Frank O'Conner really got the fanboys and haters going when he said we hadn't seen the last of Master Chief.  Then following these prophetic words, we learn Microsoft is seeking to expand their internal Halo team, no doubt preparing for the next Halo game.

With the guys at Ensemble Studios turning a new leaf, there's little chance this new Halo project is another console-exclusive RTS.  Not that we don't appreciate Halo Wars, but we're pretty sure Microsoft is better off sticking to the FPS game on this one.

So a lot of gamers have adopted the name "Halo 4" for now, and silly little fanboy arguments are already popping up.  Well, I think they're rather silly -- like the one over Halo 3's "Finish the fight!" slogan.  Hey, everyone kind of assumed the fight was finished after John-117 and the Arbiter sent the Covenant running home with their tails between their legs, leaving behind a trail of dead Prophets and Brutes... and those little guys with funny English.

Safe to say most of us are hoping Bungie hops on board for the new Halo game, for fear of what might happen if Microsoft tried to go it alone.  But what's there left to do in Halo-verse?

1. "Start the fight!"  We've already got a sort-of-prequel with Halo Wars, but let's be honest; that game left a lot to be desired in terms of lore.  Gameplay was fun, but Sargeant Forge or Professor Anders were memorable only for being such crappy characters with as much (combined) personality as a soap dish.  Making another prequel doesn't seem like a bad idea at all, especially if it's an FPS that focuses on Master Chief and his Spartan buddies.
    
2. If the next Halo game is a sequel, shift the focus from marines and UNSC to the Arbiter and the Elites.  Master Chief could still make his appearance, but let fans get a closer look at the surviving Arbiter's fate.  What exactly are the Elites going to do now that they pretty much helped humanity drive back the Covenant and Flood?  Speaking of which...
    
3. Nobody likes the Flood -- they're unbelievably annoying.  You're never sure if they're actually dead so you go around wasting ammo on any Flood you see slumped on the floor, and some of them explode when they die (yummy).  Then there's those nasty little Floodling things that rush you in such huge numbers, exploding upon contact.  Making them a prevalent reoccuring enemy was pretty douchey of Microsoft/Bungie, especially when they suddenly became intelligent in Halo 3 and learned how to use guns; major ow and ew factor.  And their "leader" was a giant telepathic tentacle monster!  I'm not the only who noticed that, right?  If these nasties are going to keep showing up, I propose making the Flood a playable race.  It'd be kind of like playing as the zombies in Left 4 Dead but with more pew pew pew.
    
4. Who wants to see the Forerunners in HD?  If the next Halo is a prequel, go way back so we can see them, or implement flash backs if it's going to be a sequel.  Hell, why not both?  Screw linear storytelling -- switch between two parallel situations in different timelines.  Give fans a glimpse of the distant past while we follow Master Chief (or some other protagonist) in present time. 
    
5. In need of another plot twist?  Make Master Chief a woman with a really deep voice.  At this point, no one will see it coming.

Of course, this is all moot if O'Conner was actually referring to Halo 3: ODST.  We'll keep dreaming anyway.