Halo – The King of Competitive Console Gaming
When looking into the modern era of competitive gaming, it’s hard to believe that it was once just a niche pass time.
The now immensely popular platform of eSports has gone from strength to strength ever since its emergence in the 70s, and although now looking back the games on the show seem like prehistoric fossils compared to the 8K, 120fps blockbusters we play now, the core of competitive gaming remains; especially for the humble First-Person Shooter.
Although, there is one First-person Shooter that truly paved the way for not only other FPS’ to follow but also allowed console gaming to truly make its mark in competitive gaming. That game is Halo… [queue the intense humming theme tune].
Released in 2001, Halo has been a household name ever since it first blessed our TV screens. A pioneer of its time, the sci-fi shooter bringing high-velocity combat with strategic plays made waves in the industry when dropping on Microsoft’s Xbox. Master Chief, the main protagonist, is one of the most iconic characters in gaming culture, and it comes as no surprise when you see the legacy that Halo etched into the history of gaming.
On Halo’s release, competitive gaming was predominately on PC or in the arcade. Console gaming rarely saw competitive light until Halo, which brought together mechanics fit for strategic play with the affordability of console gaming. Throughout its heyday, between 2001 and 2010, Halo would become the favourite amongst console gamers becoming the most-watched console game at a competitive level.
The Halo scene would boom, with groups such as Final Boss, one of the most coveted teams in the history of eSports dominating competitions for 2 straight years and more and more sponsors getting involved. Halo 3 would even release its own MLG playlist [Major League Gaming] in 2008 which created a platform that truly made the competitive play more accessible to the masses. With the increasing capabilities of the Xbox and its online features, Halo made it easier than ever to play on a more serious level and many would argue that without it, console gaming would not be what it was today.
