Hamish calls it quits! In a dramatic countup which started early this morning the Story page’s SETI client “Powered by Jjaro tech” clocked up its 7777th SETI units on the very day that the Microsoft-Bungie buyout is announced. Coincidence? We think not. We’ve also learnt that Hamish doesn’t intend to continue crunching SETI units which should be good news for Banzif. The Marathon’s Story page lives on though. This is what the page had to say:

Marathon lives on. And the “heart and soul” of the Marathon’s Story page is not Bungie but its fans. As long as there are fans there will be a Story page. Veritatem Dies Aperit.

Anyone know what that last bit means?

The halobungie.com spoof site went offline earlier today, due to huge bandwidth excesses. The Dukes of Halo movie available there, though, has been mirrored by Halo Center… so swing on by if you haven’t seen it!

GameSpot has put up a news article of the Bungie acquisition, as well as an interesting 4 page interview with Alex Seropian. Absolutely worth a read.

Dear Fans. Bungie posts Letter To Our Fans from Alex and Jason and Acquisition FAQ. Here’s the last part of the letter:

We’re diving into this with our eyes wide open, and are eager to make it succeed. The last seven years have been a real blast. We hope you’ll join us for the next seven, after which we’ll blow up the world.

– Alex and Jason

Thanks to Matt Soell for the heads up in our forums.

The 9-5’s at Inside Mac Games weigh in on the Microsoft-Bungie buyout. There’s also a short Q&As with Doug Zartmanconcerning the future of Mac games from Bungie. Bottom line no commitments as of yet. 🙁

Blam! The Halo SETI Marinestake our Microsoft… oh wait… that was just a dream. :(Here are the 24 hour stats on this fateful day. Why am I the only one at the HBO offices today?

Some good natured humor on the Microsoft-Bungie buyout at utterer.com. Check out that “Reasons Why Microsoft Bought Bungie” Infographic. 😉

“I am really concerned as to how our PC and Mac fans are going to view this deal…” says Alex Seropian. Gamespy have posted aninterview with Alex Seropian, founder and CEO of Bungie, and Ed Fries, vice president of Microsoft Games Group. Make sure you read this one. Alex is quoted as saying the following:

“I am really concerned as to how our PC and Mac fans are going to view this deal,” Seropian said. “Our fans have brought us to this point and are the reasons why we exist. In the short term, especially the Mac fans have a lot of fears about what this might mean. We are still going to make decisions the way we have always made them. It is about what makes most business sense and what is good for the game. In the long term if what our fans want, is to make games that push the envelope of technology and are fun to play. Then there is no question this deal will be awesome for them.”

Doug Zartman to leave Bungie! We’ve just learnt that Doug “the voice of Bob” Zartman is leaving Bungie software. Microsoft are taking over Bungie’s marketing and the whole Dept are out the door. Gawd I’m depressed Doug was Bungie’s oldest employee. Looks like Jim Ruiz and the Bungie Store are next in line for the chop! We’ll keep you up-to-date on events as they unfold.

Microsoft make it official! Thanks to Blue’s News once again for posting the Microsoft’s official press release on their acquisition of Bungie:

Microsoft to Acquire Bungie Software

REDMOND, Wash. – June 19, 2000 – Microsoft Corp. today announced it acquired Chicago-based Bungie Software Products Corp., a leading independent developer of action oriented computer and video games. As a result of this acquisition, Microsoft gains exclusive publishing and distribution rights to select Bungie-developed titles, including the highly anticipated sci-fi action epic “Halo.”

Go read the full press release here.

“We cannot promise that a Windows or Mac version of Halo will ship, but we can’t rule it out either.”says Doug Zartman. Our good friends over at Blue’s News have scored an interview with Bungie’s Doug Zartman. The voice of Bob tells it like it is!

Marathon’s Story page to close? We can’t believe it?We’re seeking confirmation on this one folks. There’s an announcement coming linked to some countdown thingie. Gawd!

Oni Central the premiere Oni site run by Harry Al-Shakarchi is committed to staying. Here’s the announcement:

Oni Central is here to stay as your source for Oni information and news. I hope you will join me when Oni is released and we can finally enjoy the fruits of Bungie West’s labour.

The Bungie fan community begins to crumble. The premiere Myth files site “The Mill” run by long time Bungie fan Randall Shaw has closed its doors due to the Microsoft buy out of Bungie. Sad news for Myth fans. Thanks to Bagman on our forums.

Daily Raider gets the scoop with a total of four pieces on the Microsoft-Bungie buyout:

Microsoft buys Bungie: Confirmed

5 Things You Must Know About Microsoft’s Buying Bungie

Interview with Jason Jones about Bungie’s Future

Diagram of what’s going to be published by whom

Some Bungie-Microsoft humor from Penny Arcade to brighten your day. Thanks to Jagu on our forums.

“We do care about our fans and about the Mac” says Bungie’s Jason Jones. In an exclusive interviewwith Daily Raider Jason reiterated Bungie’s continued support for their fans and the Mac:

Daily Raider: Do you feel, as many people are claiming on forums, that you are stabbing an icy dagger through the hearts of your most stalwart fans by selling out, quite literally,to Microsoft?

Jason Jones: Hmmm… I think our whole point is, and has always been, to make great games. Faced with the direction the games market is going and the opportunity to be the premiere developer on a new game console system — we’re doing what’s best for the games and for Bungie. We do care about our fans and about the Mac.

According to Jason the decision about which platforms to develop for remains Bungie’s. Bungie will decide if they’ll be a Mac or PC version of Halo.

“Microsoft buys Bungie to bolster its development of games for personal computers and its planned X-Box video-game console” says Microsoft. Here’s a quote from the press release:

“Bungie is going to move up to Redmond and create great games for the PC and X-Box and really help us shape X-Box as the games platform of the future,” said Ed Fries, vice president of Microsoft’s games division.

As part of the purchase, Microsoft acquired Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.’s 20 percent stake in Bungie. Take-Two, Bungie’s current distributor, has acquired ownership of one of Bungie’s two upcoming releases, a game called “Oni,” as well as the rights to “Myth” games.

Microsoft buy Bungie. Halo for X-box. The rumors were true. ‘Nuff said.

Blam! The Halo SETI Marinestake out the SETI-Hispano team and move up to position #48 in the Battle of the Teams. Hey some good news this weekend. Banzif and Rival go hell for leather and take top honors. FunkyB (48 units) and Shockadelica (17 units) enter the top 300. Full details on the 24 hour stats page.