Halo 3: Mythic Map pack launched on Xbox LIVE

“Halo” fans, make ready your battle rifles and prepare to step into an expanded fight on Xbox LIVE. Mythic 2 Map Pack, a Game Add-on developed by Bungie for “Halo 3” consisting of three multiplayer maps available previously only on the “Halo 3: ODST” multiplayer disc, is set to arrive on Xbox LIVE on Feb. 2, 2010.

First-ever WCG USA Halo 3 ODST Locked and Loaded Tournament

Taking Place at the Samsung Experience on October 24th and 25th, Elite Gamers Shoot it Out to Win Cash and Technology Prizes

World Cyber Games and Samsung Electronics America

World Cyber Games (WCG) and Samsung Electronics America host the first-ever WCG USA Halo 3: ODST Locked and Loaded Tournament. 24 of the best teams in the US will shoot it out during the competition, which will be shout-casted throughout the weekend and available on video on demand.

Halo 3 ODST tops UK games chart just beating Professor Layton and Pandora's Box

ChartTrack weekly UK video game charts - 26th September 2009

1 HALO 3: ODST MICROSOFT -
2 PROFESSOR LAYTON AND PANDORA'S BOX NINTENDO -
3 NEED FOR SPEED: SHIFT EA GAMES 1
4 GUITAR HERO 5 REDOCTANE 2
5 WII SPORTS RESORT NINTENDO 5
6 BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM EIDOS 4

Halo Encyclopedia with Frank O’Connor’s foreword in this 352 page guide

‘I can still remember the first time I really experienced Halo…it was stepping out of the crashed escape pod and into a world that would consume my professional and creative life for the next seven years.

Halo Reach Beta get your exclusive key with copies of Halo 3 ODST

Just in case you didn’t know, those who picked up a copy of the newly released Halo 3:ODST will receive an exclusive code for the upcoming beta for Halo: Reach, the future Bungie-developed game.

Halo 3 ODST Releases Worldwide, Marking Bold New Chapter for Critically Acclaimed Halo Franchise

The latest addition to the blockbuster Xbox 360 series delights fans and critics alike with a gripping new story and riveting cooperative multiplayer gameplay.

Does the new Halo 3 game have a secret game within the game?

Read this post from Venturebeat then decide...

"Elan Lee, head of Fourth Wall Studios and a veteran of alternate reality games, confirmed that Sadie’s Story is a joint effort between Bungie’s Joe Staten and Fourth Wall Studios. But he says that gamers are supposed to discover the story on their own and so his lips are sealed for the moment. There is reportedly twice as much audio in Sadie’s Story as there is in ODST itself."

New Limited Edition Scale Bust of Master Chief

One2One Collectibles are proud to announce a new range of 1:2 scale busts from the massive Halo franchise. The first statue to be released will be the Halo Master Chief bust. It will be available from late October and is pre-ordering now on a first come, first served basis.

Sumthing Else Music Works Announces Release of the Halo 3: ODST Original Soundtrack

2-CD Set Features Epic Music Score by Award-winning Composers Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori

Sumthing Else Music Works, through its licensing relationship with Microsoft Game Studios, proudly presents Halo 3: ODST Original Soundtrack featuring the original musical score from the highly anticipated video game Halo 3: ODST composed by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori.

Microsoft investigating Xbox LIVE accounts that show activity related to Halo 3 ODST prior to its official release date

Microsoft is set to take action against those who play Halo 3: ODST prior to its official release date.

"We're investigating a very small breach in our distribution process around the early delivery of 'Halo 3: ODST' units," said a Microsoft spokesperson, speaking to Kotaku about some French gamers who already have a copy of the game in their hands. Reportedly, at least one store in France has begun selling the highly-anticipated game already.

"We are also investigating Xbox LIVE accounts that show activity related to 'Halo 3: ODST' and will take action against those we believe have procured copies of the game illegitimately. We have nothing further to share at this time."

The spokesperson declined to comment on the exact actions that will be taken, or on whether or not Microsoft considers a copy of the game bought in stores to be an illegitimate means of acquiring the game, which isn't due out until 22 September.

The company also declined to comment on a statement that - according to halo.bungie.org - was made yesterday by Microsoft France, stating that players will be banned from LIVE for playing ODST early.

Looks like you might have to wait, then, if you want to keep your LIVE access intact. On the plus side, we've got a lovely big preview of the game for you, as well as interview.

UPDATE: Xbox LIVE's head of policy and enforcement Stephen Toulouse has stated via Twitter that "[Microsoft] will not be banning legitimate customers from Xbox LIVE who play early," adding in a later Tweet "However, if you have Halo ODST achievements and haven't played the game, prepare for a gamerscore reset."



Those lucky enough to legally procure a copy of the game seem to be safe, then.

Halo 3 ODST new co-operative multiplayer mode - with video

This is Firefight! Second “Halo 3: ODST” ViDoc drops, showcases new cooperative multiplayer mode

Stand back to back, Troopers, and give the enemy no ground! The Covenant invasion of earth is almost upon us, and it’s going to take a great deal of teamwork to keep the Brutes at bay. In the second “Halo 3: ODST” ViDoc from renowned developer Bungie, “Halo” series fan favorite Sgt. Avery Johnson offers a detailed look at the game’s action-packed cooperative multiplayer experience, Firefight.



Firefight features ten hellish missions that will test your ability to work as a team as you and your squad mates take on waves of increasingly brutal Covenant baddies. Grim, game-altering skulls continually change up the game and force your team to adapt to shifting challenges. Surviving the Covenant onslaught won't be easy so why not bring a “Halo” icon to the fight; pre-order your copy of “Halo 3: ODST” now (visit xbox.com or bungie.net for participating retailers) and unlock Sgt. Johnson for use in Firefight!

In addition to the new ViDoc, Bungie and Microsoft recently lifted the curtain on Rally Point at Gamescom, a sprawling Firefight map located in the city of New Mombasa. More details about Rally Point are below:



• Sector 10 inside the city of New Mombasa has seen better days. The air is heavy with acrid smoke parted only by the constant arrival of enemy drop ships. Lucky for you, the crossroads that converge on the entrance into ONI’s Alpha Site offer up a textbook choke point. The Covenant has come to claim access. You and your squad of ODST’s are going to stop them at all costs.

The new “Halo 3: ODST” ViDoc is available for download today on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Stay tuned for the final ViDoc, set to premiere ahead of the worldwide launch of “Halo 3: ODST” on September 22nd.

Halo 3 - ODST ViDoc Desperate Measures video game trailer

In this first ViDoc created by acclaimed developer Bungie, Sgt. Buck, voiced by Nathan Fillion, introduces his team of ODSTs and their mission into covenant occupied New Mombasa.

Gunnery Sergeant Eddie Buck has witnessed more war than any Marine should. He fought alongside Cole at Harvest—somehow managed to make it off of Reach alive. The fact that Buck is still on his feet says more about his mettle than his military dossier ever could. Now the Covenant have found Earth.


Devastated her defenses. Anyone who could have stopped the invasion is dead or gone. But Buck and his squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers aren't going to let Earth fall without a fight. These ODSTs may be headed feet first into hell, but they’re going to make damn sure it’s crowded with Covenant when they get there.



Don't forget if you pre-order “Halo 3: ODST” at participating retailers, you will receive a token to unlock grizzled UNSC hero Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in Firefight.

US sales of Killzone 2 disappoint at under 1 million units Halo 3 wins...

Further new NPD Group data has revealed lifetime sales to date for Sony's Killzone 2 title in the US, with the game so far selling only 677,000 units.

First released on February 27, the PlayStation 3 exclusive debuted in the February sales chart at number five, with 323,000 units sold. In the March results the game fell only two places to number seven, with 296,000 units sold.

By April though the game had fallen outside of the top 20, but data provided to website Gamasutra reveals that it sold 58,000 units during the month. As result the game's lifetime total to date in the US currently stands at 677,000 units.



On its release Sony proclaimed Killzone 2 to be its fastest-selling title ever in the US, in terms of reaching 500,000 unit sales. Responding to the March NPD chart, Sony also revealed that worldwide sales had passed 1 million units, suggesting sales in PAL territories at the time of around 400,000 units (The game was not released in Japan until April 23).

Although the sales figures are strong by most standards the game is reported to have cost over EUR 40 million to develop. Perhaps most importantly for Sony, the title has failed to drive hardware sales on the PlayStation 3, which have actually dropped year-on-year in the US since the game's release.

Source: GamesIndustry

United Consoles League: Raffle and tournament with prizes of Bigben Interactive

The Consoles Sports League celebrates its third birthday on May 16th and invites all console gamers to its birthday party. To celebrate, Consoles is organising Cups in Call of Duty 4, FIFA 09, Halo 3 and other video games with more than 2,000 Euro in prize money in the upcoming weeks.

Further information about the Birthday Cups is available online: www.consoles.net/eu.

Since May 2006, Consoles Sports League has provided a multigaming platform with more than 30 different games for every gamer – Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3 or NDS. Additionally Consoles is shining in its renewed splendor since its redesign a few weeks ago.

"Since the beginning in May 2006, Consoles now has more than 50,000 users and we are established as Europe's most active gaming consoles league. All the best, Consoles!", says Michael Kuhl, Director of Consoles,from Turtle Entertainment in Cologne.

Further Information about the Consoles Sports League and News about the Cups: www.consoles.net

Information about Turtle Entertainment: www.turtle-entertainment.de

Microsoft announce Xbox 360 Elite plus Halo 3 and Fable II for the console price in US

Microsoft has announced the upcoming US release of the Xbox 360 Elite game of the year bundle deal - with Fable II and Halo 3 packaged alongside the console at no extra cost.

Beginning in May, the bundle will be available for a limited time at select US retailers for the same price as a standalone Xbox 360 Elite console at USD 399 - no European release details were offered.

Earlier this year, Microsoft reported that Halo 3 had seen over 1 billion online games played, while the series had sold 25 million units worldwide.

Lionhead's Fable II was also a success for Microsoft Game Studios, having shifted 1.5 million units within its first two weeks on sale.

Source: GamesIndustry

Halo 3 screenshots leaked - ODST beta

Last week the word ‘beta’ cropped up in conjunction with Modern Warfare 2 but it seems that word won’t go away with what appears to be leaked screenshots of the menu from the Halo 3: ODST beta.

Read the rest of the post here on Console Monster...

Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 - Snowblind map pack Xbox Live game add-ons

Spring is nearly here, and with it comes new life for some of this generation’s biggest, most action-packed games, exclusively on Xbox LIVE. With more than 35 million in combined sales, the “Halo” and “Gears of War” franchises have set the bar for multiplayer games on the console.

Now players of “Halo 3” and “Gears of War 2” will see the multiplayer experiences made even better by great new Game Add-ons.

On 31st March, the Snowblind map pack gives “Gears of War 2” players a chance to cool off with four new, winter-themed environments: Grindyard, Under Hill, Courtyard, and a frozen version of the “Gears of War” favourite, Fuel depot. Hot on the heels of Snowblind comes the highly-anticipated “Halo 3” Mythic Map Pack, releasing 9th April with three new maps: Assembly, Orbital and Sandbox. Both Game Add-ons will be available only on Xbox LIVE for 800 Microsoft Points.

In addition to the exclusives mentioned above, Xbox 360 is the only console where you can extend your play with Game Add-ons from many of the year’s top titles. From “Fallout 3” episode The Pitt (24th March) to the “Left 4 Dead” Survival Pack (21st April), publishers from across the industry recognize that Xbox LIVE is the premier online gaming destination, and a one-stop shop for Game Add-ons.

Halo 3, Mass Effect and PGR 4 now Xbox budget priced at under £20

Expanded Classics range brings blockbuster titles at budget prices.

Microsoft today announces the expansion of its Classics collection in EMEA to include three blockbuster titles, as it continues its strategy of offering high quality experiences at outstanding value. On 20th March, Halo 3, Mass Effect and Project Gotham Racing 4 will join the elite selection of Xbox 360 Classics, with each game available at an Estimated Retail Price (ERP) of just £19.99.

The Ultimate Blockbuster

Halo 3 made entertainment history when it launched in 2007, setting sales records that smashed those set by all previous video games and blockbuster movies. It remains the most played game on Xbox LIVE, with over 1,000,000,000 multiplayer games played since launch. The award winning action series has sold more than 25 million units worldwide and its third instalment sees Master Chief, the last known survivor of a secret military project, fight to save humanity and uncover a secret so incredible, it will change the galaxy forever.
 
Lose Yourself in a Living Galaxy

Mass Effect, developed by BioWare, is an immersive, story-driven experience coupled with awe-inspiring visuals, exclusive to Xbox 360. As one of the first human beings to step onto the galactic stage, players must face a grave threat that may destroy all of civilization. Travel across an expansive universe, exploring the uncharted corners of the galaxy, searching for pieces of the truth in order to discover how to defeat the coming destruction.

Racing to the Fore

Project Gotham Racing 4 is the latest instalment of the legendary street racing series. This time motorbikes join the action and the weather elements push you to the limits as you tear up the stunning tracks in the best of racing machines.

“We are delighted to add three of our finest titles to the Classics range, adding to the exceptional entertainment offering available on the Xbox 360 at outstanding prices,” said David Gosen Vice President of Marketing, Xbox Europe. “As we see more and more families looking to save money by staying in, Xbox 360 continues to offer high-quality home entertainment at fantastic value and consumers are clearly recognising this as we sail past 8 million console sales in Europe.”

Halo 3 - Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) name change explained

Bungie have explained to GamePro why they changed the Halo 3 - Recon game name to ODST...

They wanted to highlight the new stars in the game the 'Orbital Drop Shock Troopers' (ODST) - hence the name change.

So, out with Recon and in with ODST the abbreviation seem to defeat the object of the name change if you ask me!

SFX360 & Game Wars Host a Halo 3 & Gears of War 2 Tournament at Community Vibes IV

SFX360, along with GameWars, present an epic doubleheader tournament filled with plenty of fragging action as Battle Rifles and Lancers collide. The dual main event features a Halo 3 2v2 Tournament and a Gears of War 2 2v2 Tournament. The action takes place on Saturday, February 21st at Club Ecco in Miami, Florida during Gamertag Radio's "Community Vibes IV."

Both tournaments are FREE to enter, and will feature plenty of prizes for the top three teams. Prizes include gaming headsets from Tritton Technologies. Also there a wide variety of prizes from Mindzeye Studios, Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA), and Microsoft, as well as other random prizes.

Registration for both tournaments begin at 3:00 with the action beginning at 5:00 sharp so form your teams right now. By the way, both tournaments are FREE to enter. Before the events begin you can practice your skills on one of 32 screens. If your Halo 3 skills are not up to par, then take part in a special Halo 3 Clinic presented by South Florida MLG Pros, The Florida Jackalopes.

WHAT: Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 2v2 Tournaments

WHEN: Saturday, February 21, 2009

WHERE: Club Ecco: 168 SE 1st St. Unit 1A, Miami, FL 33131

WHO: SFX-360.COM, WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MYGAMEWARS, and you

COST: None, it's FREE!!

SFX360 is an Xbox Community site with a goal of bringing gamers face to face. In the past year, we have grown from a small meetup group to a large online community. SFX360 holds a monthly LAN on the first Saturday of each month where gamers can come together at Flipper's Cinema in Hollywood, Florida. SFX360 also takes part in a weekly game night on Sunday nights where we play the latest games online with our members and the Xbox community.

SFX360 features a weekly podcast where we recap the past week's news, review and preview the latest games, and plenty of banter. Our shows are unique and different from other sites, because we are live and anything goes. The show is hosted by JVB and SFX Lady J. Our staff have a true passion for gaming and frequently appear on our podcasts. They include SFX Pallidian, SFX BuzzKiller, SFX BigAnt, Dephin, SFX Jav and GI Jane PMS. We've also had special guests including Mike Capps (President of Epic Games) and Carlos Feros (Dom Santiago, Gears of War 1 & 2).

Whether your a hardcore noob pwner or even a casual weekend warrior, SFX360 is about coming together as a community and sharing a passion of what we love. This is no hobby or any sort of newtime fad, gaming is here to stay! We at SFX360 are here for you to keep you informed of the latest info as well as keep you entertained. Our passion for gaming is just like yours so what are you waiting for? Stop gaming alone and screaming at your tele and join the new revolution!