Halo Universe
Setting: Science Fiction | Developer / Publisher: Ensemble Studios / Microsoft | Platform: PC | Cancelled: 2007
When you hear Titan, you probably immediately think of the canceled MMO project from Blizzard, from which Overwatch ultimately emerged. However, there was another MMORPG that was prematurely canceled, running under the project name Titan, namely an MMORPG for the Halo universe.
The idea for the game is said to have emerged as early as 1998. Ian Fischer, a fan of early 3D MMORPGs like Ultima Online, presented his idea of a Sci-Fi MMO to Ensemble Studios (Age of Empires). This concept underwent several iterations until it was eventually wed to the Halo IP. Development began in 2004 with a budget of around 90 million US dollars.
Initially, they oriented themselves strongly on the framework of World of Warcraft but gradually added features such as a cover system for battles or public quests, as was later seen in Warhammer Online. Additionally, they wanted to offer a multitude of planets and alien species, similar to Star Wars: The Old Republic.
However, despite the project moving forward and internal revenue estimates running into the billions, it was canceled over the course of 2007. A year later, the responsible parties announced plans to close Ensemble Studios after the release of Halo Wars in 2009.
The driving force behind these closures is said to have been Don Mattrick, who took over the management of Microsoft Game Studios in 2007. His mandate was apparently to make the gaming division profitable within three years. However, the Halo MMORPG would not have been finished until after that period.
What are long-term successes when short-term bonuses are waiting? At least that’s the accusation from affected developers. You can read more about it here: Former developer talks about the Halo MMORPG, revealing why Microsoft backed out
