Home Gaming So that’s why Cortana is always naked in Halo

So that’s why Cortana is always naked in Halo

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Cortana

Everyone is a snappy dresser in the Halo universe. Master Chief wears his trusty Mjolnir armour, Spartan Locke has a more organic set of equipment strapped onto him and Cortana walks around buck-naked like that drunk uncle who ruined your wedding. And that’s kind of weird.

Now granted, she’s an AI program with bits of data conveniently recovering her naughty bits and bytes, but Cortana has also evolved into a very human character over the course of the Halo series.

And her design pretty much sums up the game development environment of the early 2000s, where developers could create a sexy sidekick that was pure eye candy, without anyone criticising them for it. Times have changed however, and people want more than a page three companion with a great personality. Or maybe they want both. Crap, I don’t think I even want to get into the middle of this debate.

Cortana’s nudity honestly doesn’t phase me. I’m pretty much so used to after several Halo games, I don’t even notice her running around in her binary suit. But for other people, seeing that kind of character on their screen can be uncomforting. And right now, that’s an intentional part of 343 Industries current Cortana design.

“She’s not really nude … but that’s what it makes you think of,” Halo franchise director Frank O’Connor said to GamesRadar.

So one of the reasons she [chooses to appear without clothes] is to attract and demand attention. And she does it to put people off so that they’re on their guard when talking to her and she has the upper hand in those conversations.

It’s kind of almost like the opposite of that nightmare you have where you go to school in the nude,” O’Connor said. “You’re terrified and embarrassed and she’s kind of projecting that back out to her audience and winning intellectual points as a result.

Remember, Cortana isn’t like other artificial intelligences either. She was created from a cloned human brain, resulting in a different personality as well. I think. Look, the Halo universe is weird and we’ve already seen AI programs who portray themselves as World War 2 era pilots for Didact’s sake.

Last Updated: October 29, 2015

41 Comments

  1. So if I want the upper hand in a conversation…I – drop my pants? Thanks for the advice.

    Reply

    • Captain JJ the Goo

      October 29, 2015 at 14:10

      We’ll have to test this to be sure.
      Where’s Trevor?

      Reply

      • Mistake Not...

        October 29, 2015 at 14:13

        Wait… if it’s an online conversation do I post a dirty pic or what?

        Reply

        • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

          October 29, 2015 at 14:17

          I’m not sure if I should ban this train of thought….or let it play out….

          Ah screw it, lets see where it goes

          Reply

          • Trevor Matrix

            October 29, 2015 at 14:18

            Heh, screw

          • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

            October 29, 2015 at 14:18

          • oVg

            October 29, 2015 at 15:44

            The good old days 🙂 when nobody gave a shit.

          • HvR

            October 29, 2015 at 15:14

            Woohhoooooooo

            *Runs off to the bathroom with his Samsung S3

      • Trevor Matrix

        October 29, 2015 at 14:15

        You called?

        Reply

    • Greylingad[CNFRMD]

      October 29, 2015 at 14:23

      That would definitely cause a distraction, whether it is the one you’re looking for…well that’s debatable… As long as the helicopter is not involved…

      Reply

      • Mistake Not...

        October 29, 2015 at 14:27

        Doing the helicopter while shouting “Get to the CHOPPER!!”?

        Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      October 29, 2015 at 14:25

      Maybe that’s why Master Chief has such a big gun O_o

      Reply

    • HisDivineOrder

      October 29, 2015 at 17:35

      Depends on if you got it, you can flaunt it, right? 😉

      Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 29, 2015 at 14:15

    Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. The mysterious & magical power of boobs. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

    Reminds me of when Datak told Stahma, “despite what you might think my dear, your chivo doesn’t have magic powers.”

    Reply

    • Trevor Matrix

      October 29, 2015 at 14:17

      Boobs = Pretty. Guys want to see pretty. What’s so hard about that?

      Reply

      • Grand Admiral Chief SpaceNinja

        October 29, 2015 at 14:17

        Heh, hard

        Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        October 29, 2015 at 14:18

        Nothing… except for the fact that i don’t lose my mind when boobs make an appearance.

        Reply

        • Trevor Matrix

          October 29, 2015 at 14:19

          “I don’t lose his mind when boobs make an appearance.” Fine. Your mind may not go but clearly your speech does…

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            October 29, 2015 at 14:29

        • Captain JJ the Goo

          October 29, 2015 at 14:52

          You don’t lose his mind? You really need to stop carrying those brains in jars around.

          Reply

    • Captain JJ the Goo

      October 29, 2015 at 14:51

      Got to admit. Their power is mysterious.

      Reply

    • Trevor Matrix

      October 29, 2015 at 14:53

      Now who the eff is Datak?

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        October 29, 2015 at 15:47

        Now you make me sad. 🙁

        Reply

        • Trevor Matrix

          October 29, 2015 at 15:53

          Oh go and weep somewhere else.

          Reply

    • HvR

      October 29, 2015 at 15:16

      You’re saying it wrong

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        October 29, 2015 at 15:49

  3. Sageville

    October 29, 2015 at 14:16

    Clearly Xbox is sexist.

    Reply

    • WitWolfy

      October 29, 2015 at 14:32

      “Sexbox ON”

      Reply

  4. (Umar) Must be Cipher

    October 29, 2015 at 14:17

    LOL Game companies and their reason for nekkid ledies…..
    I BREATHE THROUGH MY SKIN

    Reply

    • Trevor Matrix

      October 29, 2015 at 14:17

      Wait? There has to be a reason?

      Reply

      • (Umar) Must be Cipher

        October 29, 2015 at 14:22

        Yes, the reason, the true reason, being sales/.

        Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      October 29, 2015 at 14:22

      We all know why, but it’s cute the reasons they give

      Reply

    • WitWolfy

      October 29, 2015 at 14:32

      Two words.. FAN SERVICE!

      Reply

    • Schalk Engelbrecht

      October 29, 2015 at 15:47

      hehe you beat me to it

      Reply

  5. WitWolfy

    October 29, 2015 at 14:30

    I never Rule 34’d her, so I’m not phased.

    Reply

  6. oVg

    October 29, 2015 at 15:43

    The game is so sexist, even Hideo Kojima wants to throw her into a bikini 😛

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      October 29, 2015 at 15:47

      No ways, she’ll suffocate!

      Reply

  7. HisDivineOrder

    October 29, 2015 at 17:36

    I think the biggest issue with sexuality and characterization is whether the female is empowered. If she is empowered and strong, then she can choose to be overtly sexual and that should be alright (ie., Bayonetta).

    However, if she’s just titillating for the sake of titillation (ie., Quiet), then people might have more room to point and hiss.

    Reply

  8. Cyberats

    November 2, 2015 at 00:19

    Hahaha, well good point, Cortana has no need for a physical form except to please the fleshlings.
    However, isn’t a nude hologram going to distract sex starved marines from listening to the objective ?
    (not to mention the pre-teen/teen nerds playing the game)

    Reply

  9. Cyberats

    November 2, 2015 at 00:21

    Damn, I can’t vote Excellent Excrement…

    Reply

  10. DOBEDELETED

    December 22, 2021 at 02:44

    Its naked because it has to shed at all that excess heat from its computing units.

    Reply

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