Spring Break
The Launch of Halo 3
Shane Kim (MBA '90) Discusses the Future of Interactive Entertainment and the Xbox 360
By Scott Benson (OC), Contributing Writer
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: News
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As the head of MGS since January 2004, Kim oversees the development and publishing for all of Microsoft's first-party video games for Xbox 360 and Windows PCs. MGS is responsible for a number of blockbuster franchises including Fable, Age of Empires, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Zoo Tycoon.
Halo, a first-person shooter set in a futuristic sci-fi world, has emerged as the crown jewel of the MGS portfolio. The original title, Halo: Combat Evolved was developed in 2001 by wholly-owned publisher, Bungie Studios. It became an instant classic that was vital in driving the adoption of Microsoft's original Xbox console, which launched in the same year. Kim hopes that the third installment, Halo 3, will have similar results for the Xbox 360, the high-definition console introduced by Microsoft in late 2005.
Kim, who controls a $300 million R&D budget, described the role of a game developer as a unique challenge, "Our job is to drive the success of the platform with content. Developing a great game requires the perfect combination of art, design, and engineering. But, when you can capture that lightning in a bottle, you know you have something special."
With $170 million in opening day U.S. revenue, Halo 3 is that lightning for MGS. This mark eclipsed enormous media franchises like Spider Man and Harry Potter to become the biggest single-day launch in entertainment history. To achieve this level of success, Kim described Microsoft's need to cater to its core market, the 18-34 year old male gamer, while also making Halo relevant outside of this demographic. Kim remarked, "We are in the entertainment business. We are trying to get people who are not gamers to care about [video games]."
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Bishop Fly
Bishop Fly
posted 10/16/07 @ 1:14 AM EST
Perhaps the answer to Mr. Kim's desire for a broader audience lies within his unintentional double-entendre. Could the solution be a more mature market, say those who are a little more broad-across-the-beam, fat-cats who are still phat. (Continued…)
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