Image courtesy figures.com
According to an email reply from McFarlane customer service to forum member wiiwhitey, the figures from series 1 of McFarlane Halo Universe have been cancelled. This series was supposed to debut in October and was going to include:
• Frederic-104 (Halo Legends)
• Romeo (Halo 3: ODST)
• Elite Commando (Halo 3)
• Brute Captain Major (Halo 3)
• Spartan (Multiplayer)
• ODST Drop Pod
Platform Nation has a great article about integrating exercise with gaming, and uses Halo as its prime example. Who wouldn’t love a Halo exercise game on Kinect or an iPhone app? I would love to see Halo everywhere across the gaming landscape, not just on FPS games. Give me a Halo Mega Bloks game, or a retro-style side scroller. Halo is more than just a game now, and it deserved to be spread everywhere across pop culture and gaming, and not restricted to a particular genre.
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]The image says it all! This is a good opportunity to pick up some of the overpriced TRU exclusives.
Two new figures in the Halo 4 line by Square Enix/Play Arts have been revealed at the Tokyo Game Show– Sarah Palmer and a Spartan Soldier. They have some other great non-Halo figures on display as well, so head on over and check it all out by clicking HERE to visit the story at Yahoo. Thanks to MrKevinHurd via Twitter for the info. If you want lots of great Halo tweets he is a must follow.
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]Image courtesy Sabotage Times
Sabotage Times interviewed Neil Davidge, the composer for the upcoming Halo 4 game. Topics of discussion included Davidge’s history of playing the previous Halo games, how he landed the Halo 4 job, his thoughts on the soundtrack, and more. Click HERE to read the interview.
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]Image courtesy Digital Trends
Digital Trends has interviewed Kevin Franklin, the lead designer for the War Games multiplayer mode on Halo 4. They discuss ordinance drops, improving the multiplayer experience, Promethian weapons, and more. Click HERE to check out the interview!
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]Image courtesy of IGN
343 Industries has pulled back another curtain, and allowed several members of the media to release more detailed previews of Halo 4. Two campaign levels (“Dawn” and “Forerunner”), two chapters of Spartan Ops, a new multiplayer map (Solace), and a new gameplay mode (Dominion) have been covered in plenty of detail, which you can read about via the several links below. More links will be added throughout the day, so check back with this post frequently, as I will try to keep it as a one-stop hub for links to today’s breaking Halo news.
– IGN previews the Halo 4 campaign levels “Dawn” and “Forerunner…”
– IGN goes hands-on with Halo 4 multiplayer…
– A former skeptic from Destructoid is made a believer…
– G4TV takes a look at Campaign and Multiplayer…
– If Halo 4 video is what you crave, Machinima has you covered with several of them…
– In a video from GameSpot, Frankie discusses loadouts and their purpose and rationale…
– Shack News gives their impressions of the campaign…
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]The new Halo 4 Legendary difficulty symbol was revealed this evening in this video from IGN. From the sounds of it we can expect to see more Halo 4 footage on IGN tomorrow as well, so stay tuned!
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]This summer McFarlane released the first part of Series 1 of their Halo 4 line, which included Master Chief, an Elite, a Grunt, and a Red Spartan. Next month, the second half of the first wave will be released, which consists of Cortana, a Watcher, a Crawler, and a Blue Spartan. VIKING SPAWN was kind enough to post plenty of packaged and loose images direct from the Spawn McFarlane site in the Halo Collectors forums. Check them out!
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]
The Little English Halo Blog scored a great interview with Jen Taylor, the voice of Cortana. They discuss Halo 4, voice work, the Halo series in general, and more. Click HERE to read the interview.
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]It’s finally here. The middle of the work week. What better way to kick off the last half of the week than with a batch of Halo Headlines?
– New Halo 4 footage and details are coming tomorrow (9/20) on GTTV…
– Remember the story about the Japanese version of Halo 4 getting new voice actors? Well this guy is flaming mad and is climbing Mt. Fuji dressed as Master Chief in protest…
– OXM breaks down the various Halo 4 preorder bonuses for the UK and their associated locations…
– Bravo MLG breaks down the reasons why Halo 4′s custom loadouts can revive competitive Halo…
– TapScape discusses the recent Halo URLs purchased by Microsoft, and reviews the owners of the other “numbered” Halo URLs…
– What Culture talks about the five weapons they can’t wait to use in Halo 4…
– Gameranx has some animated GIFs of the Halo 4 Promethian weapons forming…
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]MrKevinHurd found this very cool edition of Halo 4 that appears to be an Italian version. Dubbed the “Super Collector’s Edition,” it includes the limited edition of the game, two Mega Bloks Halo sets, and the Halo: Glasslands novel. Click HERE to read more details, assuming you can read the Italian language.
UPDATE: An Italian Legendary Edition as well?
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]The Halo franchise has branched out from just being a game series to now having a rich “expanded universe.” Since 343 Industries took over the care of all things Halo, several novels have been written that supplement the fiction that the games laid the foundation for. Though someone that hasn’t read any of these books will still be able to follow the Halo 4 story with no problems, 343i has stated that there will be a few fun things to look out for by those that have read the stories.
The novels are all great reads and include some best-sellers, but not everyone has the time to read on a regular basis. If that statement describes you, there is still a way to catch up on some of the main plot points from the Halo expanded universe. Below this paragraph is a link that summarizes some of the story from two of the most pertinent novels to Halo 4. Keep in mind that it contains spoilers from the novels (but NOT from the Halo 4 campaign), so if you ever want to read them and be surprised, you shouldn’t click it. You have been warned.
Click HERE to read the plot bullet points from the Halo novels at Stick Skills.
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]According to Frank O’Connor in a recent interview with GameSpot, the maps most requested by the community for a return in Halo 4 are The Pit, Valhalla, Lockout, Beaver Creek, Blood Gulch, and Hang ‘Em High. Frankie goes on to say, “Since sprinting is a default command in Halo 4, most of the requested maps might be too cramped. We have one remake of an old map that I can’t reveal yet.”
I posted about Frankie’s “not small” map remake last week, but I was hoping that eventually we’d see a few more classics. From the sound of it though it seems like some of the fan favorites are unlikely to return. In a way that’s good for originality purposes, because if the maps of Halo 4 are awesome some of them are destined to become classics as well.
In the meantime, of you are looking to play some of the classic maps, you’ll have to do so on the classic games (of note: none of the maps most requested are originals from Reach). Also keep in mind that we may eventually see some of the old maps remade on the classic-style playlist that bsangel and other members of 343i have mentioned.
[NOTE: This article is a piece of recovered archive data from the old HaloCollectors.com website. Some links, images, or videos may no longer be available.]
You know Andy “Bravo” Dudynsky as the premier color caster for the Halo Championship Series. His work in esports broadcasting is unparalleled. Bravo also recently teamed up with Max Hoberman for a podcast series about behind the scenes info for the making of Halo two, which you can listen to via various podcast platforms, or on his YouTube channel. He also previously served in several roles at Microsoft 343 Industries, including Director of Esports, Senior Community Manager, and Senior Producer for the Halo franchise. Going back even further, he operated a YouTube channel with a heavy Halo focus after his days as a player and coach for MLG were over. At that time, he was kind enough to do an interview for my old Halo fan site, HaloCollectors.com. Below you can read through the archived interview with Andy.
CLICK HERE read the full interview!
Unless you’ve been under a rock somewhere, you’ve probably seen a video from BravoMLG about the upcoming release of Halo 4. He is a professional gaming broadcaster and coach for MLG, and he has tirelessly provided content from every major gaming event that has showcased the Halo 4, as well as original videos from other Halo games as well, including gameplay, commentary, breakdowns, and more. Andy was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to talk some Halo with me. Read below for his thoughts on Halo 4, MLG, Halo swag/collectibles, and more…
HaloCollectors.com: When did you start playing Halo?
BravoMLG: I started playing Halo towards the middle of Halo: CE – It all started with things like getting outside of the map on Assault on the Control Room, jamming every single thing into the Blood Gluch bases, things like that.
HC: What is your favorite Halo game, and why?
Bravo: Halo: CE due to the fact that the multiplayer is essentially perfect. It’s simple, clean, balanced, and most importantly, a ton of fun.
HC: On your Twitter feed you posted a pic of a Mega Bloks Spartan mini figure. Do you collect a few Halo items here and there, or was that an anomaly?
Bravo: I’ve been lucky enough to grab a few sweet Halo items over the course of this summer, traveling to E3, RTX, SDCC, 343i, and PAX, but I’ve always been a huge fan of Halo memorabilia, especially signs and banners from game launches. Because I’m so invested in the series and now YouTube content, I really hope to expand my collection and get a ton of badass stuff.
HC: How did you initially become involved with MLG?
Bravo: I started following MLG in early 2005 and attended my first event at the end of that year. My interest was sparked by friends of mine who showed me Halo montages and gameplays.
HC: Why do you think it is that Halo is no longer part of the MLG circuit?
Bravo: Bloom and Sprint killed competitive Halo for the last few months, but it’s awesome that Halo 4 has already been confirmed for MLG Dallas in November before the game even comes out. I’m looking forward to seeing the game’s competitive potential.
HC: You’ve been providing a huge variety of Halo content via your YouTube channel. A majority of it has been coverage of Halo 4, but you’ve also thrown in some Halo 3 game commentary, as well as a “Road to 50″ series for Lone Wolves (which I love by the way). How do you decide what projects you’re going do?
Bravo: I’m constantly taking notes on my phone or computer about what type of content I should be doing – I really try to create things that I would enjoy watching myself – interactive live commentary, super-in-depth strategy / breakdowns, and so forth.
HC: You’ve had the opportunity to play Halo 4 on several occasions. What has you excited about the game from what you’ve seen so far?
Bravo: As surprising as this may sound, I’m looking forward to all of the new stuff – new weapons, upgrades, all means new strategy. I’m optimistic about everything but I realize that some (or even most) of the new stuff may not fit into competitive play.
HC: Is there anything you’ve seen or experienced that you have been disappointed in or concerned about in terms of gameplay?
Bravo: I don’t know how I feel about no flag dropping – that could go either way. Also, I don’t like that players can call in overshields in Infinity Slayer. I also hate the tank and banshee, but that is to be expected.
HC: From what you’ve experienced first hand so far, which previous Halo game does Halo 4 most “feel like” in terms of the multiplayer experience?
Bravo: It lies somewhere in between Halo 3 and Reach.
HC: Do you see Halo making a return to MLG with Halo 4? Why (or why not)?
Bravo: Yes! It has all of the potential, possibly the developer support, and a huge community that wants to see it return to the Pro Circuit.
HC: Do you think Halo is good for MLG, is MLG good for Halo, or does it go both ways?
Bravo: I think it goes both ways, depending on who you ask.
HC: Are you planning on attending any Halo 4 launch events?
Bravo: I’m actually wide open for the launch as of right now – not sure if I’ll be attending an even with one of my sponsors, Sony Mobile or Gamma Labs, heading to Seattle for a launch party, or gonna grab the game and start making videos!
HC: Thanks for taking the time to answer some of my questions. I’m a big fan of your work, and look forward to your continued content on YouTube and more!
Bravo: Thanks for having me!
