyptian Hieroglyphics.
There is probably a foretelling of a phrase Bobby Kotick has yet to say which I believe it will go something along the lines of this "I want to take the fun out of gaming by assimilating all franchises into Call of Duty".