Microsoft's Frank O'Connor hints at 'HaloCon', comments on 'Bungiegate'
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Jul 26th 2008 at 8:00PM }
Following the "Halo Universe" panel at the San Diego Comic Con 08, Eurogamer had a chance to speak with former Bungie content manager Frank O'Connor, who now works with Microsoft to manage the Halo franchise. During the interview, O'Connor stated that a "HaloCon" (that's Halo Convention, for the contextually impaired) is a definite possibility, adding, "Bungie has done fanfests at E3 and it would be lovely to see something bigger, something more ambitious in the future." In addition, we figure a Halo-based expo would also prove an appropriate time to follow through on certain... engagements.
Eurogamer did not let Bungie's seized E3 announcement go unmentioned, and O'Connor responded with an uncrushed spirit, explaining that "someone, somewhere decided strategically that another time is better, and it will be, and there's going to be an announcement and it's going to be awesome." This could mean that they actually know when they'll be following through on their promised E3 megaton, and (if you can wrap your mind around this) -- that they've yet to announce when they're going to announce what they're going to announce.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shmil @ Jul 26th 2008 8:09PM
As a big fan of the Halo games I really hope they don't make a HaloCon. No single game franchise deserves its own convention. There's already a lot of hate out there for halo, this would just make it worse.
syrik zero @ Jul 26th 2008 8:19PM
I was thinking that the whole time I was reading this. They should have announced what ever they think they should announce at the Microsoft press conference recently.
Churchy @ Jul 26th 2008 8:21PM
How would you feel about a BungieCon? What would the difference be between this and Blizzcon? I never seen anyone complaining about it.
Boom! @ Jul 26th 2008 8:28PM
Churchy
At Blizzcon, they can announce stuff for more than just one franchise. =3
Churchy @ Jul 26th 2008 8:35PM
Yes, and who's to say they wouldn't at a BungieCon? They claim they've got 3 "distinct new projects" right now, Bungie isn't a one franchise pony as most people think.
Shmil @ Jul 26th 2008 8:39PM
because frankie said halocon not bungiecon
j.howlett @ Jul 26th 2008 8:56PM
quakecon
Mitsuo @ Jul 26th 2008 9:23PM
yes but you see...Blizzard has more than just one successful franchise. What does Bungie have? Only halo and the game itself is only really mediocre at best.
Badger_badger_badger @ Jul 26th 2008 9:28PM
Do a barrel roll.
Shmil @ Jul 26th 2008 11:24PM
USE THE BOOST TO GET THROUGH!
Tiptup300 @ Jul 26th 2008 11:25PM
Not to mention that quake is a dead franchise.
GreyFox @ Jul 27th 2008 2:54AM
I've been a Bungie fan for a long ass time but considering the sorts of people who play Halo 2 & 3 I don't think I'd ever want to go to a convention where they are showing up. Bungie fans, yes. Dumb college jock Halo fan, no.
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Jul 27th 2008 7:47AM
"What does Bungie have?"
Let's see.
-Gnop!
-Operation Desert Storm
-Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete
-Pathways into Darkness
-Marathon franchise
-Myth franchise
-Oni
-Halo
-Pimps at Sea
-Three Unnamed New Projects
That's a whole lot more than other developers ever did.Infinity Ward for example, since there's such a giant fanboy war between them and Bungie.
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Jul 27th 2008 7:52AM
Oh, and I forgot Abuse.
Wiinterfang @ Jul 27th 2008 1:38PM
3 different projects? Halo wars,Halo blue and the Halo movie.
syrik zero @ Jul 26th 2008 8:17PM
You've been busy today Griffin! Tons of posts. Gives me something do while at work... Thanks!
x20mar @ Jul 27th 2008 5:39AM
I'd go to a Haruhi Con! Who else?
Co @ Jul 27th 2008 4:23PM
My god and people say Nintendo whores out Mario!
LordKelvin @ Jul 26th 2008 8:34PM
I love how there's a Haruhi poster behind Master Chief. Makes for nice contrast. :D
samfish @ Jul 26th 2008 8:53PM
Haruhi is awesome. I'd be much more interested in a HaruhiCon.
Erik @ Jul 26th 2008 9:07PM
I know, I noticed that before I even saw MC. Love Haruhi and her insane tactics to gain control. I got a Bunny Girl wall scroll up in my room with the main female cast. That would have been even better if it was behind MC.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jul 26th 2008 9:13PM
No...no she isn't Sam. No she isn't.
samfish @ Jul 26th 2008 10:09PM
Big talk coming from someone with your avatar!
BIIIIIIG talk, buddy!
Dio @ Jul 26th 2008 10:15PM
;_;
Tiptup300 @ Jul 26th 2008 11:26PM
I have no idea what you people are talking about... O.o
Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 27th 2008 12:59AM
Aw man, the crazy wapanese had to vote down Ska Oreo.
: (
Dragonball Z is totally on a different league than Haruhi.
Will I get voted down too?
Personally, I can stand the new anime, I can only really watch anime made before this decade, really love the stuff from the 90s.
Tiptup300, their talking about the poster behind Master Chief, its showing the characters from an anime (Japanese cartoon) called Haruhi.
Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 27th 2008 1:03AM
And I don't mean DBZ is better than Haruhi. What the hell, I haven't even watched it, today's anime for me is just too dark and depressing, crazy, over-the-top, bright, cheery, etc. or a combination of the above.
But I also haven't given them a chance so what the hey, I should try watching them. :)
Erik Stroud @ Jul 27th 2008 11:15AM
I love anime from the '90s also. But, with thing like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni, it sometimes makes it hard to go back to Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Pedobear @ Jul 27th 2008 2:48PM
woooooooooooo
John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jul 26th 2008 9:50PM
what about Joystiq-gate
Don't thank me thank Mr.Khan
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/07/24/aol-makes-big-budget-cuts-across-blogs/
explains it all ... looks like we will all need to find a new home soon :(
samfish @ Jul 26th 2008 10:12PM
That would explain why I've been seeing this showing up at the various satellite sites...
http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/bloggers/wii-fanboy-staff/
aristokrat @ Jul 26th 2008 10:16PM
Does this mean we should all start refreshing the main page every 5 minutes and clicking on a banner ad?
Since video game news is the only news that doesn't routinely enrage me (I was an economics major, what other reasonable reaction is there to current events?), I am confused by that article. Is AOL up for sale, or are they considering selling off their blog network? If so, wouldn't that defeat the purpose of their new advertising platform (which is explained in the comments of that article)?
Sora @ Jul 26th 2008 10:17PM
The hell?!
And:
"I don’t know what’s going on with Engadget and co., or the lifestyle blogs, but the gaming bloggers were told yesterday to STOP ALL POSTING. Now, after the network bosses went into the fray, our two biggest sites are cleared, but the rest of the sites are working on a 5 posts/day deal, so long as those aren’t written by international bloggers, but only US writers. Anything above and beyond that is unpaid and will be written under a staff account. Nearly everyone has agreed to post for free, including columnists, in the hopes that we will all still have jobs come August 1, when they’re telling us we’ll be back — just on a smaller budget."
AOL can't seriously expect to hold onto all of their readers if they don't post anything... Just the type of bullshit I've come to expect from AOL.
John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jul 26th 2008 10:21PM
I noticed the "_____ staff" post today as well ... AOL is about to be purchased by Microsoft ...
John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jul 26th 2008 10:26PM
Even if Microsoft buys AOL we can pretty much say goodbye to Joystiq and co as we have come to know them ... Does anyone think at that point there will not be a hidden agenda ... Stupid AOL
Sora @ Jul 26th 2008 11:13PM
Meh, if Joystiq DOES go under (I doubt it will), maybe we could like...start some sort of forum (via InvisionFree unless someone wants to pay for a premium service and servers) for Joystiqers to keep on discussing stuff.
Huey2k2 @ Jul 26th 2008 11:59PM
"Meh, if Joystiq DOES go under (I doubt it will), maybe we could like...start some sort of forum (via InvisionFree unless someone wants to pay for a premium service and servers) for Joystiqers to keep on discussing stuff."
Here's hoping it doesn't come to that...
aristokrat @ Jul 26th 2008 9:59PM
Looks like not too many people were huge fans of Oni. If only Bungie could buy that IP back, I would love an Oni 2. That's another thing that could be at a BungieCon (which would mostly be a HaloCon anyway), but it would probably also bring out the older "nerds" who would love to celebrate some Marathon cosplay.
It's not like Blizzard has all that much going on. StarCraft and WarCraft are basically the same game in different environments (with different locations/races), and WoW is basically a hybrid of the universe of Warcraft and the gameplay of Diablo, they're other IP, in an MMO setting. Yet they have crazy numbers of fans who attend they're cons. I think Bungie could pull it off, especially if they're announcing new stuff.
And besides, who wouldn't want to see some Pimps At Sea cosplay.
samfish @ Jul 26th 2008 10:15PM
"I think Bungie could pull it off, especially if they're announcing new stuff."
I don't. I think the vast majority of folks who play games like Halo would never dream of going to a con (unlike, say, anime or comic book folk).
Although I don't know what kind of numbers Blizzcon pulls in, but if they shot for like 2,500-5,000 people it would certainly be considered a success, despite being somewhat low numbers by con standards.
aristokrat @ Jul 26th 2008 10:22PM
I do agree that many Halo players wouldn't be the con type, but you know the cardboard halo kid will be there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e45J0SCXO5s
I bet a lot of readers of the books would be interested in a con, and they seem to sell pretty well.
Misfit Toy @ Jul 26th 2008 10:25PM
He had good comments regarding E3 and a convention for consumers. I've liked Frankie. He always comes across very competent.
Desi_D @ Jul 26th 2008 10:44PM
Can this Joystiq hard on get any bigger about Bungie?! Halo wasn't a bad game but nothing groundbreaking, yet you guys go on and on about this stuff, what a bunch of fanboys.
Sora @ Jul 26th 2008 11:16PM
Actually, Halo 1 introduced a ton of gameplay mechanics that were new at the time that've pretty much become the genre standard. Halo 2 and 3 weren't groundbreaking, but Halo 1 sure as hell was.
Tiptup300 @ Jul 26th 2008 11:29PM
That was so great about the Halo series, they didn't add anything, they just fixed everything that was broken.
SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ Jul 27th 2008 12:34AM
i hate how every scandal or controversial thing has to end with "gate" now. ok, we get it, it was clever the first time but now its just annoying.
Corbo @ Jul 27th 2008 7:01AM
Every time I see something ending in "-gate", I'm reminded of that Mitchell and Webb sketch about Watergategate. I can't find it on YouTube but I remember that it raises a very good question - what are we going to call a scandal about water?
j.howlett @ Jul 27th 2008 3:25PM
water "just water, like the liquid, not the building, H20, the wet stuff, covers the planet" gate
Matt @ Jul 27th 2008 2:55AM
Blizzcon draws people in for one reason alone: WOW. Blizzard has been big for a while, but without WOW Blizzard wouldn't fill those events up.
Blizzard also happens to have four massive franchises (WOW, Starcraft, Warcraft, Diablo) that all get great reviews and sell millions. Bungie, on the other hand, has had one franchise that has done well, with a couple others most people forget or would prefer to.
Knowing the rate of turnover at Bungie since before Halo 3 shipped and the impact Microsoft had in ensuring quality in the releases, I'm not convinced Bungie is capable of producing and maintaining multiple top-tier franchises like Blizzard.
Bungie doesn't have an MMO nor do they have enough decade-long fans to fill up a convention. Without either of those fanbases, a Halocon would be pretty spartan.
Lord Bowser @ Jul 27th 2008 6:49AM
For all this "casual" bashing Nintendo has received recently, then seeing the possibility of a HaloCon; it's really quite remarkable.
Halo? The same Halo that holds your hand via auto-aim because the dual analogues are so imprecise. The same Halo game with a difficulty curve that matches Mario and Sonic Olympics. The same Halo with its linear, though cleverly disguised, "choose one of three routes" campaign mode.
But this is not a criticism of Halo, it just happens to be mentioned. The same could be applied to all FPS games. I abhor the terms "hardcore" and "casual", Mr Khan can testify to this, but to keep this brief I will make an exception. Many gamers who consider themselves hardcore for playing FPS are merely fooling themselves. It's embarrassing. There's nothing hardcore about being led, by hand, by the developer through a selection of barren levels: "here's the health pack, kid, pick it up now before the big boss." It's so played out. So insular.
I remember when platformers and point and click games were considered hardcore. Now look at them: dead as dead can be. They lacked dynamism and died a sorry death. That is the future of the FPS if this inward thought process continues. I believe Halo, like the majority of its FPS siblings, is no more hardcore than Wii Music. It's the same audience demographic and there is absolutely no cross over: Meet Mr and Mrs American Idol: The New Gamer.
Jakka (Not sure why he got banned?) @ Jul 27th 2008 8:55AM
...somebody here needs to play S.T.A.L.K.E.R.It's not going to change your opinion on FPS's but I can assure you that you've never played ANYTHING like it.It's hardcore,it's non-linear and the last thing you'll come across is auto-aim.
I agree with you(mind the FPS=Wii Music bit) though.90% of FPS's are far from hardcore.