Halo 2/Halo 3 timing could cause problems ...

Bungie and Microsoft are doing a lot on the Halo franchise front. Maybe too much.

Halo 2 is going to get new downloadable maps this spring (for Xbox 360 owners), from ex-Halo multiplayer guru (and new Certain Affinity founder) Max Hoberman.

And the Halo 3 multiplayer "beta will go live when itÂ’s ready, which should be sometime this Spring" (emphasis mine).

So, is this potentially fracturing the Halo fanbase?

In his latest "Weekly Update", Bungie's Fankie O'Connor even says of the new Halo 3 control scheme, "After about ten minutes of play, it feels incredibly natural, with the lone downside that you have trouble adjusting when you go back to Halo 2."

Given the new maps coming for Halo 2 at the same time, that ... seems like it could beproblematicc.

But maybe not. Kids today can switch gaming context and control schemes quickly, so it might not be an issue. And more Halo isn't a bad thing for fans of the franchise, right?

But it seems like the marketing and timing for the two efforts needs to be closely coordinated, too avoid detracting from either.

And for reference, here are the changed to the current multiplayer control scheme ion Halo 3 (subject to change):

• Click left and right sticks: Crouch and zoom -- just like H2, although there is a "toggle crouch" option, so that you can stay crouched until you click the stick again.
  
• B: Melee attack. Note: B may also be used to activate a subtle, but nifty context-sensitive feature. [Adam: Cover mechanic? OR maybe pick up, a la Crackdown.]
  
• X: Activate mysterious new feature which on the cool scale falls somewhere between "crouch" and "activate Fantanas on speed dial." [Adam: Again, cover mechanic, or something similar?]
  
• LB: Cycle grenade type (you have at least three types of grenade now, so they must be cycled rather than switched).
  
• RB: Pick up weapon / activate stuff / reload / use turrets and so on. [Adam: Replaces old X.]
  Note: If you hold LB while standing over a dual wieldable weapon, you'll pick it up in your left hand -- a huge improvement over the "Y" button in Halo 2. This doesn't affect grenade cycling, because you can still tap LB to cycle grenades, but you can't toss 'em while dual wielding anyway. So it's moot. After about ten minutes of play, it feels incredibly natural, with the lone downside that you have trouble adjusting when you go back to Halo 2. But more vitally, LB reloads the weapon in your left hand, individually when you're dual-wielding. [Adam: Independent R and L reloads? Nice!]
  
• BACK: Calls up the Multiplayer "player menu" -- where you can mute jerks, see gamer data and so on.
  
• START: Pause menu (which is translucent so you can adjust controls without losing track of what's on screen) and one or two other significant goodies we haven't revealed yet. From here you can also end or quit a game, naturally. [Adam: Like drop-in / drop-out co-op? Please?]
  
• D-PAD: ... currently used to activate team chat, but that's very provisional. This is being given a lot of care and attention and is tied to other matters, such as your default settings and how team chat and proximity voice work.

For the full list of tentative Halo 3 controls, check out the latest "Weekly Update".

UPDATED: Looks like there's no cover mechanic, based on this exchange between Game Informer Magazine and Bungie Studios (requires Unlimited Access):

"You won't for example, see a new cover button in Halo 3. We've got one.
It's called crouch."