The Halo official account on Twitter has recently made a post that, instead of adding to the chatter, has revived an old argument. It’s divided the community even more sharply. In their post, they’ve informed about the next selection for their Halo Audio Book Club, which will be Halo: Shadows of Reach—a story narrated in an audiobook that serves as a prologue to the events of Halo Infinite. And here’s the twist—along with the release, they’ve encouraged the players to join their Halo-related Discord communities to explore Halo’s lore Blue Team’s story on Reach. It’s a perfect plan, isn’t it? And, as usual, some Halo players have issues with it.
The original post has a clear call to action to purchase the audiobook and join the related Discord communities, with clickable links. It clearly states the purpose of promoting the audiobook club and Simon Audio, but the replies seem to be completely different. It, as well as the reactions, show that the Halo fanbase is in a civil conflict.
There is, however, a small group of fans who fully support this. For example, one of the users said “This goes hard as fuck,” which is, humorously, one of the highest compliments you can get in gamer slang. Moreover, another comment stated that Shadows of Reach does an excellent job of preparing players for Halo Infinite’s campaign, in case anyone was struggling with that, so there is appreciation for the lore.
On the flip side, a significant number of comments express anger towards the announcement. To give an example, one user said, “We want games not books.” A couple of other comments took the same stance. Another comment stated, “Should have been a mission in Halo Infinite…,” which I can see logic in. Why would you experience a story through a book when you can play a game for it?
As if this story isn’t dramatized enough, a user went on to comment, “You guys ruined this franchise.” That one, in particular, seems harsh. And, unfortunately not, with that one comment, there comes with it a whole group of people who feel like 343 Industries is ticking the wrong boxes. They believe the developers are focusing on the “wrong things” like books over games and “expanded lore” over gameplay.
For one, a certain person brought this up, but it does seem out of place since Halo has had novels published since the Bungie era, so it’s not a new thing. My assessment is that the anger is rooted in the games not meeting the expectations the community has for them. The launch for Halo Infinite coupled with the live service game model was a complete mess. The players are now wondering why are there more books when the game still isn’t in a good place?
Someone else’s quip, “Halo is a book series with occasional game tie-ins,” cuts deep, but I think it sums up the feeling well: the lore is growing in other media while the games are falling behind. The Halo show on Paramount is another point of discussion. One user noted, “it’s baffling because the books are filled with great stories, yet the show opted for an alternate timeline.” That just opens up a different can of worms, as the show is pretty divisive, especially to the core audience who wanted something closer to the lore of the games and books.
A few of the developers don’t seem to have such complaints; they appear to be in the minority, as there are developers who are ecstatic about “more Halo stuff,” no matter the format. “Wort wort wort” — always a promising sign, legendary Elite language! Furthermore, there’s a nice suggestion for Steve Downes, voice of Master Chief, to join the audiobook, which would be a treat.
What is it exactly? A portion of the Halo community seems completely supportive of the audiobook, while the others want improved games. Why is it that no one knows the reason for the games’ neglect when the secondary media is being worked on? The other faction wants to focus on the lore, any book, from any format, even the expanded universe, and they show keen interest in that.
It is a bit unsettling that some of the Ubisoft studios have explicitly stated that the books have always been a part of the Halo experience, and they do contribute to a richer lore, yet with the main games failing to impress at the center, it’s hard for a portion of players to be enthusiastic about the related games.
In my perspective, for me personally, it seems like the Audio Book Club idea is quite good, especially for people who are in that kind of scene, as it invites them into the community and tells them other stories, perhaps those that can’t be portrayed in the games. But, a clear majority of people are starved for more—from the games. Maybe the next big Halo title will bring them back together, but at the moment, there is a definite split in the community.
Therefore, whether you’re a Halo fan, you may be interested in checking out the Discord channel and listening to the audiobook. Or maybe you’re of the group that shouts, “STOP GIVING US BOOKS BRO,” and either way, the debate continues. And that is something that drives a franchise, passionate, if not critical, energy.
Anyway, that’s the overview. Halo remains engaged with its fans, for better or worse. It is positive that Halo has things in store for us to look forward to.
