Long time first-person shooter fans often wonder/troll "Why is Halo so popular?" It's pretty simple really. Combine great marketing, a solid game, one deeply entrenched online community, and the fact that kids just love space marines and you have your answer.

Microsoft's Shane Kim let that cat out of the bag in his recent chat with Dean Takahashi, revealing that the real reason is "all of the special sauce that grows around it." Gross. I never knew about the sauce. Anyway, he speaks briefly on the future of the Halo franchise after the final chapter in Bungie's Halo trilogy has been told.

There are more stories to tell in the Halo universe. We are building a real-time strategy game with Ensemble Studios. That is going to be very successful when you combine their expertise in that genre with the amazing back story of Halo. So I do agree that I think the universe itself will support a lot more. With respect to this story, Bungie has been very clear. This is the end of the Halo trilogy.

And I'm sure the end of the franchise altogether. Kidding! They'll pick the Halo bone clean, no doubt. Michael McWhertor

Interview With Shane Kim, head of Microsoft Game Studios, on Halo 3, Taking On The Nintendo Wii, And Making The Xbox 360 Appealing To The Mass Market [Mercury News]