Bungie: "Xbox Live wouldn't have made it" without Halo

Xbox Live is ten years old today, but things could have been very different. According to Bungie studio manager Harold Ryan, the premium service wouldn't have worked without Halo and the leadership of the renowned studio.

"I think Xbox Live wouldn't have made it. I don't think the Xbox would be where it is today without Bungie and without Halo," Ryan told GamesIndustry.biz.

"As a group, we provided both technical and creative guidance and thought leadership that really pushed the limits. We weren't just a game developer using the service. We were integrated in the design of the service and how it worked. Systems for groups and matchmaking and skill ranking were all things that were pushed the furthest and the hardest by us."

Halo has remained one of Xbox Live's most played games across the last decade. The recent launch of Halo 4 is the first iteration to be released without Bungie overseeing development, and managed to pull in $220 million during its first 24 hours.