According to its creators, a DOOM x Halo crossover episode for Secret Level could have happened. Microsoft, however, wasn’t too interested in the idea.
Secret Level, the animated video game anthology series by Love, Death and Robots creator Tim Miller and executive producer Dave Wilson, recently renewed for a second season. Combining storytelling with iconic video game characters and the efforts of over 2,000 animators, the series features celebrity voices like Keanu Reeves, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Kevin Hart.
In a recent interview with Collider, Miller and Wilson shared information on Secret Level‘s creation, what’s planned for the second season, and which ideas were turned down by publishers. One of those ideas tossed into the rejection pile was a pitch for a Halo and DOOM crossover episode featuring Master Chief and Doomguy.
“We wanted to make a Master Chief/Doom Slayer crossover episode. And I spent a whole weekend crafting this impassioned letter of my childhood. It’s exactly what Tim said; they were like, ‘Nah.‘”
And while both games ring the alarms for “very cool guys with guns”? Microsoft turning down the offer was probably the right move.
Deep down, Microsoft knows Isabelle is the only choice for a ‘DOOM’ sidekick
Let’s get the obvious out of the way — it should have been Isabelle. When both DOOM Eternal and Animal Crossing: New Horizons released on the same day in 2020, the internet immediately did its thing. The silliest crossover instantly formed, creating an unbreakable bond between two vastly different fandoms. Cozy game fans would rejoice, and bloodthirsty demon blasters would celebrate. The world was at peace, if only momentarily, during a time of lockdowns and turmoil.
Now, would Microsoft change their tune had Miller and Wilson pitched a Doomguy x Isabelle crossover? Probably not. Would Nintendo have greenlit the idea of their adorable character blasting demon faces off? Hell no. But it’s a fun thought to imagine. Doggirl and Doomguy frolicking through sunny valleys and the pits of Hell? Infinitely more entertaining than the former pitch. At least we still have the fandom to look back on, though.
You can’t deny it — that Chalkeaters music video above is ten times cooler than any Halo x DOOM crossover could ever be. We’ve already got a green-armored bulky man with cool guns. Do we really need two of them in the same episode? Sure, 20 minutes of two space marines blowing demons and aliens to bits could be cool. But that’s what the Secret Level Warhammer episode already gave us.
It’ll take more than a ‘secret level’ episode to bring ‘Halo’ back to life
In all reality, the Halo franchise is now a husk of its former self. Once the king of the FPS landscape, it struggles to maintain relevancy. Halo: Infinite, the latest game attempting to bring the Chief back into the spotlight, came and went without much commotion. Starting strongly, it quickly fizzled out after Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) failed to match players’ expectations after long periods of content drought. The Halo TV series premiered with mostly positive reviews from critics. Ultimately, it was canceled after two seasons.
Halo needs more than a 20-minute romp with Doomguy to bring it back to its former glory. Microsoft knows it’s probably best to let the Chief rest on ice while they plan their next move. Unfortunately, it’ll likely take a new “game of the generation” for players to pay attention again.
The post Microsoft Turning Down a ‘Secret Level’ ‘DOOM’ and ‘Halo’ Crossover Was the Right Move, Because It Should Have Been Isabelle appeared first on VICE.
