Angelique Silva

Game Culture Fall 2020

Halo: Redefining Multiplayer Worldwide
In the early life of console gaming, multiplayer was a live, group activity. Most
multiplayer games during the 90s were largely side-scrollers, racers, or fighting games.
However, in 1997 Nintendo released a first-person shooter that revolutionized the
genre: GoldenEye 007. GoldenEye became the "gold" standard of FPS games for its 3D design
and split-screen multiplayer. However, in 2001 with the release of Microsoft's Xbox console, a
new game was about to change the entire gaming industry. Halo soon became one of the most
influential games of all time.
           Multiplayer gaming in the 90s primarily consisted of LAN parties. LAN parties provided
PC players a way to play together with friends by linking their systems and creating a network.
Meanwhile, home console gaming was limited to up to 4 players (without added accessories).
This, however, did not put gaming consoles at a disadvantage, as gaming technology was rapidly
advancing. In 2001, Microsoft released the Xbox system, which included a LAN port for
network capability. This put the Xbox at an advantage over rival consoles PlayStation 2 and
GameCube for the future of multiplayer gaming.
           Multiplayer gaming outside of LAN parties utilized a split-screen function. A split-screen
is a display technique, that in gaming, allows the division of graphics and other information to be
sectioned off into a rectangular area. In a multiplayer capacity, each player has a section of the
screen that represents their point-of-view. The split-screen technique existed as early as the
1970s, with various arcade games such as Drag Race (1977). When Nintendo released their N64
console, the 4-way split screen became more common. 
Nintendo pushed multiplayer and 4-way split-screen capabilities by creating a variety of
games that could utilize it. Some of the most notable games were Mario Kart 64, Wipeout 64,
Mario Party 3, and Star Fox 64, to name a few. Nintendo spanned the 4-way split-screen across
genres of games, bringing various improvements and innovations. However, one of the most
popular multiplayer games on the N64 was Goldeneye 007. Goldeneye 007 became a catalyst in
opening the possibilities for first-person shooters in console gaming.
First-person shooters, also known as FPS, are one of the most popular genres of games
today. A FPS is a gaming genre focused mainly on gun-based combat, typically experienced
through a first-person perspective. The FPS genre is a "recent" genre with origins only going
back to the early 90s with Wolfenstein 3D (1992). As a PC game, Wolfenstein 3D began a trend
of FPS games. The most notable in the genre then and today is Doom (1993-2020).
Doom (1993) was widely popular as it was distributed for free as a shareware program. Being
that Doom was a shareware program, this spawned off numerous clones with varying success.
However, with the release of Goldeneye 007, FPS gaming was about to experience a drastic
change.
Goldeneye's success surprised the gaming community due to developer's shoddy track
record of unsuccessful movie-adapted games. One of the most unsuccessful movie-adapted
games of all time is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982). E.T. got harshly criticized for its plot,
gameplay, and visuals. Developed by Atari, E.T. was a large contributor to the 1983 video games
crash in North America. E.T. became a prime example of developer negligence and greed.
Despite this, it did not ultimately end the development of movie adapted games. Therefore, at
1997's Electronic Entertainment Expo (also known as E3), Nintendo's Goldeneye
announcement was met with much skepticism and doubt.
As the new millennium rolled in, gaming's 3D technology and capabilities were the focus
as the next generation of consoles was soon to be released. Microsoft was not known to be a
significant console producer such as Sony, Nintendo, and Sega. However, Microsoft sought to
combine modern PC processing power to push the limits of console gaming. Thus, in 2000 the
Xbox home video console was announced, boasting its massive processing power and physical
size. The Xbox was essentially a gaming computer with its Intel Pentium III processor, built-in
networking capability, and the first console to house a hard disk. To showcase the system's
power, they released a launch title that would soon become infamous amongst gamers
worldwide.
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) was the FPS launch title to Microsoft's
Xbox. Halo included all the features that modern gaming had to offer: 3D graphics, advanced
heads-up-display, and network multiplayer. While Halo included a massively popular single-
player campaign, the biggest draw was the multiplayer thanks to the Xbox's built-in ethernet
ports. On one Xbox system, Halo could support up to 4 players at once utilizing the 4-way split-
screen. However, using the "system link" feature, users could connect up to 4 consoles allowing
a max of 16-players to play at once. Like a PC LAN party, players were now utilizing the system
link technology. Nevertheless, Microsoft was not finished with multiplayer yet. A year later, in
2002, Microsoft launches Xbox Live, connecting the humble home console to the world wide
web.
Xbox Live created the standard for console online multiplayer gaming. Xbox Live is
offered for free as Xbox Live Silver and as a paid subscription known as Xbox Live Gold.
However, many games on the Xbox will restrict online play to only those enrolled in Gold.
Several months before the release of Xbox Live, Sony launches online functionality in North
America via the network adapter accessory for PlayStation 2. However, unlike Xbox Live, Sony
did not have a unified online service and therefore left it at the developers' discretion to create
third-party servers for their games. In this instance, Microsoft had the upper hand in online
multiplayer gaming.
While Halo: Combat Evolved was critically acclaimed overall, it received its share of
criticism as well. Many game reviewers lauded the game's level design as repetitive and dull with
multiplayer issues too. Halo: Combat Evolved used a game lobby to connect players. The lobby
acts as a virtual room for players to gather, and once enough players have arrived, gameplay can
start. This got criticized due to the lack of bots that simulate human players when the lobbies
could not be filled. Microsoft and developer Bungie took these into serious consideration as they
planned the game's sequel.
In 2004 Halo 2 is released with all new features and improvements to be held. The game
featured an improved look and feel thanks to a new game engine, which allowed for new
weapons, vehicles, and larger maps. Bungie implemented the larger maps after observing the
popularity of the system link amongst players. However, this was not the only multiplayer
improvement. Halo 2 featured matchmaking, as opposed to lobbies. This allowed a faster way to
connect and play with other players online. This quickly made Halo 2 the most popular Xbox
Live game until the Xbox 360 released Gears of War in 2006.
Halo 2's success connected players and communities in an unprecedented way. Not only
did Halo 2 stimulate the eSports/competitive gaming community it also brought in a spectator
community. One of the most famous competitive Halo 2 players' known as Ogre2, drew massive
crowds at events. Halo 2 quickly became the top competitive game in America. At a Major
League Gaming competition in Las Vegas in 2007, an unprecedented prize pool of $280,000 was
offered for Halo 2 competitors. 
Halo's FPS reign ended as the years carried on as it was overshadowed by other games
such as Gears of War, Call of Duty, and Battlefield. Halo 5: Guardians (2015) received harsh
criticism from fans for the removal of all multiplayer capability in a failed experiment. This led
to developers adding the feature back in with the upcoming title Halo Infinite. However, fans are
already berating the game's appearance after Microsoft showcased a clip of gameplay footage in
July 2020. Regardless of where the Halo franchise is heading, no one can dispute the path it has
forged for games.
To summarize, Halo has revolutionized multiplayer console gaming. The advancements
in all aspects of Halo have undoubtedly exceeded its genre. Halo defined and shaped the gaming
community as we see it today, from multiplayer to competitive eSports and technology.
While Halo has brought gaming communities together in the past, today, gaming communities
are split. With more advancements in gamer interaction, there is also less accountability. In light
of the pandemic, gaming communities have become larger than ever, yet more separated.
Hopefully, the next big revolution in multiplayer gaming presents a solution to harassment and
discrimination amongst players.