Mission Objective

Welcome to The Age of Gratitude. As we draw close in our approach the 10-Year Anniversary of the Halo Franchise, the time seems right to give pause, and give thanks for a decade of ringwrought bliss.

This site is first and foremost designed to be a place where Halo fans of all walks can submit their thanks, experiences, and memories to share with the community as a whole.

Though to many it might seem a trivial thing, there are so many individuals who have been affected in so many powerful ways by the story of humanity’s fight with the Covenant. And while on the surface it seems like a classic tale of survival, beneath the looming shadow of ancient structures, it turned into so much more. It turned into a battle for humanity to find itself.  The real beauty is that so many of us have been able to find ourselves, and each other, through the common bond of a game.

Halo’s true reach cannot be easily measured or adequately defined. It can only be felt. It’s felt by those in the heat of a competitive firefight online. It’s felt by those that spend countless hours wandering the digital landscapes set before them, enveloping themselves in the details. It’s felt by those who hang on every word of every page, grasping at every new mystery in the fathomless fiction. It’s felt by those who have created new sports, works of art, and those who have forged lifelong relationships.

Halo isn’t just a game. It stopped being confined by that description not long after it found it’s way into our consoles 10 years ago. It’s become a part of popular culture. It’s changed the fortunes of thousands. It’s created a community that grows stronger each day. This site is a monument to the foundation that was laid, and the fortress that was built. Brick by brick. Game by game.

To Bungie, thank you for creating not just a universe, but a playground. Thank you for making each and every player feel listened-to and valuable. Thank you for making changes in response to your community. Thank you for staying true to who you are, and for chasing your own dreams as a company.  I for one will continue to follow you into new adventures and galaxies, and hope the finest of outcomes for you all.

To Ensemble, you didn’t think I’d leave you out did you? Thank you for your awesome contribution to the franchise. It truly is better for your efforts. Thank you for introducing me (gently even) to a genre I had often been intimidated by.

To 343 Industries, thank you for your passion. Your desire to make fans feel like family is going to be your gateway to greatness. Thank you for bringing people on board who we feel we can trust to both respect what has come before while taking us on incredible new adventures at the same time. Thank you for so valiantly taking the torch and not just running with it, but accelerating at faster-than-light speeds.

To the Halo Community, thank you for becoming an extended family. Thank you for your discussions, both important and ridiculous. Thank you for the passion, participation, and feedback that has inspired and helped shape the greatness we’ve been privileged to enjoy.  This site is for you just as much as it is for anyone. It’s for those who have both made and played.

It’s time to look back, and look ahead.

<3 – GrimBrother One

(GrimBrother One is a decade-long Halo fan, and Admin for Halo.Bungie.Org, Community Leader & Monitor for the Halo Waypoint Forums, and the creator and Administrator of Age of Gratitude)