Despite all of the evidence suggesting that Halo 2: Anniversary will be arriving later this year, Microsoft won’t confirm its existence (which, in all honesty, is understandable), but Microsoft Studios head honcho Phil Spencer was more than willing to play coy about the supposed software during GDC 2014.
The hypothetical details on the rumored Halo 2 remake surfaced during an interview between IGN and Spencer, who was said to have been cracking a rather suspicious smile while talking about what a high-definition remake of the classic Xbox shooter would focus on. Much to the surprise of very few longtime fans, multiplayer would understandably have to be at the forefront and focus of development for a Halo 2: Anniversary.
Spencer wrapped up his chat about what he’d expect from Halo 2: Anniversary — if such a product were to ever exist — by recapping that the multiplayer would simply “have to be fantastic.”
“All the things that you and I know about the evolution of the franchise, if you’re going to say one thing about Halo 2, you’re going to talk about real multiplayer. I think you just have to nail that in just such a fundamentally core way. Frankly [we’d have to do it] probably better than we did with Halo 1 Anniversary. I thought the multiplayer in Halo 1 Anniversary was good, but Halo 1 never had multiplayer in the truest sense, so it always was going to be something different.”
It’s hard to believe that the followup to Bungie’s first Halo title will have hit the original Xbox 10 years ago this November, but it’s smart (provided the game is a legitimately in development) that Microsoft plans on releasing a remake of the title to commemorate the anniversary. As Spencer mentioned in his initial statement, there are a number of cool features and gameplay options that debuted in Halo 2, all of which contribute to a strong sense of nostalgia for fans of the sequel. Dual-wielding, the debut of playable Elites, online multiplayer, and much more are trademarks of the classic game, and any HD remake worth its salt would be crazy to leave those elements out.
Halo 2: Anniversary is currently without a release date, nor is it even officially announced, but many believe that it’ll likely hit Xbox One on November 9, 2014 — exactly 10 years after Halo 2’s original 2004 launch.
Would you pick up Halo 2: Anniversary for Xbox One? Let us know in the comments below!
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Source: IGN
