Spartan R41: DaRKSTaRxMeRC: Halo will not die, regardless of whether Bungie continues (or doesn't) to make games. If they stop, then Microsoft/ 343 Industris will get other developers to develop another Halo game, same as Ensemble Studios developed Halo Wars.
As DFang said, Bungie Halo is over, in a way. This I know, and I don't believe them to be "joking." However, 343 Industries has people from Bungie, so in a way they're [Bungie] continuing to make Halo stuff. However I'm about 95% sure that 343 Industries will keep cranking out Halo while Bungie makes more kick-assery.
DaRKSTaRxMeRC:
It's sort of like the new Star Wars. Not quite, yet, but once it gets its movies out there, it may very well become the new Star Wars of our time.
Finally! I've had this feeling for a while. However I would argue that Halo IS this generation's Star Wars. Star Wars was mainly big in the cinema because that's what was big in the 70's and 80's. It spawned a lot of media and merchandise, but the basis was the cinema. This generation the big thing is video games. We have video games that are near interactive movies, with great storylines. In this respect, Halo is similar to Star Wars.
The difference between Halo and Star Wars is that there is an actual story with Halo. Although George Lucas wrote 9 (although I heard 10 back in 1978) episodes he could only get a studio to pick up one, so 20th Century Fox went with the episode that they thought would draw a good crowd. They didn't even name it, just called it Star Wars. After Star Wars outsold Gone With the Wind at the box office, Fox picked up the rest.
But we didn't go back to see what became Episode IV, A New Hope over and over again because of the story. We kept going back because there were so many things happening on the screen you had to see it four or five times to catch everything. The movie was shot in the style of the old serials that used to be shown before the feature. No one knew so many people would like it and they have been playing catch-up ever since, writing all kinds of stuff that they think people will like just because it's Star Wars and there are few boundaries.
Halo is different. They wrote a big, deep story and planted it right in our living rooms (or wherever you play Halo). The books and games are well integrated (virtually inseparable) and insanely detailed. There's already enough stuff out there to inspire more games and books for decades. Good ones. And this Halo: Legends series will show that there are plenty of different ways to tell the stories.
I think any Halo game that is telling a Halo story in an epic fashion such as the Halo trilogy will do well if the developers pay attention to detail. Games like Halo Wars and ODST are on a different level. I don't know where they're going with Reach, but I'm sure it'll do just fine.
Personally, I'm waiting for the MMO that let's me run and gun, drive every vehicle, fly every aircraft, and command troops and fleets. All in real time.
There's you marching orders, 343. You've got one year ;)