Halo 4 Will Work With Microsoft Surface

With the Microsoft Surface presumably launching alongside Windows RT in October Microsoft wants to give users a reason to buy the new tablet. What better way to convince gamers to buy one than with Halo 4?

According to VentureBeat, Microsoft executive Don Mattrick mentioned during the GamesBeat conference that Halo 4 will have some sort of connection to the Microsoft Surface. The publication confirmed the statement with Mattrick after he left the stage, but they weren’t able to get any more information out of him.

The obvious answer is Halo 4 will use the new Xbox SmartGlass feature which turns tablets and smartphones into second screens for games and movies. The feature will work on Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows Phone 8, and non-Microsoft platforms like iOS and Android. We don’t know, however, if Mattrick was referring to SmartGlass.

There is a possibility that Microsoft will give the Surface more functionality than other SmartGlass devices, simply because it’s a Microsoft product. That’s purely speculation, though we wouldn’t be surprised if Windows platforms received preferential treatment when SmartGlass releases later this year.

However Halo 4 interacts with the Surface, we hope it’s more than just a minimap or multiplayer stats. There’s a lot of possibilities for SmartGlass, and we’d hate to see the feature wasted on throwaway or gimmicky ideas. To some the idea of SmartGlass is itself a gimmick, but we think some developers can find some interesting uses for it. And, with the amount of great talent Microsoft brought into 343 Studios to work on Halo 4, we imagine its SmartGlass implementation will have some interesting features.