Rumorang: Halo DS exhumed by IGN

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 16th 2007 at 12:50PM }

We still can't decide if this is an exhumation by IGN, or if it's more like they buried the Halo DS in the Pet Cemetery and now it's come back all evil to kill all those who didn't believe it existed. IGN's Matt Casamassina opens up Pandora's box again and brings up the game he swore existed earlier this year to say that he'll be vindicated in a couple weeks.

"It's a real game, I played it a little while ago," said Casamassina on the Wii-k in review podcast. "A lot of people just don't believe that but we're going to lay down some ownage next week or soon afterward by showing you guys that it is a real game. So, you guys are about to be owned, all you naysayers." Tastefully one of Matt's co-hosts immediately follows it up by telling the naysayers, "Suck it long, suck it hard."

If this does end up being true, the whole Wii60 idea may not be such a joke anymore. It would show a clear shaking of hands at one point between Microsoft and Nintendo. What's next? The original Halo on Wii? Conservatively, we could say that Microsoft just doesn't have a portable console so it wants to penetrate the field with software (and they obviously can't have it go on the PSP). Whatever it means for the future, both players would fiercely protect their franchises, but this does show signs of cooperation.

[Via GameStooge]

Tags: casamassina, ds, halo, microsoft, nintendo, xbox

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

LTNK @ Jun 16th 2007 12:58PM

If this is true, it would make sense for Microsoft to be a 3rd-party developer ONLY with handhelds. It would be far more profitable than trying to make their own (considering the Zune ruined their profits for the devices division this year).

BulletToothTony @ Jun 16th 2007 1:00PM

does this mean halo 3 with exclusive download content for the wii only??

jay @ Jun 16th 2007 1:01PM

Halo on the DS would sell a fair bit. It's Halo, and it's a DS.

I hope the limitation in power gets them to focus on reinventing some of the gameplay elements that grew stale in Halo 2. It'd be nice to play something as original feeling as Halo 1.

umm...hello?? @ Jun 16th 2007 1:01PM

Halo for DS would give me that final nudge to buy a DS. But I highly doubt MS would let go of an IP that easily.

Triforceowner @ Jun 16th 2007 1:03PM

Yeah, LTNK is right. It's all about profit, and if Microsoft just launched hand held software and not hardware they would be all about profit. Think about it, basically every DS owner in North America would buy Halo DS if it had proper online play and controls. Maybe this game could show developers how to properly do an FPS on the hand held like Halo showed developers how to properly do an FPS on the console.

Another note, why does AntiXbox360 hate the 360? Hating any platform out right now is just dumb, because they all have there own positive and negative attributes.

Dragod @ Jun 16th 2007 1:05PM

Well, I doubt that Halo: Combat Evolved will be going to the Wii.

I think that possibly a Halo RPG or a different RTS from Halo Wars would make some sense, because I don't think shooters are the greatest things on Handhelds or using the stylus. The only way it would work is if there were joystick attachments that plugged in to the GBA slot, possibly.

Though I like the Idea of Portable Halo with online play, I just don't think it can be done all that well as of now.

Dash @ Jun 16th 2007 1:05PM

"I would never pollute my NDS with Batsu Baku 360 filth... just as I would never pollute my HDTV with Batsu Baku 360 filth"

Must be fun playing Resistance, Motorstorm and... uh... um... oh wait, that's about it.

Wii60 is the way to go, that is if you want to actually play games (my PS3 is too busy gathering dust at the moment to play a game.)

Triforceowner @ Jun 16th 2007 1:06PM

@ LTNK

AntiXbox360 has been in the NSider forums before, I remember his television. Mass Effect would look sweet on that thing.

@ umm...hello??

"But I highly doubt MS would let go of an IP that easily." You're forgetting that Halo main franchise is done. Now it is time for Microsoft to just sell it for all its worth on anything they can that is not the PS3.

Paul Gale @ Jun 16th 2007 1:10PM

Wow, just imagining Xbox's biggest franchise on the Nintendo DS is a really cool thought. It'd be amazing to see the title actually come out, but who knows it could happen. Halo 3 on Xbox 360 packed in with Halo DS, lol, there's a picture I'd like to see.

kevinski @ Jun 16th 2007 1:15PM

While I've never been a huge fan of Halo, I suppose that it'd be nice to have a FPS to play on DS. And no, I don't think that I'd like to get Metroid Prime Hunters just yet.

havi @ Jun 16th 2007 1:21PM

halo on ds is a complete possibility because ms did munch on gba and they've already done zoo tycoon for ds, though not as important a franchise as halo, microsoft published a game for ds, crazy, right? anyways, i dunno what the anti xbox 360 remark was towards but i personally hate the system because of its lack of potential due to the fact that people only focus on online multiplayer(which you get to pay for!) and achievement points. mass effect, bioshock, and blue dragon are the only games i'm kicking myself toward a 360 for, but i'm pretty sure those games along with fable 2 will eventually hit pc, whereas the ps3 and wii will actually have games you can't make for other systems. xbox 360 is almost all games that we could've played last generation but they look better than they would have, wahoo. i'm looking for something extra and wii has it on the interface control side and ps3 has it on the realism/reactivity/chaos side. 360 is on the fence, so to speak, and will only give us the next super-pretty fps with A WHOLE NEW gameplay innovation(whee! cover!!)

E.P. @ Jun 16th 2007 1:31PM

oh crap, this would mean the end of the PSP...if this isn't already true. 36DS, I guess?

rahnyc4 @ Jun 16th 2007 1:34PM

people also forget that mech assult is a microsoft property, which also appeared on the Nintendo ds already. If this game does come to the ds, then this wouldnt be the first microsoft franchises, that appeared on the DS.

Tony @ Jun 16th 2007 1:35PM

Boy, lots of reaching there lol. Fun possibilities, but we all know it won't turn into anything. MS doesn't have a portable console, therefore DS gets it... not much more to it.

"i dunno what the anti xbox 360 remark was towards but i personally hate the system because of its lack of potential due to the fact that people only focus on online multiplayer(which you get to pay for!) and achievement points"

Why does what other people do with their games make you hate a system at all? I don't understand this. Who cares what other people focus on?

GT:Spectre @ Jun 16th 2007 1:40PM

WTF this is like last year news..
Anyways if there IS such a "demo" of Halo DS..
Why isn't it out there?

And by out there i mean google. SOMEONE in this vast universe (who is a pirate or something) HAD TO post at least ONE picture/video of the "alpha" playing on their DS.
Matt cassawhatever couldnt possibly be the ONLY human being on this planet to have played Halo DS and NOT have at least ONE picture/video. He knew how big this was and he didnt take a single picture of boxart? gameplay? banners? ANYTHING??!?!

I smell a bastard liar..

NintendoFanbot @ Jun 16th 2007 1:43PM

Maybe Banjo-Threeie is on DS. :)

Craigo @ Jun 16th 2007 1:47PM

15: It's quite possible that he was forbidden from taking any pcitures. Happens a lot in the early stages of development.

Not to say that I necessarily believe him. I'm torn -this is a stretch, but I have no idea why he'd stake his credibility on something this big if he's not sure of it.

Adv2k1 @ Jun 16th 2007 1:47PM

Well according to Matt the game is long dead.

However its a shame because Microsoft would make money and so would Nintendo. I enjoyed Prime Hunters but it wasn't exactly what I wanted. It's a damn shame that ds hasn't had more FPS's .

havi @ Jun 16th 2007 1:48PM

all i'm saying is gameplay should be at the forefront, and it's not, and it's because of companies like microsoft who have lots of money but no real purpose and nothing to offer to the industry.

also, i work at gamestop and i hear nothing but bashing to wii and ps3 all day long while at the same time see at least one 360 system get product replacement planned every week(and there are 6 stores within 10 minutes from ours). i demand more from my video game systems, and judging a system for its lack of games when 360 didn't have jack squat this time last year just shows how overly short-sighted and naive the "hardcore gaming community" really is. i want more than just to play the next counter-strike or everquest, i want a video game system with a wide-variety of unique gameplay experiences, and the ridiculous internet popularity of the 360 and its limited capabilities(GOW is the peak at 1 year after launch) is unfortunately what a lot of game companies are listening and adapting to.

kingofwale @ Jun 16th 2007 1:49PM

>oh crap, this would mean the end of the PSP...if this isn't already true. 36DS, I guess?

HAHA. the end of PSP? The console that has sold more than 360 + WII + PS3? :)

the handheld that WOULD make at least make a half decent Halo game would be the PSP. but heck, if Microsoft and Bungie want another "touch of the dead"-esqe game out there. Go right ahead.

laserboyjc @ Jun 16th 2007 1:50PM

after the Halo 3 beta ended I bought a DS lite and beat my way through Super Mario Bros and most of elite beat agents so far...if, and that's a very doubtful IF, this were to be true, it would be a great combination as long as the controls are good

Scott @ Jun 16th 2007 1:56PM

In the event that this lie was true, he'd still be a liar for claiming the game in question had visuals and audio to rival the xbox installment, and the warthog is a technical impossibility as there's no way it could handle the physics engine. I love my ds to no end, but these are DS cartridges. They are not DVDs. It's impossible for them to pull off the asinine claims that they're making even if the Halo ds game were to come into view by some insane act of God.

IGN is a crock, Matt is a liar, and they may "suck it and suck it hard."

Lord Chako @ Jun 16th 2007 2:09PM

Havi,
You can get off your "I hate the microsoft" soapbox now.

havi @ Jun 16th 2007 2:14PM

i can't help it if i'm right, i promise i'll stop when everybody lays off the wii and ps3 for not having AWESOME MULTIPLATFORM GAMES

Mr Khan @ Jun 16th 2007 2:26PM

Yeah, the door's been opened to this sort of thing, with Rare being allowed to develop for the DS, and a few Microsoft properties making their way there

All i say is, if the control scheme is similar to Metroid Prime Hunters; its online; and has at least a ~10 hr campaign, i would definitely get it

Hidesquadron1 @ Jun 16th 2007 2:40PM

"i personally hate the system because of its lack of potential due to the fact that people only focus on online multiplayer"..."all i'm saying is gameplay should be at the forefront"

Havi, I find it hard to believe anyone could insult a company dedicated to making online play more fun...

Making online play a priority makes interactivity and community more of a focus. The Xbox 360's strong online component is what makes the games like Halo, GOW, GRAW live so long. They are a blast to play alone and when you connect to the online service to play with others it only creates more of a dynamic for gamers to find enjoyable. To say that gameplay is NOT at the forefront of the minds ofthe makers of these great online multiplayer games is utter ignorance as to what gamers find attractive in video games and what the consumer market wants. Online play adds unlimited levels of potential to ANY system... Nintendo saw this... began their own service, and it seems to be improving. Sony also is slowly developing the same initiative... although it has its growing pains.

To insult microsoft for promoting online play is just plain stupid... I think you need to re-evaluate your thoughts about games in general. Games are supposed to entertain, no matter what their focus is in the gameplay. If online games are entertaining and people play them, I don't see a problem.

And on the subject of multiplatform games... I see no reason for your argument. If gamers can choose to play the game on a system of their choice, whats the big deal? If you hate the xbox, dont play it. Still, you should be weary of condemning the system that has a formula that works... The PS3 isnt working, and its not because the Xbox 360 is better, but instead Sony is not taking steps to make it better in gamers eyes. It just goes to show you that superior hardware means nothing anymore (See: Wii Graphical Power in relation to Units Sold)

Wii60 forever.

synce @ Jun 16th 2007 2:44PM

People are writing fucking novels in the comment box. TLDR, kids.

havi @ Jun 16th 2007 3:02PM

if anybody saw the sales charts ps3 is selling as well as the 360 was when it came out, and my point is that by focusing on online play there are areas which aren't be explored like NEW GAMEPLAY CONCEPTS, i feel retarded for having to apologize for demanding new ideas instead of playing 3 "well-thought one player experience, enhanced by online" ummm, war-based fps' because

one: HOW MANY war-based fps' on ps2/xbox were there, lets see how long that takes, and
two: YEARS before that i was getting better online play out of my computer FOR FREE

a focus on online takes the focus OFF singleplayer so they can crap out a 6-hour campaign and put the rest of their budget to online while people without online or who refuse to pay 50 bucks a year for something which should be free, get screwed out of 60 bucks.

my point about multiplatform games is that people diss the wii and ps3 for lack of good games while the 360 experiences the same lack except that they get the best version of crappy multiplatform games.

Jonathon @ Jun 16th 2007 3:18PM

Great.

"MASTER CHIEF 4 BRAWL!!1!!"

Thanks for the resurgence, guys.

Chris @ Jun 16th 2007 3:24PM

I'll put my money on it just being a new IP using the engine that was built for Halo DS before it was canned. Anybody remember way back when Microsoft was talking big about bringing different IPs to Nintendo systems? Like Oddworld to GBA, etc? I bet they pulled the plug, but built an engine that will be used for something new.

That's where I think it will end up.

I have played many 3D DS games and they all stink. Period. I love it for 2D and multiplayer games, but FPS or anything that demanding look and play awful. so many people complain about the controls in PSP FPS, but on DS they are 100x worse.

Jonah Falcon @ Jun 16th 2007 3:48PM

We'll know something is up if Master Chief appears in Super Smash Brothers Brawl for the Wii. >:)

Hirsbrunner @ Jun 16th 2007 4:53PM

Here's the real deal:

Halo WILL be on the DS, w/a major emphasis on wifi multiplayer.

No? How about this:

There's going to be a Smash Bros game for the DS coming out very soon and Master Chief will be an unlockable character. Wifi-multiplayer is also confirmed.

It'll sell like hotcakes I tell ya, HOTCAKES!

Patrick @ Jun 16th 2007 4:56PM

@22, a better quote would have been, "Suck it Trebeck, suck it long, and suck it hard."

RomeoDude @ Jun 16th 2007 5:26PM

Sounds unlikely, but it would be so cool to see Halo for DS. I would probably buy a DS if it seems good. I already have my Wii60 (even though the Wii part is collecting dust at the moment) and maybe I'll eventually get a ZS (Zune + DS).

gir @ Jun 16th 2007 6:06PM

That would be very cool if its true. But I think Super Smash Bros. 64 has a better chance of happening. Why aren't there any news on this?

Matthew @ Jun 16th 2007 7:48PM

It doesn't sound that far off to me. My copy of Zoo Keeper for the DS boots up with a Microsoft logo. I had no idea when I bought the game. I think MS doesn't exactly feel like the DS is competition.

Say what you want about their other divisions, but I always thought Microsoft's Game Studio put out some great stuff/

Matthew @ Jun 16th 2007 11:36PM

Isn't MechAssault already on DS? I still don't know though, Halo is too powerful a brand to share with a competitor even if its a different market.

Sidepocket @ Jun 17th 2007 4:38AM

@ GT:Spectre

StarCraft 2 asshole?

mattclarkie @ Jun 17th 2007 5:13AM

If it is true that Microsoft wants to make a Handheld they would never let Halo go. Actually it is one of the main reasons to buy a 360 so they would never let it go to begin with, even though it is the original in the franchise. Even if they don't make a handheld the consideration of doing so would force them to keep the IP for future use.

Plus the DS is so underpowered, could you honestly make Halo for the N64, well you could but it would really suck.

Dan F @ Jun 17th 2007 6:46AM

Wasn't there a Blinx GBA game in development a while back? I seem to remember screenshots.

Mogul218 @ Jun 17th 2007 3:46PM

Havi you're an idiot. Stop pulling shit out of your ass. The 360 has never sold as few units as the PS3 in North America even when supplies were bad. Also this time last year there were quite a few more games on the 360 compared to what the PS3 has now. Stop making shit up asshole. I can tell you're one of those think-you-know-it-all's that work behind the counter at Gamestop. You should kill yourself now so you don't procreate.

salvage @ Jun 17th 2007 4:57PM

>It would show a clear shaking of hands at one point between Microsoft and Nintendo.

They've already shook hands:

http://www.ageofempiresds.com/

but no one seemed to have noticed.

ben @ Jun 17th 2007 8:22PM

@ salvage

don't forget mech assault and diddy kong racing!

J @ Jun 17th 2007 9:17PM

halo wars ds. end of discussion. ensemble, msoft have worked on the ds before.

bearattack79 @ Jun 18th 2007 9:53AM

Havi,

You should be canned, your a complete idiot. If I see your id tag at a gamestop im talking to your manager.

How many points did you get for your lies you fool.

I took the time to write this story for you...

Havi is an idiot.

The end.

animejoe @ Jun 18th 2007 4:27PM

As much as I would like to see a Halo game (not necessarily FPS) on the DS, I have a very hard time taking anything Matt Cassamassina says seriously. It wouldn't be the first time he's spouted some shit trying to be funny. I'm not saying Halo on the DS isn't/wasn't in the works, but I think Matt is just trying to get attention. If he follows this up with "proof" it'll probably be some goofy Photoshopped screenshots of Mario driving a Warthog, or something along those lines.

I hope I'm wrong. I just got a DS Lite last week.

Freelancepimp @ Jun 18th 2007 5:22PM

Why would they be shaking hands? I am sure if MS, just like any other publiser, wanted to make 3rd party DS games they will go through the normal channels and make one. Nintendo doesn't have to shake hands and form an special alliance with them. Also this is MS's if you can't beat'em Join'em all over again (just like their Wii60 concept.)

zethren @ Jun 19th 2007 4:04PM

Havi, what the hell kind of logic do you have spinning around in that pathetic pea-brain you have? You ACTUALLY believe that the Ps3 and the Wii are gaining from a lack of "great multiplayer games"? Youre hilarious! Great Multiplayer is what keeps a game alive these days, wether you like it or not. It doesnt matter how great a Game's campaign is, or how long it is, if it doesnt have a great multiplayer then it WILL NOT survive. Take a look at Half Life 2 for example: Great game, great story, great campaign. However its multiplayer was not nearly as fun as several other games' multiplayer that were released at that time, so it did not last as long. Halo 2 is a prime example: Halo2 and Half Life2 were released within a few days of eachother in 2004, and which game's multiplayer is still being played by thousands and thousands of people online at any given time? Halo2. Why? It has a better multiplayer.

Multiplayer is a HUGE part of creating a game in this day and age. It is what keeps a game alive for years after it would normally have died. Smash Bros Melee is perhaps one of the most widely played multiplayer games out there. Why? It is so damned fun to play. It doesnt have much of a campaign, but who cares when its multiplayer is so good?

Havi, so many people here are against you. No one is on your side. That tells you somthing doesnt it? You are wrong, in everything you say.