Microsoft was reportedly working with Mega Bloks on a game targeted for younger audiences. Their "Halo" franchise is one of the most popular first person shooters available in the market, but its mature story and violence keep it strictly away from kids. A video has been making the rounds on the internet depicting a "Halo" game collaboration with Megabloks which never saw the light of day.
The unfinished game is supposedly running on Unreal Engine 3, according to Gamespot. Instead of the regular first person view used by the series, the Mega Bloks version showcased a third person view. Familiar characters from the franchise make their appearance, like the warthog, covenant, and some weapons and abilities. It was reportedly being developed by N-Space for the Xbox 360 before its 2013 cancellation.
The Mega Bloks Halo game appears similar to most of the Lego games available in the market. Violence is intentionally kept to a minimum with a cartoony effect instead of the realistic effects of the original games. It also seems to feature more platforming gameplay instead of a shooter and also includes some form of vehicle customization, as reported by Kotaku. The unfinished game showcased great graphics and gameplay. The video also flaunts the franchise's beloved split screen multiplayer mode, which was missing in their "Halo 5: Guardians" game.
Microsoft has signed a deal with Mattel to release toys featuring characters and items from their famous shooter. Mega Bloks already has a product lineup of vehicles and characters from the shooter available in the market. The unfinished game could have been Microsoft's ticket to capture the younger gamer audience. Other gaming franchises made for teens and mature players have collaborated with Lego to release kid-friendly versions of their titles with success. Obviously, Microsoft tried to also grab another slice of the gaming market targeted towards children.
Bonnie Ross, a 343 Industries boss allegedly confirms that they have been receiving requests to make a kid-friendly Halo game. Perhaps Microsoft will revisit their collaboration with Mega Bloks and release the game in the near future.
