The action begins this Saturday, Aug. 22, in Redmond, Washington when Xbox LIVE’s Major Nelson and Bungie kick off the nationwide “Halo 3: ODST” GameStop Tour outside the Redmond Town Center GameStop (17128 Redmond Way, Redmond, WA). The “Halo 3: ODST” Transport Vehicle deploys at noon and will remain active until 8:00 p.m.
Fans in each city of the tour will have the opportunity to experience the all new Firefight multiplayer mode in “Halo 3: ODST” and score “Halo” swag for proving their skills (all participants must be age 17 or older).
Built from a modified M820A2 expandable truck, the “Halo 3: ODST” Transport Vehicle provides a fully customized mobile gaming experience. Measuring 27 feet long and 14 feet wide when fully expanded, and weighing a beefy 13 tons, the “Halo 3: ODST” Transport Vehicle is a “Halo” party on wheels, outfitted with eight Xbox 360 console rigs featuring “Halo 3: ODST.”
A list of cities and tour dates is below*:
City
Seattle (Redmond, WA)
Portland (Hillsboro, OR)
San Francisco (Union City, CA)
San Jose (Antioch, CA)
Los Angeles (Pasadena, CA)
San Diego, CA
Las Vegas (Henderson, NV)
Phoenix (Avondale, AZ)
Dallas (Southlake, TX)
Austin (Cedar Park, TX)
Houston (Tomball, TX)
Memphis, TN
Nashville (Murfreesboro, TN)
Indianapolis, IN
Chicago, IL
Detroit (Shelby Township, MI)
Cleveland (N. Olmstead, OH)
Pittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia (Fairless Hills, PA)
Wash., DC (Woodbridge, VA)
Baltimore (Owings Mills, MD)
New York (North Babylon, NY)
Location
Redmond Town Center
Tanasbourne Town Center
Union Landing
Center At Slatten Ranch
Hastings Village
Carmel Mt. Ranch
Whitney Ranch
Gateway Pavilion
Shops of Southlake
Lakeline Plaza
Spring Cypress Wal-Mart Center
Marketplace at Wolfcreek
College Central Shopping Center
Target 31 Shopping Center
The Brickyard Shopping Center
Shelby Town Center
Great Northern Plaza South
North Hills Village
Fairless Hills Towne Center
Smoketown Station
Garrison Forest Plaza
Sunset Plaza
For the most up to date list of tour cities, times and locations, visit http://www.gamestop.com/halo
To follow along with developments from the “Halo 3: ODST” GameStop Tour and to keep abreast of the latest “Halo” news, follow the Halo Waypoint Twitter @HaloWaypoint or by searching for tweets tagged with the #ODSTTour hashtag. You can also learn more by visiting the Halo Waypoint Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HaloWaypoint, including news about future promotions and developments on the road to the “Halo 3: ODST” launch.
The “Halo” franchise is an entertainment phenomenon, with more than 27 million units sold worldwide. “Halo 3” redefined multiplayer gaming through the power of Xbox LIVE and boasts more than one billion online multiplayer games played to date, and remains one of the most popular games played on Xbox LIVE with an average of one million daily players.
Back to school comes early this year as “Halo 3: ODST” invades college campuses later this summer. Students will get to join in all the action and play the new co-op mode Firefight at select universities around the country. More details will be available soon via the Halo Waypoint Twitter and Facebook page, so keep an eye on them for details!
“Halo 3: ODST” will have a suggested retail price of $59.99 USD and the Collector’s Pack available at GameStop (which includes an exclusive, laser etched “Halo 3: ODST” Wireless Controller) will have a suggested retail price of $99.99 USD. “Halo 3: ODST” launches on Sept. 22. and is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB.
We have some footage of the soon to be released HALO: ODST game here at the HQ that contains a bit of information on the game itself as well as the story line, so with no further delays here is the promised video from MSNBC.com in it's entirety.
You can expect to see HALO: ODST out for the XBOX 360 and on store shelves September 22.
With the release of the news that Halo ODST will be a 60 dollar title most fans had the reaction "i don't want to pay 60 bucks for an add-on" but here to explain what you will get for your 60 dollars is a Bungies interview with The Seattle Times, lets hope it can live up to it hype and 60 dollar price line.
Seattle Times reports: All sorts of changes are under way inside the dark and mysterious Kirkland bunker where Bungie, the renown game studio, is putting final touches on the next version of "Halo."
For one thing, Bungie is going into a dramatically new direction with "Halo 3: ODST," the latest installment in the blockbuster sci-fi shooting franchise that established Microsoft's Xbox console and has sold more than 27 million copies worldwide. It's also Bungie's first release since the studio became independent of Microsoft in 2007.
"Halo" is the Harry Potter of video games, a staggering success with devoted fans who can't wait for every new edition, so there's a risk in tinkering with the formula.
Apparently fans are pleased with previews they've seen so far. "ODST" remains the most-anticipated game of the year, with 53 percent of gamers in a Nielsen survey planning to buy the $60 title after it goes on sale Sept. 22.
In previous versions of "Halo," an armored supersoldier called Master Chief blasts his way along fixed routes, battling aliens and uncovering a Wagnerian story about giant rings with awesome powers.
"ODST" picks up the story of the supporting cast — orbital drop shock troopers, the "regular" soldiers who fought alongside Master Chief.
For "the kind of story we want to tell — which is a little bit more human story — they seemed like a really great candidate for a hero in the 'Halo' universe," explained Joseph Staten, writer and creative director.
Staten, who studied theater at Northwestern University and military history and political science at the University of Chicago, said the game has more drama and mystery than before.
"As far as the dialogue goes, we were trying to get a bit of hard-boiled, thriller, femme fatale and square-jawed gumshoe — a little touch of that," he said. "That most clearly comes through in the dialogue between Buck, your squad leader, and Veronica, this shadowy naval intelligence officer."
Structural change
The structure of the game is also different, for "Halo." Instead of trudging along a fairly set path, "ODST" begins in a dark and mostly empty city that players can freely explore, an "open world" model popularized by the "Grand Theft Auto" games.
Players who prefer traditional "Halo" can head directly to sites in the city that trigger "flashbacks," putting them into classic "Halo"-style missions fighting aliens and blowing things up. Clues to the mystery come from playing through these missions.
"We're doing a lot of pretty neat things in terms of mixing it up, introducing some non-linearity, some free exploration," Staten said. "This is also a mystery story so there's a lot more clue-finding and mystery-solving than you would normally find in a game of this kind — nothing that strays too far from the fun 'Halo' experience, but we definitely decided to take a little bit of risk and have some fun with this one."
Multiplayer option
Lifelike characters are just one way that "ODST" is more realistic and approachable.
The game also adds a new multiplayer option called Firefight that's designed to be quick and easy for small groups of friends to play on the same console or online. Groups of four cooperatively work through sessions that may last about 30 minutes.
It's an alternative to the more intense, competitive multiplayer sessions that draw about 1 million players per night to the Xbox Live online-game network.
Firefight is also a nod to the real-world demands on players' time, especially now that most original "Halo" fans are well into the parenting years. The average age of video-game players overall is now 35, according to the Entertainment Software Association.
Players like Staten, a 37-year-old father of two.
"To find an hour to play, or five hours a week, that's asking a lot of me," he said. "Firefight, from my point of view, is aimed at guys like me who have families and have lives outside of playing games and work. We love to play games, but we want them to be compatible with our real lives. For Bungie, at least, Firefight is really a nice first step down that path."
If you want a shot at playing Sgt. Johnson or the HALO Reach BETA then you will need to get your pre-order in as soon as possible, while Bungie is still not said a word about all the fans that got all the maps and now must re-buy them i guess this was there way of trying to make us forget.
Halo 3: ODST is prepared to drop on 09/22/09. Pre-order your copy from select participating retailers and you’ll receive a token to unlock Sgt. Johnson for use in the all new cooperative mode, Firefight.
Participating major retailers in the United States include Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop and Wal-Mart. And of course this offer will also be available outside of North America as well, but we’re still chasing down the list of which retailers are involved. For now, here are a few retailers we're certain will be participation outside the U.S.:
France: GAME, FNAC, JV&Co, Virgin, Amazon, Pixmania, Cdiscount, Rue du Commerce
Germany: Amazon and Gamestop
Italy: Gamestop
UK: Game, Gamestation, Amazon, Play
As soon as we get more information we will make sure to pass it along. In the meantime, check with your favorite game store to make sure they’ve got Johnson in-hand before you plunk down your hard-earned dough.
Sergeant Avery Junior Johnson is a tough as nails career Marine that has been in more life or death battles than you've had hot meals. He has survived more infectious Flood outbreaks, greased more Covenant bad guys, and kicked more ass than any other twenty soldiers. And now you get to walk a mile in his shoes.
Halo fans out there will need to dig a bit deeper then once said for the ODST disk and to top it all off if you got all the map packs so far then you will be rebuying them when you get ODST, sounds to me like the Halo fans are about to be pwned by there pals at MS and Bungie.
Back when Halo: Recon was announced, and before it became Halo 3: ODST, both Brian Jerrard and Joe Staten at Bungie separately stated that the game wasn't going to be a full retail experience. Staten said, "We do not view this as a $60 title," while Jerrard remarked, "I think this is going to be a good value and a lot of content but we're not viewing this as sort of a full game release in the sense of Halo 3." When pressed further about pricing, Jerrard said that it was too soon to tell, but that they were thinking of something "value-oriented."
We contacted Bungie and Microsoft for comment today, because while pricing was revealed at E3, we didn't have a full explanation for the full retail approach. We've noted that retailers are pricing the game at the standard $59.99 price point, the $99 Gamestop exclusive premium pack being the lone exception.
A Microsoft spokesperson responded to us and said, "At the time of those statements, the overall scope of Halo 3: ODST was not yet finalized, and since then the project has grown increasingly more ambitious. We believe this standalone experience is much more than just an expansion. Halo 3: ODST provides a new campaign from the point of view of an entirely new character. Combine that with three new multiplayer maps, the entirely new cooperative mode called Firefight, and the complete Halo 3 multiplayer collection on a standalone disc, we feel this is a good value and tremendous addition to the Halo franchise."
Chances are if you're a hardcore Halo player, you already own the multiplayer maps, so you'll basically be paying for content you already own.
Xbox 360 Primes Every Passion With Games That Rock, Race and Sizzle
Microsoft unveils "Forza Motorsport 3", "Halo: Reach", "Crackdown 2", "Shadow Complex", and "Alan Wake" on Xbox 360
LOS ANGELES — June 1, 2009 — Rock out. Duck and cover. Shift into overdrive. On the eve of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Microsoft Corp. today made it perfectly clear: No matter who you are or what games you crave, Xbox 360 is the only gaming and entertainment console for you.
At a time when, according to NPD Group Inc., nearly seven in 10 consumers plan to spend the same or more on video games compared with last year, Xbox 360 today unveiled a lineup that is sure to tip the scales in favor of more — more fun, more entertainment value and more games available only on Xbox 360.
A “who’s who” of hot games, the list of Xbox exclusives includes “Forza Motorsport 3”, “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™”, “Left 4 Dead 2”, “Alan Wake”, “Shadow Complex”, “Crackdown 2”, blockbuster “Halo 3: ODST” and the surprise announce of Halo trilogy prequel “Halo: Reach.” Sharing the stage were blockbusters Infinity Ward’s “Modern Warfare 2” and the “The Beatles: Rock Band.”
“We know that your fun and our success boil down to one thing: our ability to make games that are creative, diverse and entertaining. Period. And this year, we deliver in spades with the biggest and best lineup in our history”, said Phil Spencer, general manager of the global Microsoft Game Studios business. “From the core first-person-shooter fans who’ve enjoyed Xbox since the first ‘Halo’ to new audiences who are discovering us today with genre-defining games like ‘1 vs 100’, we have something for everyone with our best and broadest lineup ever.”
Xbox 360 has the most celebrated, most played, most coveted and most E-rated games in the industry — and with 1,000-plus titles to date, there’s more than one for you.
Heart-Thumping Entertainment, Exclusively on Xbox 360
Get behind the wheel of an Audi R8 V10 in “Forza Motorsport 3”, jump into the immersive movie-like action of “Alan Wake”, and download “Shadow Complex”, the newest Xbox LIVE Arcade game from the minds behind the blockbuster “Gears of War” franchise. Some of the most exciting games in 2009 and beyond are only on Xbox 360, including the following:
“1 vs. 100” (Microsoft Game Studios). Are you ready to win big? The “1 vs 100” U.S. and Canadian beta launches today, June 1, at 7:30 p.m. PDT. For the first time, “1 vs 100” on Xbox LIVE combines the best of TV gameshow experiences with social gaming to create the largest interactive game show in the world. Based on the hit TV game show of the same name, “1 vs 100 Live” is regularly scheduled and features a live studio host who provides comedic commentary throughout the show and fresh content from a team of trivia writers and experts. Players can play as “the one,” “the mob” or “the crowd,” for the chance to win real prizes. Check your local Xbox LIVE listings to join “1 vs 100 Live.”1
“Alan Wake” (Remedy/Microsoft Game Studios). “Alan Wake” is the all-new psychological action thriller from the renowned creators of the “Max Payne” franchise. Coming in spring 2010 and exclusive to Xbox 360, “Alan Wake” will immerse players in an intense cinematic thrill ride of dreams and reality, where light is the only ally.
“Crackdown 2” (Ruffian Games/Microsoft Game Studios). The sequel to the award-winning “Crackdown,” “Crackdown 2” is the premier open-ended action experience that lets you be judge, jury and executioner for a vast city. Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 in 2010, “Crackdown 2” will take multiplayer2 gaming to unprecedented levels for the ultimate cooperative and competitive multiplayer experience, providing you and your friends with the complete freedom to explore, destroy and play as you return to restore justice and peace to Pacific City — by any means necessary.
“Forza Motorsport 3” (Turn 10/Microsoft Game Studios). Launching this October, “Forza Motorsport 3” is the definitive racing game for everyone from hardcore tuners to anyone who’s ever dreamed of driving at full-throttle. Backed by breathtaking HD graphics and bone-jarring physics, you’ll take the wheel of more than 400 of the most-beloved cars on over 100 renowned real-world tracks and exotic road courses from around the globe. “Forza Motorsport 3” includes driving assists and adjustable skill levels to make the game a gripping pick-up-and-play experience for audiences of all ages and skill levels, while new customization and sharing tools will further fuel the imaginations of the thriving “Forza Motorsport” community on Xbox LIVE.
“Gears of War 2: Dark Corners” (Epic Games Inc.). The “Gears of War 2: Dark Corners” Game Add-on includes seven brand new multiplayer maps and a new campaign chapter, “Road to Ruin.” “Dark Corners” launches on Xbox LIVE Marketplace on July 28. The entertainment blockbuster of 2008, “Gears of War 2” has now surpassed 5 million copies sold worldwide.
“Halo 3: ODST” (Bungie). Launching Sept. 22, “Halo 3: ODST” is a new game in the landmark “Halo” saga that lets players experience the events leading up to the epic story told in “Halo 3” through the eyes of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper). In addition to an all-new campaign, “ODST” includes three new “Halo 3” multiplayer maps and the complete, stand-alone “Halo 3” multiplayer experience.2 The game also introduces Firefight, an exciting new cooperative multiplayer mode that pits up to four players against increasingly challenging waves of enemies. As a special bonus, “Halo 3: ODST” also includes an invitation to the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta on Xbox LIVE. Also, launching on the same date with “Halo 3: ODST” is the “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack,” which offers “Halo” fans a new and exclusive wireless controller and the game title in one package at a great price.
“Joy Ride” (Big Park/Microsoft Game Studios). Avatars, start your engines! Full of wild driving fun, “Joy Ride” will get your adrenaline pumping as you tear up the track with your friends, or jump, flip and trick your way through the Stunt Park as you work with the whole community to unlock rewards. “Joy Ride” is completely free to download and gives you all new ways to play, whether you’re looking for a quick game or a deep, custom social experience, all on Xbox LIVE.2 Design your dream car or purchase new tracks, game modes and avatar items. You can share the racetracks and game modes with your friends so no one is ever left out.
“Left 4 Dead 2” (Valve). “Left 4 Dead 2” is the sequel to the best-selling and critically acclaimed cooperative multiplayer smash from Valve, creators of “Half-Life,” “Portal,” “Team Fortress” and “Counter-Strike.” Introducing melee weapons and new enemies to the original’s award-winning gameplay, “L4D2” casts players as one of four new “Survivors” battling zombie hordes as they travel from Savannah, Ga., through New Orleans’ French Quarter.
“Shadow Complex” (Epic Games Inc. and Chair Entertainment Group/Microsoft Game Studios). New from Epic Games and Chair Entertainment, “Shadow Complex” combines the best of old-school side-scroller design with modern, cutting-edge gameplay and incredible high-definition graphics. Collect power-ups, discover new abilities and evolve your character into a force of destruction as you explore an original story set in the world of Orson Scott Card’s best-selling novel, “Empire.” “Shadow Complex” marries the quality and depth of a full retail title with the accessibility you love, exclusively on Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE Arcade.
“Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™” (Ubisoft). Coming exclusively to Xbox 360 this fall, unleash the ferocious skills of renegade agent Sam Fisher and uncover a deadly terrorist plot in “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™.” Completely reinvented and revolutionized, “Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction™” ushers in a new breed of action gameplay leaving players fully immersed in the life of the world’s most dangerous spy. Take full advantage of the 20 million member Xbox LIVE community in this latest installment of the award-winning “Splinter Cell” franchise.
Blockbusters Here, There, Everywhere on Xbox 360
It’s a simple truth: third-party games play better on Xbox 360. Why? Because only Xbox 360 can pair must-have titles like this year’s blockbuster from Infinity Ward, “Modern Warfare 2”, “The Beatles: Rock Band” and “Tony Hawk®: RIDE™” with Xbox LIVE, the world’s largest social network on your TV. The result? As the world’s largest online gaming network, Xbox LIVE gives you more friends to play with and its exclusive collection of Game Add-ons ensures the fun never ends. It leaves only one question: Why would you play these blockbusters anywhere else?
“Final Fantasy® XIII” (Square Enix). The world-renowned “Final Fantasy” will continue making its home on Xbox 360 with the upcoming release of “Final Fantasy XIII,” the eagerly anticipated title from Square Enix. “Final Fantasy XIII” uses the power and cutting-edge technology of Xbox 360 to deliver seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and in-game cinematics as gamers summon the courage to execute powerful attacks with an evolved Active Time Battle system and ultimately fulfill their destiny. Scheduled to be released only in North America and Europe.
“Modern Warfare 2” (Infinity Ward/Activision). On Nov. 10, 2009, Infinity Ward will make its return with the release of “Modern Warfare 2” on Xbox 360, the most-anticipated game of the year and the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game of all time, “Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™.” “Modern Warfare 2” continues the gripping and heart-racing saga with an unprecedented level of action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. Xbox LIVE gamers will also be the first to get their hands on two “Modern Warfare 2” map packs coming first to Xbox 360.
“The Beatles: Rock Band” (Harmonix/MTV Games). On 09.09.09, “The Beatles: Rock Band” will allow fans all over the world to pick-up the guitar, bass, mic or drums and experience The Beatles’ extraordinary catalogue of music through gameplay that takes players on a journey through the legacy and evolution of the band’s legendary career. In addition, “The Beatles: Rock Band” offers Beatles fans the opportunity to rock out with new hardware replica controllers modeled after instruments used by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr throughout their careers. And, for the first time, players will be able to download music and make a change: Available only on Xbox 360, all Apple Corps, MTV Games and Microsoft proceeds from downloads of “All You Need is Love” will benefit Doctors without Borders.
“Tony Hawk: RIDE” (Activision). “Tony Hawk: RIDE” redefines the sports genre by offering a dynamic hands-free gaming experience featuring an innovative skateboard controller. Using full motion sensing technology, players physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game. The skateboard controller provides an accessible and social gaming experience on Xbox 360 that allows players of all skill levels to battle for skateboard supremacy by challenging gamers worldwide over Xbox LIVE, the largest social gaming network.
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