- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Posted by: triggerhappy336
Posted by: Silver Spartan
* The blog, which was created by Microsoft/Bungie indicates that something extremely important will happen on this date, something on the same level as other major historical events. [color=red] That could be many things [/color]
* The date 11+09+04 if added to create a sum is the number 24.
* From August 24th to November 9th there are 11 weeks, which of course are 7 days a piece. The SPARTAN number for John, Master Chief is 117. [color=red] Interesting, but I think thats a coincidence.[/color]
* The game has been tested in alpha/beta stages for the past year, sufficiently long enough to collect enough data for a release, especially based on the excessive in-house testing that has occurred at Bungie over the last two months. [color=red] Last I heard beta wasn't even done yet. Not to mention the beta hasn't been going on that long even if it is done. [/color]
* The game recently acquired its international and ESRB ratings, something that happens usually right before or after a game goes gold, not three months in advance. [color=red] Could happen anytime as long as they have a near finished game, which means they still could need wall textures etc.[/color]
* Recovering from the "delays" which have plagued the game, it would justly serve the fanbase for an early release. [color=red] That's true[/color]
* It would remove Halo 2 competition from other potential great games to be released in Fall/Winter, which would intern benefit Microsoft. [color=red] The only game threat left in that time frame is Doom 3 which isn't going to take away many sales. [/color]
* The game was 90% complete during E3, in May. We are now three months off that date. Frank, has already said he has played through a near-complete campaign build of the game. Complete enough to be rated by the ESRB and foreign rating firms. This would indicate a game just shy of gold. [color=red] Yes, but they also said the last 10% will take the longest. [/color]
* It's the only modern game which could successfully survive and still exceed profoundly in sales with a "stealth release." [color=red] Thats not really a fact.[/color]
* It's a sure thing. With copies already on hold at every electronic gaming outlet, there's no need for a pre-emptive marketing ploy. Just like the ARG/blog, marketing can occur word-of-mouth with a game like this and still be successful. [color=red] i won't disagree with this.[/color]
* A stealth release would only secure even more of a spotlight, being that its the only one done within recent history and its being done with the most anticipated second-generation game ever. It would demand media attention just due to the covert nature of the release. [color=red] Halo 2 will get a spotlight no matter when it is released, stealth or not.[/color]
* A two-week, fourteen-day media blitz (from 08/10 to 08/24) would be much more affordable for Microsoft in promoting the game then a drawn out, five-month promotion ring for a game to be a top-seller for Christmas.
* The original "Fall" release date for the game was September 1st, before the Bungie marketing campaign at E3 2004 set an "official" release date as November 9th. The previous date is less then a week from the date in question and is closer to the original, estimated date of March - June which was set by Microsoft, based on information gathered from Bungie on the date by which they would consider the game ready to ship back in 2003.[color=red]There was no original release, Bungie never made an release date before November 9th [/color]
* Bungie has not denied this as of yet. With the rampant information, it would only negatively reflect against their marketing scheme by promoting a countdown to something apparently this significantly. With thousands of fans, all over the world, now expecting this, it would behoove Bungie to allow it to be perpetuated without some sort of rebuttal simply restating the release date. [color=red] Of course Bungie won't deny anything. This whole thing is to jack up the hype.[/color]
* Recent webcams have indicated that the entire staff seems to be involved in a daily meeting with men dressed in business suits. This has only started happening within the last week, indicating a drastic change in pace from their frantic activities of the "crunch-time-weeks" just prior. [color=red] Which defeats your point. If Bungie was going gold, they wouldn't be playing Halo 2, they would be textureing surfaces, fixing bugs, not lying around playing the game.[/color]
* The date is a Tuesday, which is the normal date a video game ships.
Not so much that I think everything is wrong, I'm just trying to point out both sides of the issue.
but what if it already went gold. then they would really have nothing to do but sit around and play it