Halo, Assassin's Creed Going To Video, But Not Via Hollywood

Game-makers Microsoft and Ubisoft Entertainment on Thursday unveiled plans to develop motion pictures based on their best-selling games, Microsoft's Halo and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed, in a move that threatens Hollywood's hold on the video industry.

The moves represent a break from the past when it was the Hollywood studios that turned such games as Doom, Dungeons and Dragons, Super Mario Brothers and, in the near future, Warcraft, into movies.

Both game-makers discussed their plans at the Comic-Con International convention in San Diego.

Microsoft on Thursday unveiled a project called "Halo Legends," which will bring the company's Halo gaming universe into a series of anime films under the creative direction of anime directors Shinji Aramaki and Mamoru Oshii.

"Halo Legends" will be based on Microsoft's best-selling Xbox and Xbox 360 game Halo, Microsoft said in a statement.

A preview of some of the episodes in the "Halo Legends" series is planned to debut on Xbox Live, Microsoft's gaming and entertainment network.

Several studios, none of which are part of the Hollywood scene, are working with Microsoft on the project, including Japan's oldest animation studio, Toei Animation. Others include Bones, Casio Entertainment, Production I.G. and STUDIO4C.

Warner Home Video will eventually distribute the "Halo Legends" collections.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times on Thursday reported that Ubisoft is planning to turn its best-selling Assassin's Creed game into a series of short films.

The game-maker is producing three live-action films as part of its "Assassin's Creed II: Lineage" series that will serve as a prologue for the Assassin's Creed II game that it expects to release this November, the Times reported.

"Assassin's Creed II: Lineage" is being produced by Montreal-based Hybrid Technologies, which Ubisoft acquired in July of 2008.