Biggest blockbuster game of the year "Halo: Reach" launches September 14, 2010

One of the most anticipated games of the year is making its worldwide debut this September. “Halo: Reach,” the blockbuster prequel to the best-selling video game franchise and hailed as the No. 1 game series of all time,1 will leave its mark on the entertainment landscape when it launches worldwide, starting September 14, 2010.

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed studio Bungie, “Halo: Reach” drops players back into the iconic universe they love so they can experience the birth of the “Halo” legend. During the past 10 years, the “Halo” franchise has inspired multiple New York Times best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more, and it has sold more than 34 million games worldwide to-date.

“‘Halo: Reach’ is the culmination of a decade of ‘Halo,’ a franchise that has become a global entertainment and pop-culture touchstone,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios at Microsoft Corp. “Just as ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’ catalysed the success of the original Xbox to define a decade of entertainment, ‘Halo: Reach’ will push the boundaries for what’s possible in video games and help make 2010 the biggest year in Xbox history.”

Consumers help make history with record-breaking “Halo: Reach” beta
As a testament to the anticipation for its release, more than 2.7 million “Halo” fans helped make entertainment history this month by participating in the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta on Xbox LIVE, making it the largest console video game beta test on record and more than triple the size of the “Halo 3” beta. Players completed more than 13 million online games and logged over 16 million hours of online game play, amounting to over 1,826 years of total play time in just over a two-week period. The data and user feedback gathered from the beta will help Bungie and Microsoft further refine the game and deliver a blockbuster experience that fans have come to expect from the “Halo” franchise.

“Halo: Reach” follows the story of Noble Team, a squad of heroic Spartan soldiers as they make their final stand on planet Reach, humanity’s last line of defence between the terrifying Covenant and Earth. Representing the best-in-class multiplayer elements that have become the hallmark of the “Halo” series, “Halo: Reach” offers the most action-packed multiplayer experience yet on Xbox LIVE. The “Halo: Reach” experience is completed with an intense campaign, an unparalleled suite of features and stunning new visuals powered by groundbreaking new technology.

“Halo: Reach” represents an enormous evolution for the genre-defining “Halo” games, and is testament to Bungie’s 10 years of experience crafting amazing experiences. During the past decade, “Halo” fans have demonstrated their commitment to the franchise by logging more than two billion hours of game play on Xbox LIVE, sharing millions of pieces of user-generated content, creating original “Halo” machinima series and even holding “Halo” themed weddings.

“Halo: Reach” is available for pre-order in standard, limited and legendary editions at participating retailers. The limited and legendary editions of “Halo: Reach” are packed with extras that fans won’t want to miss. The centrepiece of the legendary edition is a 10-inch-tall, hand-painted and individually moulded Noble Team statue crafted by the expert artisans at McFarlane Toys.

Pricing will be announced closer to local availability. Check the classification closer to launch date.

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About Bungie
Bungie was founded in 1991 with the goals of developing games that combine brilliant technology, beautiful art, intelligent stories and deep gameplay, and then to sell enough of those games to achieve its real goal of total world domination. Over the past 15 years, Bungie has captivated fans and created engaging universes that spawned the Marathon trilogy and the first two Myth games, hailed as classics by critics and gamers around the world, and is more recently known for creating the blockbuster Halo franchise. Currently, the 180-person strong independent studio is hard at work finishing its most ambitious title ever, Halo: Reach. More information about Bungie can be found at www.bungie.net.

About Xbox 360
The powerful Xbox 360 video game and entertainment experience delivers amazing games, the next generation of the premier Xbox LIVE online social network, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around gamers. Xbox 360 now boasts a catalogue of over 500 high-definition games and has sold more than 40 million consoles worldwide. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.

About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE is the first and most comprehensive unified online entertainment network seamlessly integrated throughout the entire console experience, making it easy for people to find the friends, games and entertainment they want from the moment they power on their Xbox 360 system. Xbox LIVE connects millions of members across 26 countries to enjoy hundreds of multiplayer games, downloadable games via Xbox LIVE Arcade, free and premium playable game demos and movies in the as well as new game levels, characters and vehicles for all their favourite retail games. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-nz/live.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential. Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 logo, Xbox LIVE are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.