Halo 5: Guardians
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Halo 5: Guardians,[1] announced simply with the title Halo and commonly referred to as "Halo Xbox One" prior to the unveiling of its official title, is the upcoming ninth installment in the Halo franchise. It is the second game in the Reclaimer Saga and continues the story of the Master Chief.[1] Originally alluded to in a teaser trailer shown at Microsoft's E3 Media Briefing on June 10, 2013, Guardians was officially announced on May 16, 2014.[1] Exclusive to the Xbox One,[2][1] the game is in development and is set to be released in fall 2015,[1] with the first major coverage of the game to be unveiled at E3 2014.[3]
Development
What would later be revealed as Halo 5: Guardians was first revealed with a teaser released on June 10, 2013 during that year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. The trailer indicated that a major Halo release would occur for the Xbox One console in 2014, leading many to believe that this particular game would be the next entry in the Reclaimer Saga and the sequel to Halo 4. However, Microsoft stressed the trailer's phrasing that 2014 would mark the beginning of a "journey", with the implication that this may not mean the release of the then still officially unannounced Halo 5. It has been further stated that this "journey" will begin in 2014 with a "giant leap, rather than one small step".[1]
Halo 5: Guardians was formally announced on May 16, 2014 by 343 Industries General Manager Bonnie Ross. Ross describes Halo 5: Guardians as a bigger effort than the preceding Halo 4 in terms of the content and scope of the game as well as the technology underpinning it. The game's engine is said to have been completely retooled to take full advantage of the Xbox One's hardware and ecosystem. Ross states that Halo 5 will incorporate lessons the 343 Industries team learned from Halo 4 with regard to technology, performance, aesthetics, and scale in response to feedback received from the fan community. She also mentioned that the game will run at 60 frames per second and will feature dedicated servers.[1]
Since the development of Halo 4, the 343 Industries team has undergone several internal changes. Nicolas "Sparth" Bouvier has replaced Kenneth Scott as senior art director, although Scott has been stated to continue serving in an advisory role.[4] Josh Holmes has also been replaced by Tim Longo (known for his previous work on Star Wars: Republic Commando and the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot) as creative director.[5] Finally, Christopher Schlerf has been supplanted by Brian Reed as Halo franchise lead writer after Schlerf's departure from 343 Industries.[6][7]
Content
The primary protagonist of the Halo series, SPARTAN-II supersoldier Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, returns in Halo 5: Guardians following the end of Halo 4 and the subsequent events further detailed in "The Next 72 Hours", the final story arc of the comic series Halo: Escalation.[8] In media released so far, his modified Mark VI MJOLNIR armor is seemingly unchanged from Halo 4. In the initial teaser trailer, the Master Chief is shown wearing a hooded cloak with his armor having suffered considerable damage. He is seen in the possession of an empty data crystal chip on a chain, alluding to his loss of Cortana at the end of Halo 4.[9]
Another major character in Guardians is depicted in promotional artwork unveiled with the game's formal announcement, wearing what appears to be MJOLNIR [GEN2] armor with a dark coloration and an Office of Naval Intelligence symbol emblazoned on the chest. It has been clarified that this character is male and is an all-new character.[1][10][11]
Two weapons have been shown so far. The new ONI character is seen wielding what appears to be the BR85HB battle rifle from Halo 4 (albeit with a different sight attachment, possibly a reflex sight), while the Master Chief is seen with his signature MA5 assault rifle, apparently the MA5D variant from Halo 4.
Several visually diverse locations have been shown in media released so far. The 2013 teaser trailer shows a desolate, deserted location as the setting of John-117's encounter with an enormous Forerunner machine somewhat evocative of descriptions of a war sphinx or seeker from The Forerunner Saga.[9] A piece of concept art by Sparth depicts a human urban settlement in a mountainous location, with the UNSC Infinity hovering overhead. D79-TC Pelicans and other craft are seen flying nearby. Another concept piece by Sparth, unveiled with the game's formal announcement, depicts a cavern with several structures of an alien design with a statue of a Sangheili and what appear to be three suns are seen looming in the sky.
The background of the preliminary box artwork shows an arid location with towering vertical structures of alien but not Forerunner design. While the background of the wallpaper version is similar in mood and lighting, the structures are different, including a dish-like structure and a cupola similar to those seen in the concept with the Sangheili statue.
Marketing
- Main article: Halo Xbox One announcement trailer
In their E3 2013 conference, Microsoft showed a teaser trailer intended to showcase the future direction of the Halo franchise on the Xbox One. Rather than announcing Halo 5 in particular, the trailer announced the presence of the Halo franchise on the new console, set to debut in 2014 with an unspecified Halo title.[1]
The teaser opens with a hooded figure journeying through a desert on an alien world. The figure, revealed to be John-117 clad in battered MJOLNIR armor, clutches Cortana's empty data crystal chip as he encounters an enormous Forerunner machine rising from the sand.[1]
Gallery
Promotional artwork
Halo 5: Guardians logo on a dark background
The logo on a white background
Angled view of the preliminary game case
Promotional wallpaper released upon the announcement of the Halo 5: Guardians title
Preliminary box art
- H5 TeaserArt John-117.jpg
John-117 from the promotional piece
An armored figure depicted in the announcement image. Note the ONI symbol.
Concept art
- Sparth unknown future project.jpg
UNSC Infinity stationed above a human settlement
Another piece of concept art depicting an unknown location.
Sources
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Xbox Wire: The Halo Journey
- ^ Microsoft Xbox One briefing E3 2013
- ^ Halo Waypoint - The Great Journey
- ^ IGN: Halo 4 Art Director Steps Down at 343 Industries
- ^ Joystiq: Tomb Raider, Republic Commando creative director joins 343 Industries
- ^ Twitter: schlerf
- ^ Twitter: Brian Reed
- ^ Comic Book Resources: Dark Horse Comic Solicitations for July 2014
- ^ a b Halo Xbox One announcement trailer
- ^ NeoGAF: Frank O'Connor confirmation
- ^ Twitter: Josh Holmes confirmation
