"Halo 2," the most successful FPS XBox game, is set to make its PC debut, exclusively for Windows Vista. "Halo 2" for Windows Vista will be developed by a dedicated Microsoft Game Studios team in partnership with Bungie Studios.
Only for Windows Vista, Halo 2 will offer gamers both the single-player campaign and multiplayer experience of the original, as well as the additional maps offered in the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. Gamers will also have the opportunity to build, create and customise their own multiplayer levels.
Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequel, Halo 2, have achieved phenomenal success on the Xbox video game platform as gamers around the world follow the saga of Master Chief in his battle against the Covenant forces. In 2003, the original Halo roared onto Windows PCs. In Halo 2 for Windows Vista, the action picks up where the first game ended. Master Chief, with the help of a small group of marines, has destroyed the religious artefact and artificial world known as Halo, and is making his way back to Earth. There, he and the last surviving Earth forces will mount a titanic struggle against the marauding Covenant enemy. To date, the Halo franchise has sold more than 14.5 million games worldwide with over 600 million hours of multiplayer action logged across Microsoft's Xbox Live online gaming service.
Bungie has published a Q&A regarding the Halo 2 PC version and Windows Vista which provides very little new information and in most cases just states that no announcements have yet been made. The Q&A seems to serve more as a way of getting most questions out there, rather than addressing any of them or offering any insight as to the reasoning behind the Vista only selection. It is certain that many gamers will have DMR on their lips but we should allow MS the time to offer further details on Halo 2 PC.
Why has it taken so long to port Halo 2 to Windows Vista?
Bungie Studios and Microsoft are committed to delivering and creating the highest quality experience of Halo 2 on the Windows Vista platform. As such, the development of Halo 2 for Windows Vista coincides with the development of the Windows Vista platform itself in order to ensure the title's uncompromised quality.
Why are you releasing Halo 2 for Windows Vista only?
As Bungie Studios and Microsoft are dedicated to delivering a top quality translation of Halo 2 for the PC, their efforts require the use of the best available technological platform for Windows games. Windows Vista will help bring clarity to our customers and help them get more out of their personal computing experience, allowing them to focus on what matters most to them.
Why is Halo 2 for Windows Vista not backwards compatible?
To deliver an optimal gameplay experience, Windows Vista will provide a great platform on which to bring to Halo 2. Microsoft and Bungie Studios will provide additional information at a later date.
Is the release of Halo 2 for Windows Vista just a way to force consumers to purchase the new operating system?
Absolutely not. Bungie Studios and Microsoft's steadfast commitment to quality determined that the Windows Vista platform would provide the best possible version of Halo 2 for the Windows PC. We will provide you with more details in the future.
Why isn't Bungie Studios doing this conversion themselves?
Bungie Studios is deeply involved in the development of Halo 2 for Windows Vista. An internal Microsoft Game Studios team is working closely with Bungie Studios to develop the title.
Is Bungie's lack of involvement in the port of Halo 2 for Windows Vista due to their work on Halo 3?
Although Bungie Studios' primary focus lies elsewhere, it is important to note that they are involved in the creation of Halo 2 for Windows Vista. They are working closely with an internal Microsoft Game Studios team.
What are the minimum system requirements?
We have not yet announced any specifics in regard to system requirements at this time.
When is Halo 2 for Windows Vista coming out?
We have not yet announced a release date for Halo 2 for Windows Vista at this time.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista be compatible with other Windows operating systems?
Halo 2 for Windows Vista will ship exclusively for the Windows Vista platform.
Will there be a limited edition version of Halo 2 Vista?
We have not yet announced specific details on future versions of Halo 2 Vista at this time.
What will Halo 2 Vista cost?
We have not yet announced pricing specifics at this time.
Will there be a Mac version of Halo 2?
We have not announced any details of a Mac version at this time.
Windows Vista
How will the overall consumer experience change with Windows Vista?
Windows Vista will help bring clarity to our customers and help them get more out of their personal computing experience, allowing them to focus on what matters most to them. Windows Vista will make it safer and easier to complete everyday tasks, instantly find what you want, and easily explore new possibilities in entertainment, including photos, music, games and movies, and connect with your community at home or on the go. In addition, the overall look and feel of Windows will be enhanced through the new "Aero" user interface.
- It seamlessly connects you to information, people, and devices you care most about, to help you get the most out of life and explore new possibilities.
- It enables a new level of confidence in the security and reliability of your PC and in your ability to get the most out of it.
- It introduces clear ways to find, organize and use your information to focus on what matters to you, whether it's music, the Web or e-mail.
What's included in the 2006 release of Windows Vista?
Windows Vista will deliver significant advances in key areas important to our customers and partners. Our number one priority with Windows Vista is nailing the fundamentals, so that we can provide our customers with clarity in their computing experience. With Windows Vista we aim to give customers more confidence in the PC and the things they can do with it. The features of the operating system are designed to help our customers easily find what they need and focus on doing what they want to do as well as to provide simple, easy ways for them to connect to people, information and other devices. When Windows Vista is released in 2006, it will include major enhancements in security, privacy, performance and reliability as well as advances in deployment and serviceability for IT pros. Windows Vista also will deliver new tools for smart information management, collaboration and sharing, and a streamlined user experience that will enhance user productivity and is designed to scale with today's modern hardware. Finally, Windows Vista will provide the next-generation platform for hardware and software developers. We expect to share specific details on Windows Vista features as we get closer to Beta 2.
What Windows Vista features will be used to enhance Halo 2 for Windows Vista?
We have not yet announced specific Vista features or enhancements at this time.
Features & Content
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista include support for the USB 360 controller?
We have not yet announced any details on hardware or peripheral support at this time.
Will there be any new content in the Vista version?
Halo 2 for Windows Vista will feature both the single-player and multiplayer elements of the original Halo 2, as well as each of the additional maps included in the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. Players will also have the opportunity to create and customize their own multiplayer levels.
How will map creation work?
We have not yet announced specifics on map creation at this time.
Will there be any new features in the Vista version?
We have not yet announced specific details or Vista features for Halo 2 for Windows Vista at this time.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support higher resolutions than the Xbox version?
We have not yet announced visual or graphical details at this time.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista include any new graphical enhancements such as textures, etc?
We have not yet announced visual or graphical details at this time.
Will players be able to edit and create single player campaign content?
We have not yet announced specifics on content creation at this time.
MultiPlayer
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support cross-platform multiplayer?
Halo 2 for Windows Vista will not support cross-platform play.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support 16 players online or more/less than Xbox?
We have not yet announced multiplayer details at this time.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support two-player online co-op for the single-player campaign?
We have not yet announced multiplayer details at this time.
How will online matchmaking be handled?
We have not yet announced multiplayer details at this time.
What steps will be taken to deal with cheating, etc?
We have not yet announced specifics on how cheating will be handled at this time.
Will PC players be able to play against Xbox players?
We have not yet announced details on cross-platform integration at this time.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista support messaging like the Xbox version?
We have not yet announced messaging specifics at this time.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista boast the same detailed ranking and stat tracking systems as Halo 2 online via Xbox Live?
We have not yet announced details regarding ranking and stat tracking at this time.
Will Halo 2 for Windows Vista offer the same clan support as Halo 2 online via Xbox Live?
We have not yet announced details regarding clan support at this time.