http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3163310
<div class='quotetop'></div><div class='quotemain'>Bungie and MS: What the Hell is Going On?
Random blogger causes massive net meltdown. Microsoft avoids answers.
By Patrick Klepek, 10/01/2007
Earlier today, 8Bit Joystick caused a simultaneous WTF across the Internet when they claimed to have a source with information on the latest rumblings between Bungie Studios and Microsoft. The source -- who doesn't work at Bungie, but "knows" someone that does -- alleges Microsoft has agreed to allow Bungie become an independent studio again. Expectedly, Microsoft would retain the rights to the Halo IP, not unlike what happened with Bizarre Creations and the Project Gotham Racing IP. In that case, however, Microsoft didn't own Bizarre.
The source goes onto claim the split stems from increased friction between the developer and publisher as they both raced to get Halo 3 out the door. While shocking that Microsoft would knowingly release another company producing high-profile first-party games, the reaction by Microsoft and Bungie today leads credence to the idea there may be some truth to what's going on behind the scenes.
Given the source also claimed NDAs expired today, everyone should be ready to talk, right? Well, not so much.
1UP first got in touch with Bungie, who pointed us in the direction of Edelman, Microsoft's (and thus Bungie's, as they are currently a Microsoft-owned studio) PR outlet. We ended up contacting several Microsoft representatives at Edelman for comment, receiving two slightly differing responses.
"To your question, there's been no such announcement. We can't comment further." -- Microsoft representative #1
"There's been no such announcement. We continue to celebrate the tremendous success of the global phenomenon that is Halo 3." -- Microsoft representative #2
Canned PR responses differ company to company. Representative #1's "we can't comment further" is telling, considering the responses share some identical phrasing, making the official PR line within Microsoft "there's been no such announcement." When a PR company expects requests for comment from a number of outlets about the same piece of news, there is usually a canned response -- "there's been no such announcement" is Microsoft's canned response for today. "We can't comment further" suggests there actually is something more they simply can't talk about yet.
Elsewhere is activity on the Bungie.net and NeoGAF forums, popular hangouts for notable Bungie public figures Frank O'Connor and Luke Smith. Both are usually quick on the posting gun -- snarky or otherwise -- yet while both are actively online (as can be evidenced by NeoGAF's "currently active users" section at the bottom of the board), neither are responding to the quickly exploding thread of virtual shock and awe.
Hmm.
If wheels are churning, it would make sense Bungie's keeping their mouths shut until official word hits, supposedly expired NDAs or not. No reason to spoil the current love fest, especially when they're all continuing "to celebrate the tremendous success of the global phenomenon that is Halo 3." Right?
We'll keep digging. Stay tuned.</div>
Hopefully this is true, except for the whole Microsoft getting the rights to Halo, because I don't want an eventual Halo 4 be only on Vista and only work with a set number of systems. Too bad this is probably just some ridiculous publicity stunt by a blogger to get his 15 seconds of fame.
*Please be true, please be true, please be true!*
<div class='quotetop'></div><div class='quotemain'>Bungie and MS: What the Hell is Going On?
Random blogger causes massive net meltdown. Microsoft avoids answers.
By Patrick Klepek, 10/01/2007
Earlier today, 8Bit Joystick caused a simultaneous WTF across the Internet when they claimed to have a source with information on the latest rumblings between Bungie Studios and Microsoft. The source -- who doesn't work at Bungie, but "knows" someone that does -- alleges Microsoft has agreed to allow Bungie become an independent studio again. Expectedly, Microsoft would retain the rights to the Halo IP, not unlike what happened with Bizarre Creations and the Project Gotham Racing IP. In that case, however, Microsoft didn't own Bizarre.
The source goes onto claim the split stems from increased friction between the developer and publisher as they both raced to get Halo 3 out the door. While shocking that Microsoft would knowingly release another company producing high-profile first-party games, the reaction by Microsoft and Bungie today leads credence to the idea there may be some truth to what's going on behind the scenes.
Given the source also claimed NDAs expired today, everyone should be ready to talk, right? Well, not so much.
1UP first got in touch with Bungie, who pointed us in the direction of Edelman, Microsoft's (and thus Bungie's, as they are currently a Microsoft-owned studio) PR outlet. We ended up contacting several Microsoft representatives at Edelman for comment, receiving two slightly differing responses.
"To your question, there's been no such announcement. We can't comment further." -- Microsoft representative #1
"There's been no such announcement. We continue to celebrate the tremendous success of the global phenomenon that is Halo 3." -- Microsoft representative #2
Canned PR responses differ company to company. Representative #1's "we can't comment further" is telling, considering the responses share some identical phrasing, making the official PR line within Microsoft "there's been no such announcement." When a PR company expects requests for comment from a number of outlets about the same piece of news, there is usually a canned response -- "there's been no such announcement" is Microsoft's canned response for today. "We can't comment further" suggests there actually is something more they simply can't talk about yet.
Elsewhere is activity on the Bungie.net and NeoGAF forums, popular hangouts for notable Bungie public figures Frank O'Connor and Luke Smith. Both are usually quick on the posting gun -- snarky or otherwise -- yet while both are actively online (as can be evidenced by NeoGAF's "currently active users" section at the bottom of the board), neither are responding to the quickly exploding thread of virtual shock and awe.
Hmm.
If wheels are churning, it would make sense Bungie's keeping their mouths shut until official word hits, supposedly expired NDAs or not. No reason to spoil the current love fest, especially when they're all continuing "to celebrate the tremendous success of the global phenomenon that is Halo 3." Right?
We'll keep digging. Stay tuned.</div>
Hopefully this is true, except for the whole Microsoft getting the rights to Halo, because I don't want an eventual Halo 4 be only on Vista and only work with a set number of systems. Too bad this is probably just some ridiculous publicity stunt by a blogger to get his 15 seconds of fame.
*Please be true, please be true, please be true!*