Halo is a
science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and owned and published
by Microsoft Game Studios. The main trilogy of games center on the experiences
of the Master Chief, a cybernetically-enhanced human super-soldier, and his
artificial intelligence (AI) companion, Cortana. The Master Chief aids future
humanity in battling the Covenant, a theocratic alliance of alien races. In this
science fiction setting, the term "Halo" refers to Halo megastructures: large,
habitable ringed structures, similar to Larry Niven's ringworlds.
Strong sales of halo led to the franchise's expansion into other mediums; there
are five bestselling novels, two graphic novels, and other licensed products.
Beyond the original trilogy, other "Halo" games have branched off into other
video game genres, including Halo Wars, a real-time strategy game produced as
developer Ensemble Studios' last project. Video games in development include
Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach. The series' award-winning music was composed by
Bungie's own in-house musician Martin O'Donnell, and soundtracks have been
released for the entire trilogy. The cultural impact of the Halo series has been
compared by writer Brian Bendis to that of Star Wars.
The collective group of fans of the series is referred to as the "Halo Nation".
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