Drunken Gamefest 2006: Halo 3, XNA, X06, Rolling Thunder, and a Halo MMO?

Bungie Studios may be closer to finishing Halo 3 than they’re letting on. This is according to Luke Smith’s report of the happenings at Gamefest 2006.

Yes, it’s not always smart to put too much stock on hearsay, but the things Luke has heard are too good to pass up (especially when they were brought up under the influence of alcohol):

• As mentioned above, Halo 3 is closer to completion than Bungie admits. (This first-person-shooter will be published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 in 2007.)
• A “key group of Bungie employees is already working on the company’s next project.” A project that is not Halo-related.
• Emulated software can be compiled and recoded in XNA.
• And he heard that Microsoft’s strategy is one of “Rolling Thunder.” Apparently the strategy will be a storm that will build up at Leipzig and will increase until X06.
• And the thing that has generated lively comments from online communities is about X06: “New IPs in existing universes.”

That last part has started speculation about a Halo MMO. Hmmm, wonder where that will fit in with the Rolling Thunder bit.

Bungie Studios may be closer to finishing Halo 3 than they’re letting on. This is according to Luke Smith’s report of the happenings at Gamefest 2006.

Yes, it’s not always smart to put too much stock on hearsay, but the things Luke has heard are too good to pass up (especially when they were brought up under the influence of alcohol):

• As mentioned above, Halo 3 is closer to completion than Bungie admits. (This first-person-shooter will be published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 in 2007.)
• A “key group of Bungie employees is already working on the company’s next project.” A project that is not Halo-related.
• Emulated software can be compiled and recoded in XNA.
• And he heard that Microsoft’s strategy is one of “Rolling Thunder.” Apparently the strategy will be a storm that will build up at Leipzig and will increase until X06.
• And the thing that has generated lively comments from online communities is about X06: “New IPs in existing universes.”

That last part has started speculation about a Halo MMO. Hmmm, wonder where that will fit in with the Rolling Thunder bit.