Before the flaming commences, I have several reasons why I believe that this will be the case.
1, The famous "no purple" quote by Frankie..... Is not true (I believe), here is the actual quote that most are referencing. Skip to 12:24
BY SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T WORK FOR 343! THEY WORK FOR KOTAKU!
2 If Frankie did actually say this and I am missing something HERE. There is no purple and there is still elite's present, because they are not members of the covenant anymore (or they just don't like the purple paint job).
3. Co-op Unless there are other Spartans somehow present (maybe, possibility) otherwise there isn't really a suitable partner/s for co-op game play. Or they could just go the way of ODST and Reach and have random People, which I personally didn't like much (I feel it took away from the story).
Well that's my two cents anyway, feel free to flame and argue in the space below, lol.
By the way I would just like to remind the people of the b.net community of the speculation that was flying about before the release of Halo:Reach.
S3's can't wear mjolnir
They have to be S2's
They can't be S3's
It has to be blue team in the silhouette picture
That big guy looks like an Elite (for lulz)
+plus more (cant remember, feel free to add)
YOU WERE ALL DEAD WRONG
(I find this relevant to this discussion)
Props to anton1792, couldn't have put it better myself.
Posted by: anton1792
Posted by: grey101
i don't want to fight the "covenant" for another 20 years.
We won't be. That would be pointless (And an indication of sour milking in my opinion) However there is nothing wrong with grounding the new trilogy in familiarity by being able to see them again. Who says we have to be fighting them?
As a game franchise, the games must stand up on their own. Most (If not all) reviewers will judge the game as a game, and I am sorry to say it but Halo strikes quite poorly in the characterisation and story department. It relies too heavily on the books for that. Leaving the UNSC/Elites/Covenant out of it would be no more than a cop out.
How have the UNSC (Or Humanity I should say) changed following the events of Halo 3, both in society and technology? How have Humanity taken to the galactic responsibility of the Mantle, rejection or acceptance? How are they getting on with their new allies, the Sangheili? What are they doing about the remaining Halos? Are there Covenant remnants with malcontent towards Humanity? If so, what are they doing about that? What are the circumstances surrounding the last cutscene in Reach?
How are the Sangheili coping and what are they doing? (Remember, people who have only played the games do not know anything about their technology and fleet situation, or the state of their society in general, so are probably under the impression that they own the galaxy now or something [And I have read plenty of fanfics under that premise]) They have had their religion proven false essentially, or at least their version of an afterlife. What impacts does that have? Does everyone accept these truths? How goes their war with the Loyalists? What are their opinions towards their new allies, Humanity, and the heirship and title of Reclaimer that Humanity holds?
What about the Arbiter, who's character is still not resolved? He got publicly shamed and stripped of everything. What impact has that had on his family line? What happens to him now that he returns home? Is he still shamed or rather now held up as the pinnacle of the Sangheili people? Has he got his life back? What implications do the words "Where it so easy" in response to Master Chiefs death have?
I will leave it there, I won't bother with the rest of the Covenant. To just chop off all of that will be seen as poor story telling and copping out.
[Edited on 08.20.2011 2:32 PM PDT]