The team behind the community-driven project Installation 01 have received legal backing from 343 Industries, the developer of the blockbuster franchise Halo. The project, based on the Halo universe, was named after the first Forerunner Halo installation and was created using elements from Halo 2 and 3 and developed using the Unity 5 engine.
343i has given clearance after discussions with the development team behind the project. However, the deal does come with a few caveats. The game may not be sold for profit, and the team may not receive any donations or sell any merchandise. They may, however, find other ways to generate income, and the team have discussed possibilities of selling merchandise based on the team and the studio itself.
“We are happy to announce that the outcome of the call was both incredibly informational and very positive! Through these interactions, we have been ensured that Installation 01 is not under imminent legal threat, provided we remain non-commercial in nature and scope and continue to follow Microsoft’s Game Content Usage Rules to the letter.”
This move is something of a rare occurrence. Usually, developers and studios will shut down any fan-driven community project, and 343i seems to have taken a leaf out of Microsoft"s new playbook, allowing competing platforms and studios to work with them on specific projects and services.
Installation 01 is currently in development, and you can follow their progress here. No release date has been announced yet. The game is planned for release on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Source: Installation 01