Answer: Halo

At this point, the game name “Halo” immediately calls to mind the Xbox platform where the video game and its successors have been must-have games since the launch of the initial title in the fall of 2001. Back then, to find an Xbox owner without a copy of Halo was like finding a Nintendo fan without a Mario-themed game of some sort.

Yet, originally, Halo was destined to become a Mac exclusive. In fact, it was such a big deal that Steve Jobs personally introduced the lead developer of Halo, Jason Jones at the 1999 Macworld Expo—seen in the screenshot here.

So how did Halo start life as a Mac-exclusive and somehow, two years later, become one of the most successful Xbox titles? Bungie, the development house behind the game, made a name for themselves with solid Mac titles throughout the 1990s—like the popular Marathon franchise games, a set of three first person shooter games that were among the most popular Mac games around. When Apple wanted to push the idea of the Mac as a gaming platform, it was no surprise they picked Bungie to showcase a great game at Macworld.

What happened between the crowd-wowing game reveal in 1999 and 2001 though, infuriated Steve Jobs. Less than a year after the announcement, Microsoft bought the entire studio, had them retool Halo for the upcoming Xbox platform, and for the next seven years Bungie would remain a Microsoft company (and even when the company split away in 2007, Microsoft retained the rights to the Halo franchise).