Paramount+’s television adaptation of the popular Xbox video game series Halo has proven to be a major hit for the streaming service.
According to Variety, Halo is one of the most-watched original series on Paramount+, second only to 1883, a spinoff of the Paramount Network’s massively popular neo-western series Yellowstone. However, while 1883 is still Paramount+’s most-watched original series overall, Halo‘s March 2022 premiere did top 1883‘s December 2021 debut in terms of 24-hour viewership.
“It has a political worldview that people tap into and relate to,” David Nevins, chief content officer of scripted originals for Paramount+ and chairman and CEO of Showtime, said of Halo. “For science fiction, it’s got a political sophistication that is resonating in these times.”
Like 1883 and the streaming service’s Star Trek lineup, Halo has effectively become a tentpole title for Paramount+. Interest in the show’s March premiere led to an uptick in Paramount+ subscriptions and — in addition to the series being a big hit in the United States — Variety explains that Halo has been a “cornerstone” of Paramount+’s international rollout strategy. The show’s performance has already exceeded expectations in Latin American territories (such as Mexico), where it drove record Paramount+ sign-ups and boasts high completion rates.
Halo has also been used to promote the streaming service’s June 22 launch in the United Kingdom. Paramount is still looking to grow its global streaming reach, though, in the meantime, has licensed Halo to markets that Paramount+ does not currently cover, such as Japan, France, New Zealand and certain African territories. In other words, Paramount’s sizable investment in the video game adaptation certainly appears to be paying off.
Developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios (now known as Xbox Game Studios), the original Halo: Combat Evolved launched for the Xbox in 2001. The game spawned a plethora of sequels and spinoffs, with the sixth and most recent main-series entry, Halo Infinite (developed by 343 Industries), launching for the Xbox Series X/S in 2021.
Co-produced by 343 Industries, which has helmed the video game franchise of the same name since 2011, Paramount+’s Halo premiered earlier this year on March 24, with its first season running for a total of nine episodes through May 19. In February, a month before its debut, the show landed a preemptive Season 2 renewal. Despite some backlash from fans who take exception to the adaptation’s departures from the source material, Halo has been met with positive reception from critics overall, currently holding a 70 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Halo Season 1 is streaming on Paramount+ now.
Source: Variety