Halo 3 beta: Microsoft says "the experience will be deep"

by Christopher Grant { Feb 16th 2007 at 9:40AM }

While at D.I.C.E., MTV News' Stephen Totilo spoke with Phil Spencer, general manager of Microsoft Game Studios, to check in on the status of some of Microsoft's bigger projects ... say, the litany of Halo games in the works. While Spencer wouldn't say much about Peter Jackson's as-yet-untitled Halo project, or Ensemble Studios' Halo Wars RTS -- both are still in the early stages of development -- he did have a little more to say about the upcoming Halo 3 beta. When asked about the size of the beta, Spencer responded, "It isn't really a tease ... People should expect a pretty robust experience when they're playing. Don't call it a demo." More than one map? Spencer assures us, "The experience will definitely be deep." Deep, eh? Remember, if you didn't get a Rule of Three invite, you can always grab an "initial" copy of Crackdown.

Gallery: Halo Wars

Tags: Halo 3 beta, Halo Wars, Halo3Beta, HaloWars, Microsoft Game Studios, MicrosoftGameStudios, MTV News, MtvNews, Phil Spencer, PhilSpencer

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Arno @ Feb 16th 2007 10:15AM

That's actually good to hear. I was pretty sure that the beta would simply be a map or two to stress the servers. Looks like we'll get most of the maps.

Intentless @ Feb 16th 2007 10:27AM

I would like to think it would be most the maps... But realisticly it will probably be the ones they have talked about plus one or two...

Kevin @ Feb 16th 2007 10:33AM

This is very exciting! Sounds like it's going to be a somewhat complete experience, which is amazing. It's a really treat when a developer does something like this.

JJC @ Feb 16th 2007 10:35AM

hopefully there is a lot of content in the beta, but there is a lot more in the actual multiplayer game. it would suck if the game came out and only had all of the maps that ive already played on, with all of the weapons i have already played with. i want to have some stuff that is new when the game comes out too.

saboola @ Feb 16th 2007 12:32PM

JJC: It's a beta, so no doubt in my mind the maps and weapons will change to become more balanced. Either way would love to be in on it.

Arno @ Feb 16th 2007 11:20AM

#4, then I'd suggest you don't play the beta. This is what beta testing is all about.

I know console gamers weren't ready for that.

Dan @ Feb 16th 2007 11:23AM

To be fair, most multiplayer betas I've been involved in do include pretty much everything, since it all needs to be tested. You can't not let beta testers use a feature because then it might turn out that it has a bug, or doesn't work properly.

They might hold maps back, or things they are already sure are working, but from experience, beta testing does spoil a game in terms of anticipating its release, kinda like the supcomm beta, the multiplayer doesn't feel like I'm getting much new.

But to be honest, I don't mind, since with betas you get to play something earlier than normal and it means that the final game works a lot better, so the lack of anticipation is balanced by the chance to see something way before its release and contribute to its quality.

The Judge @ Feb 16th 2007 1:21PM

Um, how deep can Halo possibly get?? Point and shoot. Thats real deep. Opps almost forgot run and jump, those to make it really deep. I don't think that there's going to be a huge change of formula, does deep mean that Master Chief grows a conscience? That'd be deep but I highly doubt it. Besides Beta testing is a shame. It's like listening to your favorite band recording your favorite song as a demo while they're drunk. It's just not how I'd want to see it, in demo mode.

Mr Khan @ Feb 16th 2007 12:19PM

Well, they did do Alpha testing in the past (with the US Army, right?) so maybe the stages that were tested by the military won't be released in the public beta

(yes, i still call them stages)
Considering that i feel multiplayer to be the staple of Halo (i wouldn't touch that so-called campaign with a 5 ft pole) this will lure a lot of people in, get them hooked with 2 months or so of the full multiplayer experience, then cut them off, and have them raving for more

JJC @ Feb 16th 2007 2:10PM

in the beta faq they said they are going to hold stuff back. thats all i wanted. good point #7, i cant imagine how i would feel if gears was stripped from me and told that i could have it back a few months from now. i would want to play it more than ever. oh ya and Arno, you are a turd. shut your ass!