Halo 4 Live Action Web-Based Series to Premier Before Game Launches
Microsoft never slacks when it comes to Halo, and the fourth installment of the series will be no exception as the company has announced that it will release a web-based live action animated series based on the game in November.
Microsoft plans to call the series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, and it will make its debut shortly before the Nov. 6 release date of the game.
It will run exclusively on Machinima and Microsoft's online community known as Halo Waypoint.
Microsoft recently revealed its plans for the series to Variety. The company said the animated show "represents the largest investment Microsoft has made in a live-action show to date."
The series will also "make Halo 4 accessible for people who haven't played the games," according to Matt McCloskey, director of franchise management at Microsoft game studio 343 Industries.
The game's franchise head Frank O'Conner feels that this series will enable "people to get on board this universe without feeling intimidated."
The web-series will be released in 15-minute installments on a weekly basis and will provide the back story for the game before it launches.
This is not the first time Microsoft has attempted to turn Halo into film. In 2005, the company tried to create a Halo movie and even wanted to hire Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson for the project, but plans were thwarted for the film due to issues with the movie studios.
There will be more details given about the series in July at this year's Comic-Con that will take place in San Diego.
Halo 4 will hit shelves on Nov. 6 2012. It will feature the same main character of the first three Halos, Master Chief, who now will work with a UNSC cadet who will later become a leader on the UNSC Infinity space ship in the game.