HBO has always been pretty cool as an actual website. As everyone here has noted, it's the community that makes it special. But communities as cool as this one don't randomly congeal around sci-fi space marine franchises. It starts with the passion, dedication, good-nature, and hard work of the leadership and flows downstream from there.

Playing Halo (and occasionally other games) with everyone over the years has been a blast, but the biggest impact for me have been the honest-to-God actual friendships I've made through here. From my first in-person LAN event (E3 in 2006, when I was denied entry into the swanky afterparty at the Roosevelt because I wasn't 21 and KP came out to chill with me on the couch), through the HBO Beach Parties (RIP rets), and the HBO Mountain Bashes (RIP rowboat), and even through the actual HBO Nippon Getaway (HBONG) where a group of people who became friends through this community went on an international trip to Japan... I've formed indelible and deep friendships with the people who have made this community great.

One thing to note about the list of events above: Halo wasn't always present, but HBO always was.

To the site admins, forum admins, IRC admins, IRC badmins, community contributors, and Bungie/343 employees who donate their time and effort: thank you so much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsZD0Rn12tk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIxIISB_TFI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDfjU8Aje6Y