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This topic has moved here: Subject: Is This The Peter Jackson Project?
  • Subject: Is This The Peter Jackson Project?
Subject: Is This The Peter Jackson Project?
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shhhhhhh

If you were here way-back in 2006, you might recall that during the Halo Wars announcement, they also had announced a second Halo project, being lead by Peter Jackson. This project was at-the-time called Halo: Chronicles. However, since then, details have been scarce. Now we are being shown a previously top-secret project, but with no mention of Peter Jackson. So my question is, do you think this is the fabled Peter Jackson Project, do you think it was cancelled, or perhaps, is it still yet another unannounced project in-the-works?

Bungie wrote on September 27th, 2006:
Brian and Frankie out in Barcelona at X06 for what we've hinted several times would be a Halo 3 no-show. But we also dropped a hint or two that something would be happening, and that's certainly true. By now you may have read elsewhere that two new Halo game projects have been announced. The Halo Wars real time strategy game from Ensemble and the as-yet unrevealed Halo project to be made in partnership with Lord of the Rings and King Kong director, Peter Jackson. Both projects are for Xbox 360.

Deep breath now. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, who we're also working with on the Halo movie, have formed Wingnut Interactive, a video game studio that will capitalize on Peter and Fran's creative vision, while using the expertise, infrastructure and experience of Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios to get the show on the road. It's a partnership we've been very excited about for a long time, and one that gives us great pleasure (and no small measure of relief) to announce. Wingnut Interactive will be working closely with us to create "another chapter in the Halo universe," which is a phrase you'll be hearing a lot and of course, we're sworn to secrecy.

This raises as many questions as it answers, will it be a sequel? A prequel? A side-story? We won't squeal, but we can tell you it will be a blend of gameplay and storytelling quite unlike anything the games industry has ever seen before. And Wingnut Interactive isn't stopping at Halo, the newly formed gaming behemoth will also be working closely with Microsoft to introduce a brand-new gaming IP created by Wingnut themselves.


Joystiq wrote on May 7th 2007:
During the second annual 'Blogger Breakfast,' Microsoft's Shane Kim revealed that Peter Jackson's forthcoming Xbox 360 projects will be episodic. "Peter Jackson is developing two episodic series," said Kim, reconfirming, "the first is in the Halo universe." Both projects are still lingering in their early design phases, but Microsoft hopes they will eventually serve as models for other developers to follow.

When pried for more details about the as-yet-unnamed second series and release strategies for the content, Kim remained tight-lipped: "I may have said too much already." In reality Kim has added very little to what was already known. The lone revelation: (after all the talk) Microsoft is finally preparing to walk the 'episodic' walk. Good thing Jackson appears to be in shape, it might be a long trek.


Kotaku wrote on April 23rd 2008:
At least one of the Halo-themed projects helmed by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is closer to reality, as MTV Multiplayer has dug up job listings that hint heavily Microsoft is hiring for one of its "two new interactive entertainment experiences." A confirmation from the company reveals that it's going to be developed internally and not at Halo 3 developer Bungie.

The job listings, all of which are linked to at the MTV Multiplayer report, are light on concrete details. They look to be intentionally vague, deemed "Not Product Specific" and only mentioning that they take place in the Halo universe. See if you can decipher them with your Master Chief decoder rings!


Cited from Halopedia:
In the UK (United Kingdom) the Xbox 360 magazine Xbox World 360, it was speculated that the game will be more of an 'interactive movie' where some parts will be semi-playable, and certain decisions will lead to different outcomes that you then have to watch play out. It has also been stated that it will delve into Master Chief's back story.


Now, what does this mean if Halo: Reach is indeed the project? Or what does it mean if it's not? If Halo: Reach is in fact the Peter Jackson project, then it's not alone, being the above sources said two were in the works to be 'episodic.' On-top of that, it is "A blend of gameplay and storytelling quite unlike anything the games industry has ever seen before." Making speculation about it being an FPS, an RTS, or even an RPG almost futile. (But rather, the interactive-movie sort of game as said by Xbox World 360.) If this is indeed the above project, I only must wonder why Wingnut Interactive was not one of the logos put in the closing credit. Does this also give weight to the game's tagline? "From The Beginning, You Know The End." As the user El Diabl0o put it in another thread, this suggests that you are capable of determining the end from the beginning. Relating this idea to the quote from Xbox World 360 above, "And certain decisions will lead to different outcomes that you then have to watch play out." The speculation is nearly endless.

If Halo: Reach is not this project, then perhaps there is yet another Halo game or two lurking below the surface, which brings forth even more speculation. Or perhaps it was simply canceled; but I can't feel that the few years of work that went into Halo: Chronicles was simply trashed. Rather, recycled into what we see now?

(Note: I couldn't decide whether to put this in the Bungie: Universe or Halo: Reach forum since it could potentially be about Halo: Reach, while at the same time, maybe not. :/)

[Edited on 06.02.2009 10:08 AM PDT]

  • 06.02.2009 9:41 AM PDT
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I'm thinking Halo: Chronicles is a totally different project not publicly announced, but still in production.

  • 06.02.2009 9:43 AM PDT
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Who cares it looks owesame :P

  • 06.02.2009 9:45 AM PDT

I thought Halo Chronicles suffered the same fate as the Halo movie, but you're right, it would be a shame to see all that work go to waste.

Having said that, I think that Halo: Reach should be the last Halo game. I just feel that they should quit while they are ahead.

  • 06.02.2009 9:45 AM PDT

Reclamation is inevitable.
Even a far cry begins as a short whimper.
Sub Zero Films

Posted by: walshypru
Having said that, I think that Halo: Reach should be the last Halo game. I just feel that they should quit while they are ahead.


i think halo:reach will be the last halo game that bungie makes. atleast for the time being. i recall maybe around a year ago they said in a weekly update that they are "currently working on 3 projects, some halo, some not" or somethign to that effect. if we whip out our calculators, we can figure out that ODST and Reach would equal 2 halo games. that would mean the third would have to be not halo related. woohoo for simple math!

  • 06.02.2009 9:53 AM PDT

i think that the third project is the movie

  • 06.02.2009 9:56 AM PDT

why would they quit? Konami has been doing the same thing with the Metal Gear franchise for 20years or so now. maybe they only are up to 4 so far in the main series, but how many side games have they had that were huge successes? There are still plenty of stories to tell in the Halo universe and I don't see it going away anytime soon, thankfully.

  • 06.02.2009 9:57 AM PDT
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shhhhhhh

Posted by: Reclamation
Posted by: walshypru
Having said that, I think that Halo: Reach should be the last Halo game. I just feel that they should quit while they are ahead.


i think halo:reach will be the last halo game that bungie makes. atleast for the time being. i recall maybe around a year ago they said in a weekly update that they are "currently working on 3 projects, some halo, some not" or somethign to that effect. if we whip out our calculators, we can figure out that ODST and Reach would equal 2 halo games. that would mean the third would have to be not halo related. woohoo for simple math!


Bungie wrote on July 24th 2008: Rest assured that when the time is right, we will be making announcements and talking about the stuff we're currently working on. At the moment we do have three distinct projects underway within Bungie - some familiar, some not. Some on a closer horizon, some quite far off.

This however does not do much for us, as it still leaves the window wide-open for Halo projects not being lead by Bungie. (As Microsoft holds onto the rights for Halo now.) So theoretically, Halo: Chronicles could still exist as a private-effort of Wingnut studios. Or, perhaps, Bungie still remains close to the Halo franchise, and these three projects are the only three projects. Meaning Chronicles would have been canceled, or simply given this new name. But we cannot say for certain at all.

  • 06.02.2009 10:01 AM PDT
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I do not appreciate B.Net Group solicitation. If you ignore this and send me an invitation anyway, I will block communications with you.

Unless a huge change in development happened and the project was take from Wingnut and given to Bungie, then I think it's safe to assume that Halo: Reach is most certainly not Halo: Chronicles. It was expressed by Staten at E3 that it is being worked on at Bungie Studios, no mention of Wingnut, and in addition that, Halo:Chronicles is said to have been put on temporary hold altogether.

  • 06.02.2009 10:04 AM PDT

I recently made a similar topic on this and thanks for all those articles including the WWU quote, I've been looking for that.

As for me, reading those articles it can't be Halo: Reach because Bungie Studio's is making it. The one article said it was being made internally by microsoft. So it must be something completely different.

  • 06.13.2009 4:56 PM PDT
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I do not appreciate B.Net Group solicitation. If you ignore this and send me an invitation anyway, I will block communications with you.

No. As above mentioned, Halo: Reach is a Bungie Studios title, while Halo: Chronicles was a Wingnut Interactive title. Additionally, Wingnut Interactive, Peter Jackson, and Frank O'Connor have all verified that Halo: Chronicles has been shelved.

  • 06.13.2009 5:00 PM PDT

Posted by: Dream053
No. As above mentioned, Halo: Reach is a Bungie Studios title, while Halo: Chronicles was a Wingnut Interactive title. Additionally, Wingnut Interactive, Peter Jackson, and Frank O'Connor have all verified that Halo: Chronicles has been shelved.


Yeah that's what I said.

  • 06.13.2009 5:08 PM PDT
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I do not appreciate B.Net Group solicitation. If you ignore this and send me an invitation anyway, I will block communications with you.

Posted by: Strategy
Posted by: Dream053
No. As above mentioned, Halo: Reach is a Bungie Studios title, while Halo: Chronicles was a Wingnut Interactive title. Additionally, Wingnut Interactive, Peter Jackson, and Frank O'Connor have all verified that Halo: Chronicles has been shelved.


Yeah that's what I said.

I know. I actually forgot that I'd already responded to this thread, so that was to the OP a second time, not to you. My mistake.

  • 06.13.2009 5:11 PM PDT

Oh ok.

  • 06.13.2009 5:13 PM PDT

-blam!- Was that actually blammed out? Or did I just type it? You'll never know.

No I don't think Peter went through with it. I've heard nothing of it for a long time, and when Peter Jackson is working on a Halo game, you know that you're going to hear a lot of news.

  • 06.13.2009 5:18 PM PDT

Old School

No i think this is a seperate project. Reach has been confirmed to be solely made by bungie studios and microsoft as the publisher.

  • 06.13.2009 6:14 PM PDT

Well, Halo:Reach is being made by Bungie, while the other one is being made by Wingnut.

  • 06.13.2009 6:23 PM PDT

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The project was delayed a little while back. It's pretty safe to assume that we won't be seeing it for a while.

  • 06.13.2009 6:45 PM PDT

Yar-har!

Posted by: Rob Vokes
I'm thinking Halo: Chronicles is a totally different project not publicly announced, but still in production.


I'm sticking with this.

  • 06.13.2009 6:49 PM PDT