In an interview with French Halo fan site Halo Destiny, developers 343 Industries Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor spoke about Halo 4. While covering ground heard from most interviews, new information was divulged.

O'Connor was asked but Spartan Ops, the cooperative, episodic series with five episodes launching a week. O'Connor described that Spartan Ops was similar to a TV show, with episodes reaching completion as the first episodes air, despite the game approaching completion. Additionally, the service will be free to all players, at least during the first season, delivered in Halo 4 and not as downloadable content.

"We know there is a market for it, we know there is an appetite for it, and so we can make some predictions. Unlike some TV shows we were able to build some story in advance," O'Connor revealed, implying that content will not be created if Spartan Ops is unexpectedly successful.

On the subject of whether a second season will release, O'Connor did not provide a definite answer. However, he mentioned that Spartan Ops' success will likely impact future series. Though the first season is free, a second season will likely be paid for considering the cost of developing a campaign-length series. Accompanying missions are an opening cinematic with full motion capture and voice acting to provide the setup.

Spartan Ops replaces Halo ODST's and Halo Reach's Firefight. The wave-based survival mode requires players to fight off Covenant, one of the modes released since Gears of Wars 2 introduce Horde.

In the interview O'Connor also talked about his past experience, the transition from Bungie to 343 Industries, the new Flood mode (confirmed to support a maximum of 12 players), and the editions of Halo 4. The Limited Edition will include a pass to the three map packs to release for Halo 4, O'Connor revealed. Whether the Limited Edition console also includes the pass is unconfirmed, though it may be a surprise if it does not.

Interestingly, O'Connor disclosed that at the end of Halo 3's Legendary Ending the then unidentified world, now Requiem, "was always intended to be a Forerunner world." O'Connor also confirmed Halo 4 uses just one disc, though the space required for multiplayer means it loads faster.

Halo 4 launches Nov. 6 on Xbox 360.