When 343 Industries set out to create Halo: The Master Chief Collection, they faced a unique challenge. A decade after the original release of Halo 2, fans of the Halo franchise held a special place in their hearts for the title. As the team at 343 celebrated the franchise’s rich history and the evolving story of the Master Chief, another story began to unfold – the story of how 343 Industries and their partners around the world would work to bring Halo 2 to a new generation while honoring its fabled past.

“How do you remake a title that is so beloved by fans?  How do you decide what must stay the same and what can be updated?  It takes an army to build any game and we realized this process was one that the Halo Nation rarely gets a glimpse into,” said Tina Summerford, Director of Programming for 343 Industries. “We hit the road to capture the process from top to bottom, talking to all of the key players who helped bring Halo 2: Anniversary into the next gen and giving our fans unprecedented access to this process.”

Throughout the game’s development 343 Industries travelled the world, capturing the perspectives of 343’s expansive team of creative partners, Halo fans, pro players, and industry experts to tell the story behind the story millions know and love.  With over four-hundred hours of footage and more than 80 interviews, they had what they needed to complete their story.

“We made some pretty important discoveries along the way,” said Summerford. “As we got deeper into the project, we realized we couldn’t talk about Halo 2’s impact on the industry without telling the story of Halo’s origins.  It’s pretty awesome to hear the original team from Bungie talk about the beginning of this franchise and it’s something we think both new and old fans will appreciate”.

The documentary includes never-before-seen story elements and footage from Halo 2: Anniversary and features interviews with high-profile Halo contributors Bonnie Ross, Frank O’Connor, Dan Ayoub, and Phil Spencer, as well as members of the original Halo 2 team – writer Joseph Staten, multiplayer designer Max Hoberman, and composer Marty O’Donnell.  It also goes behind-the-scenes with the many artistic contributors on the title, including voice actor Keith David and guitar legend Steve Vai.

And now, starting on October 31, Halo fans around the world will have their first chance to see the complete documentary chronicling this incredible journey.  Download the full feature for free on Xbox Video, watch it on the Halo Channel on Nov. 11, or tune in for special airings on www.twitch.tv/Xbox at the following times:

  • Friday, Oct. 31 at 11 am PST/2 pm EST
  • Saturday, Nov. 1 at 6 pm PST/9 pm EST
  • Sunday, Nov. 2 at 6 pm PST/9 pm EST