It's May 8th. Today marks the anniversary of Ghandi's 21-day fast and VE Day, the births of luminaries like Saul Bass and Edmund Wilson, and (to a
somewhat lesser extent) the
planned release of
Halo 2 for Windows Vista. Unfortunately, that date is ... well, it's today and
Halo 2 is not in our
weekly round-up of new games releases signifying its absence on retailers yearning shelves. The rationale: Microsoft needed to "make some improvements to the install experience and address other technical issues."
The new release date is May 22nd, which of course marks the seventeenth anniversary of the release of the Windows 3.0 operating system. Now there's some corporate synergy for you! But what about May 16th ... what happens on
May 16th again? Ah, Pierce Brosnan's birthday. We knew it was important.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sheppy @ May 8th 2007 3:55PM
REQUIRES VISTA?
Hell, I was willing to plunk down because of the map editor alone... looks like I'm waiting for UT3 to fulfill that little urge.
Harlo @ May 8th 2007 4:00PM
One of these days a game will come along that actually uses DX10. This day will come and it will be happy. Having a game from the freaking original Xbox isn't going to suddenly turn people in to PC gamers.
dave @ May 8th 2007 4:02PM
Halo for the PC is Pish. Better with UT3. If you want Halo buy a 360
mike @ May 8th 2007 4:03PM
many people are claiming Futureshop recieved shipment of the game already, and their flyer does state may 10th. So maybe its not delayed?
http://xs315.xs.to/xs315/07192/may10.jpg
Amsterdaam @ May 8th 2007 4:09PM
I'll just stick to my 360...
Jake @ May 8th 2007 4:14PM
Looks like I'll finally have to buy a new computer with Vista and DX10, then dump $500 for gfx and RAM, so I can rock out some Halo2 baby.
I'm a bit Halo PC ignorant. Halo1 was released on PC, but Halo2 hasn't been yet? I thought they were both out there for some reason. How many people are really going to want this anyways? I mean, it is a fun game and all, but it's so damn old. I guess if you didn't have an xbox and with the addition of map editor, this could be a decent buy.
sheppy @ May 8th 2007 4:17PM
@Jake
The differences between Halo and Halo PC are night and day. So I expect the PC version of Halo 2 to be just as dramatic. Personally, my only FPS playing friends stick to PC and they've been rocking Halo for a couple years now. I wanted to try my hand at the map making but since this is Vista only and I have no desire to see a 40% drop of performance on my PC for some gimmicky upgrades, guess I'll be passing on this.
LongshotX @ May 8th 2007 4:19PM
So how much will it cost? I'm going to get it. I have Vista Ultimate and its great.
Poisoned Al @ May 8th 2007 4:21PM
As a quite die-hard PC gamer, I have to say:
"Meh."
I really couldn't care less about Halo 2. I mean the PC gets new FPS games every month. Why should I give a shit about an old console port?
FrankTheCrank @ May 8th 2007 4:23PM
Microsoft is making a huge mistake by making this a Vista only release.
They are potentially and intentionally losing sales they could have made on 10's of MILLIONS of existing XP computers.
How idiotic. It's a gamble their making. If I were an investor, I would have to question this strategy. It would seem to be allot more profitable to release this game to your existing Windows base.
Jake @ May 8th 2007 4:36PM
sheppy,
I am a bit confused. You say Halo and HaloPC is the difference of night and day. Do you mean gfx, gameplay, overall quality, ...? Which Halo is better, PC or console?
Mr Khan @ May 8th 2007 4:40PM
@ FranktheCrank
its just like Sony and Blu-Ray. Microsoft is hoping that people's love of Halo is strong enough to buy anything that might be required to play it, just as Sony bets that people's love of PS will cause them to buy whatever PS comes with
although i see no reason why this needs Vista, Halo and Halo 2 ran off the same hardware, why couldn't the PC equivalents run off the same OS?
sheppy @ May 8th 2007 4:41PM
Jake,
On PC, the bump maps are slightly better, reflections work well, more vegetation, better resolution, among many other effects. Not to mention, when my friends and I play, it runs like a champ.
dontlikeitmodit @ May 8th 2007 4:44PM
Bah don't upgrade your PC for this, don't even upgrade to Vista. All the benchmarks show slower performance under Vista.
Vote with your wallet and avoid this, MS really screwed the pooch with Vista. XP for life!
eldee @ May 8th 2007 4:54PM
Bleh.. who cares. Halo 2 is old as dirt now. Maybe if they were planning simultaneous PC/360 Halo 3 releases I'd be excited, but I don't care about sloppy seconds. They can keep it.
Jake @ May 8th 2007 4:55PM
@14
I was joking when I said I'd upgrade, though I don't know if your comment was aimed at anyone particular.
Vista seems pretty worthless from what people say. But it is better for a 64 bit computer, no? Perhaps as computers get more powerful, Vista will seem more reasonable. Either way, it will eventually rule the world like windows and xp before it.
I can't wait until a badass new AAA game comes out on PC-only that REQUIRES Vista AND Games for Windows. OMG the bitching on Joystiq from PC enthusiasts will be legendary. I can't wait.
GJM @ May 8th 2007 4:59PM
@Poisoned Al
Is there really a need to post identical comments here and Kotaku (and possibly elsewhere). Need attention much? LOL
Markham @ May 8th 2007 5:02PM
It's cheaper to buy a used X-Box and a copy of Halo 2 than to upgrade to Vista just to play an old game with superficial updates.
LongshotX @ May 8th 2007 5:09PM
Vista> XP
Trust me.
Jake @ May 8th 2007 5:13PM
I don't mean to knock any PC enthusiasts. My PC sucks balz and I won't upgrade until the thing dies. But don't people bitch like crazy every time a new OS comes out? Doesn't it take forever for people to adopt the new OS? People try to say Linux > XP > Vista. But I find it hard to believe that MS would have done a ton of work just to produce a product inferior to what they currently have. I know one guy with Vista and he says it is cool. And once a sweet game requires Vista, all of you hardcore PC gamers will have to upgrade to get it. Isn't it really just inevitable?
Supino @ May 8th 2007 5:14PM
I just don't understand why they go VISTA only?
that is just flat out bad!
Jon @ May 8th 2007 5:21PM
A 2 1/2 year old game originally designed to run on a Celeron processor requires Windows Vista? Sounds like MS is trying to coax Halo fanboys to buy Vista.
Regarding Vista, I played with it on my gf's new notebook. My 3 year old ThinkPad with XP is faster. Vista looks nice, but apart from silly security issues and a flashy GUI (which isn't much different from XP/NT/98), I won't be upgrading anytime soon.
blamecanada @ May 8th 2007 5:21PM
Halo 2 will sell for years on PC, so even though there isn't much a of Vista base now, there will be.
AndrewNeo @ May 8th 2007 5:24PM
Ignoring all the 'Vista only?!?!?!' idiots, I was so pissed to find out just today (you know, the release date..) it was bumped back. Only after driving to half and calling the other half of all the stores in town did I find out it was pushed back.
Personally, I'm excited because I hate playing H2 on the console and I don't have Live on my original xbox (it's modded). So, a PC version is great for me.
As for Vista only: It uses DX10, which is not backwards compatable with older software versions like 9 and below are. So to make it run at all you have to have software DX10, which only Vista has.
The REAL reason (aka why 10 and not 9?) Marketing, of course.
Saneless @ May 8th 2007 5:32PM
"They are potentially and intentionally losing sales they could have made on 10's of MILLIONS of existing XP computers."
Hahhaa.. Yes, because PC games routinely sell that many.
If every person who had a PC that could play it, hardware wise, bought the game, it still wouldn't sell half that.
syco @ May 8th 2007 5:50PM
Wow! All four people who bought Vista will have something to play on it!
syco @ May 8th 2007 5:53PM
AndrewNeo, you are fully aware that the only reason DX10 isn't available for XP is because Microsoft wants to use it's monopoly on computer gaming to try to force people to upgrade to Vista. There are semi-functional DX10 wrappers out right now for playing DX10 games (won't this be the very first one?) in XP. Since Microsoft has all the documentation, they could very easily make a much better wrapper or even just port it to the XP driver model. But they don't want to. This is also why Vista doesn't support OpenGL properly.
Which is fine. Nobody has to buy it.
Dragod @ May 8th 2007 6:06PM
Makes sense to me, Vista is going to be the only operating System that will be available on PC's in a few months, why should Microsoft spend its time on making it compatible with an Operating System that will be obsolete in a while.
You don't see people developing software for Windows ME anymore, do you? Windows 2000 compatibility is very limited, if at all.
I have Windows Vista, and it is definitely not as bad as everyone says it is. It could use some work, but it'll be damn good in a while. I'm getting updates 3 or 4 times a week. Seems like they're trying to improve it to me.
And I'm planning on buying this, Portable Xbox Live ;)
Dragod @ May 8th 2007 6:38PM
Not to mention that most windows XP are on very low power computers. I used to use my dad's old Thinkpad and it had a 40gb drive and only 256mb of RAM. Halo 2 sure as hell wouldn't run on that. The only people that actually care enough to upgrade their computers are people that do out of home work very Hardcore PC gamers who care about performance, and WoW players who pretty much have to upgrade just to play.
syco @ May 8th 2007 7:08PM
Actually PC gamers (especially hardcore ones) should avoid Vista.
http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTMzNCwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
sheppy @ May 8th 2007 7:08PM
"Not to mention that most windows XP are on very low power computers. I used to use my dad's old Thinkpad and it had a 40gb drive and only 256mb of RAM. Halo 2 sure as hell wouldn't run on that. The only people that actually care enough to upgrade their computers are people that do out of home work very Hardcore PC gamers who care about performance, and WoW players who pretty much have to upgrade just to play."
See, this is funny to me. Because out of all the tests ran, Vista doesn't run any games tested better than XP. Period, fact. Several games won't even install. Want to know what Vista is to me?
Wannabe Mac bloatware. There is a reason I don't own a Mac. I don't like their OS. I don't like their systems. I don't like their pricing. I don't like when companies are trying to find more ways to make their OS welcoming to the iPod/Myspace generation instead of worrying about the fundamentals.
Don't get me wrong. It's very nice that Mac can grab all my CD covers and generate a hugely elaborate photocity sequence and I'm sure if that was why I was buying a $2000 computer for, it would be awesome. Likewise, it's cool that Vista can have 3D windows that flip around, spin, jump up and down, and allow to to navigate my desktop like it's a 3D space, but it's what I do on my computer BEYOND my desktop that is my concern.
And for what I do BEYOND my desktop, Vista sees a performance drop of between 15%-40%. If I'm rendering out a picture that takes 3 days to render, I don't WANT vista adding another two. If I'm trying to get our realtime engine to run with more and more ships before I find the breaking point of the engine, I don't want Vista jumping on it's shoulders and dragging it down.
Vista is like a supermodel, really. It looks pretty, sounds sexy, and even has the ability to make you stop and look. But it's dumber than shit, thinks slow, and has to ask you about everything.
Dragod @ May 8th 2007 7:31PM
When I talked about upgrading, I meant memory, hard drive space and such. Not Upgrading Operating Systems.
Jedimonkey27 @ May 8th 2007 7:54PM
Vista is right now the optimal choice for gamers. It won't be for a while until MS can get all of the kinks worked out. This is not to say however, that Vista is a bad OS. It is not simply a "bloated, shiny XP" that many people seem to think it is. check out this article from Ars Technica http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/pretty-vista.ars/ as it really opened my eyes as I used to think poorly of Vista as well. Keep using XP guys, but know that Vista will get better, and you will eventually have to upgrade.
Kyle @ May 8th 2007 7:58PM
@24
It does not use DirectX 10. The Xbox used DX9 and the ammount of code that would be required to change for DX10 is astronomical. Its like geometry wars for Vista. It doesnt use DX10 either, but it's vista only. And like that, Halo 2 will probably get modded for XP. I think the reason its being made Vista only is because Games for Windows - LIVE is only availible for Vista. So I'm also willing to bet that a cracked version on XP won't have any of the live functionality.
SecretCow @ May 8th 2007 7:58PM
Vista runs great lol, I only see a fps drop of like 5fps in cs:s at 1280x720 with 2xAA w/ everything on high. And thats because I can't overclock in vista like I can in Xp.
mike @ May 8th 2007 8:29PM
You guys are all morons. How is a new OS any different then a new console comming out? Nintendo pulled a fast one on me and moved the new paper mario away from my gamecube, and onto Wii ONLY, forcing me to buy the new product to play that one game which can easily work on my gamecube.
Same thing is happening here, Microsoft is making me buy that new OS, to play a game that could work on my old os.
Stop bitching about how its vista only and realise new games will only work on a nect gen OS, like with new console games, only work on the next gen console. Just like consoles, Vista has compatibility issues with some of last generations games. But instead of bitching about it, maybe you idiots would realize that you can dual boot a PC, and you can go into XP for your incompatible old games, and into vista for your new games. This is no different then turning your 360 on to play GOW and turning your xbox on to play an xbox game that is not on the backwards compatiblity list of the 360.
On a side note, I have windows vista ultimate for reasons other then gaming, and I will be happy to purchase halo 2 for the pc. I am buying this game because of the map editor. I love making maps, started making one for halo 1 CE but by then the game was pretty much dead, and it required hard to learn tools like 3dmax. Im really hoping for a nice editor on game release here. Its the only thing making me want to buy the game (and achievments), as I do own the xbox version.
ackmondual @ May 8th 2007 8:37PM
It doesn't matter. Ppl who REALLY wanted to play Halo2 would'v gotten an XB already. Those who refuse to get an XB, but haven't alr upped to Vista, probably won't mind waiting a year or more till they upgrade to Vista on their own terms. Heck, they'v alr waited 2.5 years, what's another year?
@ #12
""@ FranktheCrank
its just like Sony and Blu-Ray. Microsoft is hoping that people's love of Halo is strong enough to buy anything that might be required to play it, just as Sony bets that people's love of PS will cause them to buy whatever PS comes with
although i see no reason why this needs Vista, Halo and Halo 2 ran off the same hardware, why couldn't the PC equivalents run off the same OS?""
u just answered yur own question. For the technical side, of things, see #25 and #27
Negativecool @ May 9th 2007 12:47AM
It will be pushed back again...and will come out when Halo 3 comes out.
Halo 2 the same day as Halo 3?!! Snake! You've created a time paradox!!!
(yes I know its for the PC, sheesh, but it still sounds funny)
Sam G. @ May 9th 2007 10:46AM
Windows 3.0?? Didn't that come out in 1990?
daniel @ May 9th 2007 8:37PM
but halo doesnt even work properly on vista yet halo used to work properly on here when i had xp, now the hud is visible only half the time so you dont know how much shield, health or ammo you have, and sometimes bits of the landscape turn blue for no reason its not drivers for my graphics card every other game ive tried works perfectly