Microsoft Burns Windows XP Users with Halo 2

MS Marketing ploy?

Published on September 20, 2006 By Xythe In Gaming

I ususally don't badmouth MS all that often. After all, I believe they make some of the best software that I use all the time.

However, it turns out that MS is releasing Halo2, and guess what? It wont be supported under Windows XP, but only under Windows Vista.

I think this is something of a raw deal, seeing as though many many PC users of halo have been waiting for the release of Halo 2 since it was released for XBOX.

Why wouls MS do this to us faithful Halo gamers who have been squaking about a Halo 2 release for Windows? Is this some fu*ked up marketing ploy, or is there some legitimate reason?

"Only for Windows Vista, "Halo 2" will offer gamers both the single-player campaign and multiplayer experience of the original, as well as the additional maps offered in the "Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack." Gamers will also have the exciting opportunity to build, create and customise their own multiplayer levels."

Comments (Page 2)

Xythe

on Sep 21, 2006

Vampires: Bloodlines-- which is a buggy and unfortunate title

Ive played this one through. It wasn't that bad.

stealth15psi

on Sep 21, 2006

VTM Bloodlines was a great game...good story, great soundtrack...it was just too short and a little linear.

There are some tweaks that will make it run better...look up HL2 .ini tweaks...they work the same for VTM since it's the same engine.

I didn't have much trouble with it, but then again I have a 7800gtx512....I never met a game I couldn't run.

Xythe

on Sep 27, 2006

If Halo2 is getting an overhaul with DX10, then there's another X-File solved, Scully.

Thanx...This may very well be the case.

Crapper

on Oct 04, 2006

There's absolutely no doubt that releasing Halo 2 exclusively for Windows Vista is marketing bullshit to push Vista sales. Neither Microsoft nor Bungie could give reasonable answers to respective questions addressing the technical benefits of Vista for PC Halo 2. The main reason (apart from a lot of crap talk) they give is DirectX 10. Oh cmon. What a nonsense. First, all major DirectX versions have been downported to at least one Windows release below the current one, and an "a-couple of years" old XBOX game ported to the PC will probably hardly make use of the advanced features of DirectX 10.

They're fucking us over. That's all. Get over it.

Xythe

on Oct 04, 2006

The main reason (apart from a lot of crap talk) they give is DirectX 10

If I remember I was using DX v8 on my first install of XP. I dont really know much about the coding for DX. Is there some reason why it cant be ported for Win XP? If not, I figure sooner or later they will HAVE to port DX10 for Win XP.

Well I look at it this way. There are a lot of FPS games out there that are a lot better than Halo, and from what I have read here, Halo2 may not be as good as Halo1. I hope MS does not think that because I want to play Halo that Im going to purchase Vista to play that silly game. Personally, Im not all that Impressed with Vista at this point.

They're fucking us over. That's all. Get over it.

I hear you dude. But in the end, they are just f*cking themselves over. One way or another, they cant force me to by their software. So whos f*cking who?

Thanks for the comment.....xythe

kryo

on Oct 04, 2006

Is there some reason why it cant be ported for Win XP?

Because then people wouldn't have to buy Vista just to keep playing the latest games.

Xythe

on Oct 04, 2006

Because then people wouldn't have to buy Vista just to keep playing the latest games.

People will spen $150 to plat a $20 game?

Jaxilon

on Oct 04, 2006

If pc people didn't rush out and buy consoles they wouldn't have so much power of what gets released. I haven't bought a console yet and don't plan to. If the game isn't out on PC then it's one I don't have to spend money on. End of story.

Of course they want to promote Vista, it's one of the ways they do things.

I plan to wait a good while so everyone else can work out the bugs in Vista. Xp works fine for me as well.

To each his own, but your money speaks more than your mouth to these guys.

rickiwm

on Oct 04, 2006

Well they may want to push sales on windows but i'm not about to go spend 400.00 just to play halpo 2 pc. i dont talk bad about microsoft, i love there products i use them every day i just do not care for there prices. Halo 2 i owned it when i bought my 360. the only problem i am a moble person and i love using my laptop becuase i dont have time to sit in front of a tv screen and hook up my 360 and i will not buy vista for 400.00 i my self think microsoft needs to reconsidre thire pices. but heres the kicker wait about 2 years after vista is out and the price will drop. i garentee it but they will also go and make a new OS and turn around Relese Halo 3 and have the latest halo run on that and nothing else. im all for marketing but that is b/s. im sorry. if i have to i will complane to bill my self i will call up his rich self and complain. yea w/e

rock on halo

Xythe

on Oct 05, 2006

My sentiments exactally...never owned a console, never will.

Oh, I think I lied. Was Pong a console came? I had that one.

Slix36

on Jun 09, 2007

grandstand pong? i suppose, as it's purpose was to play pong, it's a games console...

in my opinion there aren't any fps games with a better storylines (granted, i haven't played through the storylines in a while, and i probably won't until the day before halo 3 is released, but that's because i've been through them so many times). the multiplayer is good, as long as you're with a group of friends in a custom match. unfortunately there's so many modders playing halo 2 matchmaking it makes the experience highly degraded...

in the end it all comes down to personal preference. so what if i love it? that's my opinion and won't (or at least shouldn't) affect the opinion of anyone else. so what if someone hates it? that's thier choice and preference.

IMO, if you can get good FPS on Halo on your old PC then it can run any game on the market though not necessarily well.

(EDIT: i forgot how to quote...

)

my pc runs halo pc great, but i can't even get to the title screen for f.e.a.r... stupid nVidia MX420...

about halo 2 vista... it's just the same as having a sequel released on a better platform (like the final fantasy games from snes to psx). yes, there's some pressure to buy the new o/s or console, but there's always more than 1 reason for something like that... for example the final fantasy games went to psx instead of n64 because it was cheaper to produce the games on a cd then spend money on carts.

i don't deny that it sucks that i won't be able to play it on XP though.

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