An insurmountable challenge.
While the pandemic took its toll on the entire industry, 343 Industries has carried a uniquely demanding burden. It was not only tasked with reinvigorating one of the industry`s most beloved and long-lived franchises, but in some ways, it carries the entirety of the Xbox brand on its shoulders.
In 2013, Microsoft torpedoed the entire brand with its Xbox One vision, alienating gamers from across the spectrum. Not only that, but Halo 5 launched to mixed reviews, with a forgettable story that betrayed expectations in all the wrong ways. Even now, Halo fans lament the loss of Bungie, who are now building Destiny.
Since then, Microsoft has been hard at work restoring faith in Xbox itself. Microsoft solved the value proposition, the hardware criticisms, and restored faith in the vision. In some ways, one missing piece remains: execution. Nothing quite symbolizes Xbox than Halo itself, which could be considered the platform`s central mascot — the emotional ...
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