Halo 3: ODST features a new multiplayer mode called Firefight. It’s kinda like the Horde mode from Gears of War 2. For some reason though, it doesn’t support matchmaking.
When I spoke with Bungie producer Curtis Creamer last week, I asked him why they don’t support matchmaking in Firefight. He explained how it comes down to a technical issue.
Firefight is based on the cooperative campaign mode from Halo 3. It uses that as a base technology with all the same gameplay mechanics, including AI. Matchmaking was simply not part of that Halo 3 campaign.
Of course, when playing Firefight, just as when playing the cooperative campaigns from Halo 3 and ODST, you can party up with your friends. Creamer says the idea behind Firefight is not to play with a bunch of strangers online, but to enjoy a more intimate experience that harks back to the early days of Halo.
I’m not a competitive multiplayer gamer. Co-op is more my style, having played through Halo 3, Gears 2, Resident Evil 5, Left 4 Dead and others recently. Personally I wouldn’t want to play those co-op games with strangers, preferring instead to schedule sessions with people I know.
But maybe I’m just weird. Do you play co-op games with strangers? Or do you stick with your friends? Is the lack of matchmaking here really a big deal?
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