The HALO Trilogy | A Complete Retrospective - 1

The Great Journey begins…
From humble beginnings, video game developer Bungie launched into the 2000s with three of the most influential video games of all time. A trilogy of successes that rocked fans and the industry alike.
Now, take a journey from 1998 to 2007 to see the creation of their grand trilogy, from its inception, to its inevitable challenges, and eventually to how it became the most successful entertainment property of its time.
This is… HALO - A COMPLETE RETROSPECTIVE - PART ONE
MAIN SOURCES:
SameToken’s Halo Retrospective:
• Halo Retrospective | S...
The Complete, Untold History of Halo - VICE
www.vice.com/en/article/xwqjg...
Halopedia:
www.halopedia.org/
THE COMPLETE TIMELINE:
00:00 - 1998: Bungie in Trouble
00:04:27 - 1999: Ideas Develop / Macworld
00:08:36 - 2000: E3 2000
00:10:08 - 2000: Microsoft Joins the Party
00:12:11 - 2000: From Third to First Person
00:15:03 - 2001: Naming the Master Chief
00:16:07 - 2001: B30 / Xbox Revealed
00:19:40 - 2001: Combat Has Evolved
00:22:05 - 2001: The Fall of Reach
00:23:32 - 2001: The Launch of Halo
00:24:53 - 2001: HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED
00:48:33 - 2001: Reception / Co-op / Multiplayer
00:54:38 - 2002: How do you top it?
00:56:49 - 2002: Halo 2’s initial teaser
00:57:44 - 2003: Red VS Blue
00:59:35 - 2003: E3 2003
01:03:36 - 2003: Aftermath of E3
01:05:15 - 2003: Halo: CE on PC
01:05:55 - 2004: The March Begins
01:07:08 - 2004: Multiplayer Develops
01:08:50 - 2004: Sound / Music / Voices
01:10:54 - 2004: E3 2004
01:11:53 - 2004: I Love Bees
01:17:34 - 2004: Halo 2 Marketing
01:18:11 - 2004: The Halo 2 Death Run
01:21:37 - 2004: The Launch of Halo 2
01:24:03 - 2004: HALO 2
01:52:01 - 2004: Reception / Co-op / Multiplayer
01:58:12 - 2005: Another Day at the Beach
01:59:19 - 2005: A Slow Recovery
02:00:50 - 2005: Bungie splits from Microsoft
02:03:01 - 2006: The Story of Halo 3
02:05:55 - 2006: E3 2006
02:07:53 - 2006: Halo 3 Develops
02:10:35 - 2006: The Starry Night Trailer
02:11:59 - 2007: Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta
02:14:12 - 2007: Halo 2 for Windows Vista
02:15:10 - 2007: The IRIS Campaign
02:18:12 - 2007: E3 2007
02:19:34 - 2007: Promotion Continues
02:20:02 - 2007: Landfall / Believe
02:22:09 - 2007: Finish the Fight
02:23:42 - 2007: The Launch of Halo 3
02:26:20 - 2007: HALO 3
02:55:25 - 2007: Reception / Co-op / Multiplayer
03:00:27 - 2007: The Journey Will Continue…
Twitter: / theprimetheater
Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/prime_of_gamer/
Galvatron: / @galvysphone
Outro Music: Running in the 80s 1.5x speed

[@ThePrimeTheater]

Halo Part Two OUT NOW! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJXEemdnjcmNeK8

[@danielsgames8810]

You can actually do a lot more in SPV3 if you hadn't played it i highly recommend that you do

[@CaptainRavi0l1]

“They put Master Chief in the soda” is the funniest line in an otherwise serious video, 11/10 that’s my Prime

[@lysolcoke2HD]

Dey put da mamster cheef in da sooda

[@Ree241]

@@lysolcoke2HDfr fr

[@Mister_Domm]

Thats from Russianbadger

[@KiraThompson]

@@lysolcoke2HD dey put de mebtr cheef n de srodr

[@acey6991]

​@@Mister_Dommyou're from Russian badger. That's from before you were born 😂

[@StanchestSword]

"Wait really? The perfectly rectangular cave made of I'm assuming metal, isn't natural? Woah!" Instant sub, that was hilarious and caught me off guard.

[@andrewmeyer3599]

Joseph Staten still loves and hates the cave change without changing the voice lines

[@LapisLazuliVA]

Ironic, the day after I watch the final season of red vs blue, prime comes back with a Halo retrospective. Today’s a good day.

[@NealBones]

I think that's more coincidence than it is irony, amigo. Cool nontheless

[@IronBeagle2003]

It also comes out the day Rooster Teeth was shut down

[@NealBones]

@@IronBeagle2003 Rip

[@IronBeagle2003]

“Babe! Wake Up! New Prime’s Theater Dropped!”

[@pantyosashu8137]

I remember a time when he was called Prime of Grammar.

[@Spillow-C]

@@pantyosashu8137 "I was there Gandalf, I was there 3000 years ago

[@pantyosashu8137]

@@Spillow-C I've never actually seen LOTR so I don't know the rebuttal to that.

[@Spillow-C]

@@pantyosashu8137 its a meme version of: lots of time ago i was there and i feel old

[@pantyosashu8137]

@@Spillow-C ...wut?

[@Primeditz]

You know it’s a good day when Primes Theater uploads

[@abedekok322]

I love how Microsoft's undeniably most recognizable franchise, started life as Mac title. Fantastic recap, Prime

[@GhostRydr1172]

It was. Xbox lived and breathed based on the success of Halo. And now that Halo's limelight has faded, so has Xbox. Not long now before M$ scuttles the whole thing.

[@zacg3288]

@@GhostRydr1172😅 kz

[@zacg3288]

@@GhostRydr1172😅

[@GhostRydr1172]

@zacg3288 Phil Spencer himself said it: "the moment we fail with Halo, we failed with Xbox". Kinda prophetic if you ask me.

[@Ree241]

The great journey begins now..

[@jarlwhiterun7478]

Finish this fight...

[@markusmitchell8585]

No it began 2001

[@Ree241]

@@markusmitchell8585 I know Halo have very cool and great Video Games

[@4th1st73]

It’s The Great Journey you heretic 😂😂 jk jk

[@Ree241]

@@4th1st73I did realize that so yeah yikes...😐😐😑😐😑😐😑😐

[@Wernissage]

My day just got a whole lot better

[@NebLleb]

This retrospective is honestly, one of the best I've ever seen and I'm already 8:30 minutes in. It goes into the development history from how Myth 2 did a number on Bungie in the early days of the game's development to its slow transformation from Blam! to what we know as Halo: Combat Evolved, and then continues throughout the game's hype and development and beyond. Honestly, I will ALWAYS respect Bungie. Sure, the people that made them who they are left, so now they're corpo sellouts in the midst of butchering their oldest IP into an extraction shooter, but back then, Bungie had a knack for going through troubled development cycles and still ending up just fine whilst delivering quality experiences with their Halo games. Perseverance, strength and victory through dark times is what Bungie represented back then. And because of that, I will always respect who they were, rather than throw hissy-fits about who they are now. [Side note, for those interested, Classic Marathon is now available on Steam, and I highly recommend you check it out because that game is as good as Halo 1 & 2 IMO.]

[@DullBoy23]

First series that I've seen of yours was the transformers retro and it was amazing. Actually got me into a huge transformers kick watching everything that they have released. Keep it up bro! I've already played through all the games recently but I know I'm in for a good watch.

[@Kuzzie]

8 minutes and 17 seconds for what I think is your best cold open on a video, props The title drop and the classic music just hits at the perfect moment in the storytelling, A+

[@Neros_light]

I miss system link man. Growing up, my older brother and brother in law used to have an event once a month called Men's Halo Night. We'd bring our xboxes, buy costco pizza and play for hours. I wasn't allowed until I was thirteen. That event turned me into the good Halo player I am today. We don't do it anymore because my brother in law and my sister moved to Texas.

[@samuelgonzalez-tovar3936]

And you only needed one copy of halo?

[@TheSILENTOne-tz3pf]

Still waiting on Pirates of the Carribean! (Love the videos!)

[@ABurntMuffin]

oh man, yeah that's a great series i'd love to see them do that

[@Samlem14]

I’m forever in awe at the lack of subscriber you have. The quality of content you put out is probably the highest on KZbin. Not only is the analysis top notch but it’s entertaining as hell. Man just great stuff please keep it up. Movies video games anything I’m here for it

[@TaTopePia]

"It's great." You know what? It is great. Subbed.

[@InclementFilms]

The fact that your Halo journey is relatively new but you captured everything perfectly says a lot of how well you researched! So we’ll made!!

[@BasedGojiNerd]

This just made my day. Thank you soooooo much Prime theaters!

[@noahturner8875]

Fantastic retrospective, Prime. As a commuter, long-form entertaining videos like this are exactly what I look for to occupy my attention while I drive. I’ll keep watching and enjoying your videos as long as you keep making them. Also side note, I’d love to see more video game series retrospectives from you. Thanks for being awesome.

[@hawk329]

Prepare for the trip here we go again

[@allendean9807]

My youngest son spent hours finding every place on Halo2 where you could go off map. He was like 7-8 years old, and I’ve never seen a kid have so much fun in multiplayer sniping dudes from off map, no one finding him. The screams of rage echoing over his headphones…. Classic.

[@IronMatty]

Once again another absolutely insane documentary! Seriously I don’t know how you do this! I’m gonna be honest I’m not the biggest halo fan (although I did go to a midnight launch for 3 and played it a LOT and have fond memories of it) but despite that I still sat and watched this entire 3 hours documentary. I’ve said this in a previous video of yours - how ur not 1 million subs is just beyond me! You are without doubt my favourite content creator who does these retrospective series! Would you ever consider a mass effect retrospective or was that a game u didn’t play that much? Again amazing job my friend and I’m waiting patiently for part 2 now

[@ThePrimeTheater]

i don't know much about mass effect right now, but that doesn't mean a retrospective on that is impossible. i only truly got into halo a couple years ago, so. wouldn't be soon but it's not out of the question as per the rest of your comment: thanks : )

[@cohollow7174]

@@ThePrimeTheater A Mass Effect retrospective from you would be lit! Not just because it means we get a great documentary about a killer trilogy, but also because it means one of my favorite youtubers gets to dive into some of the best games I've ever experienced.

[@Mishiman69]

A mass effect retrospective would make me drool

[@IAmJasonDavis]

Back with another banger retrospective! Cheers, mate!

[@Sondi]

i appreciate that this is an actual retrospective on every aspect. great work dude!

[@darklordgrim8484]

Never have I clicked on a video quicker. I love your retrospects.

[@mrpresidentofkenya3517]

So happy you doing Halo games series! Love your videos. So much work put in and its super fun when you put a video out!! Keep em coming man❤

[@soruh2767]

really appreciate this labour of love you have created. halo 2 was my first videogame and i have very fond memories of that time.

[@thecynicaloptimist1884]

Amazing video, very well-researched and presented. There were a lot of facts here in the behind-the-scenes that I wasn't aware of until now. Great job, you earned a new sub!

[@drewmike681]

The greatest trilogy of all-time.

[@MaplejuiceVideos]

damn dude this was the most engaging 3 hour video I have probably ever sat through and it's not even in theatre.

[@taylorbertrim7625]

What an excellent video, great work. that must have been a lot of work, thank you

[@richardtrammell3281]

Never heard of this channel before. I started this video 5 minutes ago and I'm already sold. Solid writing and research so far and your voice reminds me of William Friedkin.

[@DR.slzzzp]

hourly long breakdowns are my happiest of places

[@Dukeq50s]

This video should be a must watch for any gamer. Your videos are just the chefs kiss man, keep them up.

[@KittMcKay]

My favorite retrospective youtuber doing a series on my favorite gaming franchise after already having done one on my favorite toy franchise?! I must be in heaven!!!

[@dogproblems1]

I remember bringing my Xbox and 50 ft Ethernet cable over to my buddy’s house to play 4 vs 4 halo. We would run the cable out of his bedroom window to the living room window downstairs to link up the Xbox’s. Hearing the screams and laughing from upstairs clashing with our rowdy group downstairs durning the matches was awesome

[@QFenix23]

every new video of yours is my favorite, amazing work as always :)

[@Bronk7]

I love Halo so much man, and this video gave the original trilogy so much love. Thank you! 🙇‍♂

[@RockRedGenesis]

I got my Xbox in early-to-mid 2002, with a copy of Halo. I played it non-stop for hours that day. Got my cousin into it via the couch co-op as we tag teamed the campaign. So much fun. I got Halo 2 on launch day here in the UK (which was 3 days later than the US and Australia), and again, it captured my attention for weeks, just replaying the campaign. Then I got Xbox Live.....I think you can figure it from here. Got Halo 3 on launch day too for the Xbox 360, and to this day, I feel 3 is the epitome of the series as a whole, It is my favorite game in the series and Halo 3 was the first game in the series I actually completed on Legendary (Halo 2 and its Legendary Jackal snipers can get rekt!) and of course Im played the crap out of the multiplayer too! So many memories with this trilogy, and even with side stories and prequels, this was Bungie firing on all cylinders. And the modding community are still keeping it going, these are guys and gals who are way smarter and far more creative than I'll ever be, and they are awesome too. A great retrospective, Prime, you've earned my sub, and I look forward to going through your other retrospectives.

[@frankieadriang]

Fantastic... just fantastic. I cannot wait until the next ones are released.

[@keerosah9970]

Another fantastic retrospective! Got me in the mood to boot up the Master Chief Collection

[@Tympan]

Exceptionally excellent content. Thanks so much.

[@RELvera]

amazing retrospective, funny thing is that halo was just a game i heard about and the moment i played them, I'm in love with it.

[@joelwagner8072]

When I saw Primes Theater had a new video I was instantly grinning from ear to ear. I love your videos so much.

[@methamphetamemes4206]

GREAT VIDEO by the way, it's really informative and entertaining at the same time. Perfect! I'm at the point where I just watch halo retrospectives to remember how great it is. It's like a religion for me at this point, I worship old halo and what it gave me, I have watched almost every retrospective and analysis video XD. I can't bear to see the state it's in today, the only halo I play is in the form of lovingly crafted mods for other games and the MCC.

[@jacobdavis6604]

Fantastic vid as always, Prime! You've obviously got your next video or several lined up, but seeing how you handled Halo made me realize I'd love to see you do an episode on the Mass Effect games.

[@ijme367]

Listening to your videos at work makes the time go by very quickly. Thanks 😅

[@apostolisgiannakoukis5828]

Awesome video as usual. Great job!

[@razorback6111]

2:25:33 holy shit that’s my childhood GameStop. Orlando Florida right across the street from UCF’s campus. I was there for Skyrim’s midnight release lmao

[@ipodclassic91]

I really teared up watching this because it made me remember all the way back when I found out about Halo CE from being at a friend's house and as soon as I played it for the first time I fell in love....how I wish I could go back to those simpler times

[@Appa-yi7yv]

Literally made my day

[@Spencerguitarplayer]

Yoo this is awesome I am glad autoplay served up this gold! Legendary playthrough every time through. I still miss those halo 3 days. that menu… showing where in the world there were people playing with an amazing light display.

[@okeynwachie]

Bro idk how i found this channel but your boy is here to stay. Phenomenal job on the LOTR video and holy shit my guy has 3 halo vids? I feel like im gonna like it here 😂

[@nightfire_CSGO]

That damn chanting from the music gives me chills every time I hear it

[@williamgilbert5982]

Love the work, can't wait to see the next 2? (Odst, reach, and Halo wars & then 343 era?) Installments!

[@evandenison5310]

THE LEGEND IS BACK!

[@jazoli8etfagha]

I love your videos keep up the great work man ❤

[@wy8077]

This was the best birthday gift yesterday! New Prime's Theater and HALO!!!!

[@ravwv7198]

a great video bro! nice job! keep it up :D

[@jfoldger1184]

I remember the shock I had when the cutscene ended and I was playing as the arbiter, was indeed a wild twist

[@phantomdude9901]

The halo series is one of the most important games to ever be developed, it drastically changed the gaming landscape and it was a phenomenon all of it's own.

[@S3N531]

Incredibly well researched video. You’ll be at 1m subscribers in no time

[@jasmine7744]

Amazing video!

[@leonardosantana5636]

Another quality video! HE DOESNT MISS

[@damienricher5039]

Deserve the million views , amazing job 🫶

[@nihilist92]

Outstanding work 👏

[@JordanJMyers]

Man Halo 2 I used to be a sniping machine lol played it so much. Friends would bring tv's and we'd split the room up and go at it for hours. Great times

[@tjrage6168]

This is incredible

[@finndalby9132]

Dude, I love your videos so much. Not sure what you have planned after halo, but please, PLEASE consider doing the fallout series next. So much lore and backstory that could be covered. Thanks!

[@sayanroy1641]

Excellent video!

[@sebastianrabalais3733]

This franchise changed my life in so many more ways than one.

[@boyblob]

Really nice recap.

[@Zorrack001]

Man youre Great. Thanks

[@evolvedHE]

Holy mother of god I can’t wait to watch this

[@hoseinbmr3449]

so we are having video game retrospectives now? hell yeah👍

[@chrismoore8172]

Love all the videos. Not sure how I missed the Dark Knight ones, but those are up next. Any chance of you doing a series on Gears of War? E-Day is coming soon and I haven’t been excited for a game…probably since Master Chief Collection. Would also love a Max Payne series in time for the remasters! Keep doing what you’re doing!

[@AimlessSavant]

Halo was such a profound influence to me as a kid, that despite only ever playing it once in 2005 with a then-friend-now-cousin, the word Halo in my mind first thinks of that sonorous main menu music and the ring before any other concept.

[@wabajaba2557]

Thanks for this video really had no idea how much an impact halo 2 made never really knew it existed until halo 3 came out. I was just getting into preschool when halo 2 came out so makes sense but damn is it cool to learn about the culture impact halo 2 had.

[@Dylanisgay911]

As a Playstation owner, I'm disappointed.... But as a fan, I am excited as heck!

[@SharkJnr]

my day off immediately become one to remember

[@robertlauncher]

The main theme makes me think of the world’s most intense conductor whenever those strings kick in.

[@PHybrid2]

I always loved the halo 3 marketing campaign. The 2006 e3 trailer gives me goosebumps

[@alphamarine4784]

Great video, I do have a few requests for you if it isn’t too much trouble. 1. Please mention the last stand of the noble 14 when halo 2 was shutdown. 2. Due to Rooster Teeth shutting down, can you do a series of series going over their work as a final send off to them? If you don’t feel like doing either, that’s okay. Hope you have a great day and a better week.

[@williamcase426]

Such a great trilogy

[@Hepheat75]

These are the games that made me a gamer.

[@laurenmasters]

This trilogy is iconic

[@janedoe1787]

Man this brings me back to

[@johngolles342]

2:49:45 the transforming pure flood forms appeared halfway though the game on the mission floodgate, a few missions before Cortana

[@gandalfthepotato9844]

I wish I could experience playing the halo games for the first time again

[@petrhanke8644]

Bought Halo MCC two years ago on Steam and I fell in love with Bungie games so much that I refused to play Halo 4. Halo 3´s final mission “broke me” and during the last few hundred meters in Warthog I was thinking “This is it. This is the end of the Series”. Soundtrack, lore, good and interesting level design, limited yet fun weaponry, humor, despair, hope… this series had everything. I do understand why so many people were hyped for Halo 2 and 3 during its glory days and playing these games in Multiplayer must have been the best gaming experience ever.

[@t20pIayer]

Great video as always but something I see in the background is the evaluation of gaming and the internet from the 2010's

[@PsychoMoFoGaming]

You should make a full video on Red Vs Blue. With the last "season" Restoration out it would be cool to see a video remembering the series.

[@mrpresidentofkenya3517]

You are so underrated man 🥲

[@natangweiitula]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy wooooohooooooo. Thank You

[@Reject101Personal]

I love hearing one of the famed Owen brothers talk about things they like.

[@jonesy7650]

I was never a fan of the Halo games. They weren't bad or anything, but being a PC gamer most of my life i had played all the big shooters, and Halo to me was just another one. But most of my friends where console gamer, and loved it. But i admit despite not being a big fan of the series, hearing that music brings back tons of memories.

[@Lean_time32]

Would love to see a retrospective of the grand theft auto franchise love the videos prime keep them coming

[@AllStarJD]

WE IN THERE BOYS

[@jarlwhiterun7478]

English?

[@AllStarJD]

@@jarlwhiterun7478 Portuguese?

[@obitwokenobi9808]

1:17:07 Hey! You just scrolled over to my hometown!

[@JordanJMyers]

Great shit man. Maybe one day we can get a Call of Duty one