Microsoft Studios vice president Phil Spencer revealed that the decision not to have a Halo game in Xbox One's launch lineup was actually made 3 years ago.
"A couple of years ago we had the discussion of: 'Should we do Halo at launch and not do Halo 4 last year?'" he explained. "But I was committed to getting Halo 4 done last year, and there was no way we were going to turn around with 343 a full Halo game in a year. So that was the plan we set on. I feel good about that."
Halo 4 launched on Xbox 360 in November. The game made $220 million on launch day and $300 million in its opening week.
To be ready at launch day, Xbox One Halo game development should've started in 2010. Microsoft would then have to assign that game to a new team or have 343 industries abandon Halo 4.
"Unlike some franchises that manage through 1,000 people, Halo is 343 and that team obviously has tight control. They are our Halo team," argued Phil Spencer.
"A discussion around having a Halo game at launch-a true Halo at launch, meaning like a Halo 4 or 5-size game-would have been something we'd have had to start two or three years ago. We had the discussion, and we thought having Halo 4 come out when it came out from 343 and having them really land their first full version of Halo that they developed internally would be great for the 360 customers, great for 343 in shipping something."
Top-down third-person shooter Halo: Spartan Assault is scheduled for release on Xbox 360 and Xbox One next month. Additionally, Microsoft has confirmed that a new Halo title is in development for Xbox One.
