With the latest batch of new LIVE Features now available, we're kicking off a few FREE LIVE Weekends so that Silver members can get a free trial of all the Xbox LIVE features.
During the free LIVE Weekends, all Xbox LIVE Silver members can enjoy: online multiplayer, Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM, Netflix, Sky Player, Halo Waypoint and 1 v 100 (Some features are only available in specific regions)
Here is the schedule of when the freeness starts for Silver Members:
For all Xbox LIVE regions except those in Europe, Xbox LIVE Silver members will have free access from November 20th from 12n ET /9a PT /17:00 GMT until November 23rd from 12n ET /9a PT /17:00 GMT
For All European Xbox LIVE regions, Xbox LIVE Silver member will have free access from November 25th from 17:00 GMT until November 30th at 17:00 GMT
For all the latest xbox 360 news, gaming info and much much more be sure to check back to our homepage or install our FREE 360-HQ Toolbar which will keep you up-to-date automatically.
Halo Waypoint, the new virtual home for all things “Halo,” launches today on Xbox LIVE, and will be the exclusive destination for full-episode previews of “Halo Legends” beginning Saturday, Nov. 7. Available for “Halo” fans worldwide following a successful preview period, Halo Waypoint brings all the richness of the “Halo” universe together in one place.
Halo Waypoint features daily updates of fresh, exciting content such as developer interviews, trailers and screenshots, exclusive video footage, community activities and the latest “Halo” news.
In addition, Halo Waypoint includes an innovative career system that tracks players’ accomplishments across multiple “Halo” games and gives them new ways to show off their heroic gameplay feats. By downloading and “enlisting” in Halo Waypoint, players will be rewarded with a variety of Bungie-created “Halo 3: ODST” Avatar Awardables for attaining specific Achievements in the game. Rewards vary from stylish T-shirts to full sets of ODST armor. The experience is retroactive, so if players have already unlocked the requisite Achievements, the awards will be ready for them once they enlist in Halo Waypoint.
Players can unlock the following Achievements to gain access to “Halo 3: ODST” Avatar Awardables.
Halo Awardables
Achievement Title: Tourist
Achievement Description: Accessed and downloaded the city map to your VISR.
Achievement Awardable: ODST Black T-shirt
Achievement Title: Dark Times
Achievement Description: Killed 5 enemies while using VISR mode.
Achievement Awardable: ODST hoodie
Achievement Title: Campaign Complete: Normal
Achievement Description: Completed the Campaign on Normal difficulty.
Achievement Awardable: ODST Rookie Helmet
Achievement Title: Good Samaritan
Achievement Description: Killed no Engineers in the city at night during entire campaign, alone or with another ODST.
Achievement Awardable: ODST Full Body Armor
Achievement Title: Vidmaster Challenge: Endure
Achievement Description: In Firefight, on any mission, pass the 4th Set on 4-player Heroic LIVE co-op
Achievement Awardable: ODST Dare Helmet (Female)
Achievement Awardable: Recon Helmet (Male)
As a bonus for enlisting to Halo Waypoint, fans will receive a Monitor accessory for their Avatars modeled after the “Halo” character, 343 Guilty Spark. The Monitor will help fans find their way around Halo Waypoint, the new destination for all things “Halo” on Xbox LIVE.
The rollout of exciting new “Halo” content doesn’t stop there. This Saturday, the first preview episode of the highly anticipated anime series, “Halo Legends,” will debut only on Halo Waypoint. Set to be distributed in early 2010 by Warner Home Video, the rich anthology of anime short films will tell all-new stories in the epic “Halo” saga.
Written and created by an array of renowned anime studios and produced by 343 Industries, “Halo Legends” will explore never-before-told stories based on themes and characters in the vast “Halo” universe. Sponsored by the U.S. Air Force, previews of four new “Halo Legends” episodes will be available only on Halo Waypoint during 24-hour live-streaming events on Xbox LIVE over the next three months.
The first “Halo Legends” preview episode, “The Babysitter,” is created by famed anime house STUDIO4˚C, and follows the story of a group of ODST’s who reluctantly accept a Spartan sniper into their strike team. As they embark on a perilous mission to assassinate a high-ranking Covenant Prophet, old rivalries must be reexamined if the mission is to succeed. Watch what happens as the mission progresses into hostile territory, and both the Spartan and the ODST’s discover something important about the other.
Following each preview episode on Xbox LIVE, fans will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at each studio’s creative process through “making of” specials. Below is the current broadcast schedule of upcoming “Halo Legends” live-streaming events (subject to change):
Episode Airing Date (24-hour)
- Introduction to “Halo Legends” 11/05/09
- “The Babysitter” 11/07/09
- Making of “The Babysitter” 11/14/09
- “The Duel” 11/21/09
- Making of “The Duel” 11/28/09
- “The Package” Part 1 12/5/09
- Making of “The Package” 12/12/09
- “The Package” Part 2 12/19/09
- Making of ‘The Package” 12/26/09
- “Origins” Part 1 1/2/10
- Making of “Origins” 1/9/10
- Trailers of upcoming episodes 2/2/10
To learn more about “Halo Legends,” visit http://halolegends.com and http://halolegendsdvd.com. For the latest updates on the “Halo” franchise, follow the Halo Waypoint Twitter @HaloWaypoint or visit the Halo Waypoint Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HaloWaypoint.
Gamerzines.com has dropped there latest issue containing a huge pile of info on Bungis plans and hopes for the future, so if you are a HALO fan check it out or you could even download the full zine from the link at the bottom of this post.
With total sales in excess of 27 million units, the Halo video game franchise is understandably at the forefront of Microsoft's ongoing plan, as confirmed by Frank O'Connor, creative director for 343 Industries, a division of Microsoft that handles all things Halo. Speaking with USA Today, O'Conner was candid in his admission that "we do have a plan that goes out at least six years... Eventually, it will become very apparent that there is a plan for the way the canon all ties together and the way the comic books and the novels all tie together."
And by 'canon' O'Conner's not talking about The Covenant's heavy weaponry, but rather the slew of books, comics, films, videos, action figures, and, er, video games that will make up the Halo entertainment universe in the years to come.
Kicking off next month comes the publication of Halo: Evolutions from Tor Books - a collection of Halo stories from Eric Nylund, Tobias Buckell, Robert McLees and Karen Traviss. Further down the literary line there's a Halo Trilogy planned from Greg Bear with the first instalment set to reach bookshelves next year. O'Conner explains: "It is set in the Forerunner part of the canon, which is literally a prehistoric civilization that spans the galaxy and is responsible for all the mysterious artefacts in the Halo universe".
Also on a literary tip comes the continuation of the Halo series of comics. Marvel Comics' Halo: Helljumper is half way through a five-issue series, while another series, Halo: Blood Line comes out on December 23rd.
2010 will then see Halo come to your TV screens by way of the Halo Waypoint channel on Xbox Live, which will host all sorts of Halo goodness including video, audio, podcasts and screenshots. First up for video comes Halo Legends , a collection of seven shorts from five of Japan's leading anim studios.
More ambitious projects such as the much-touted Halo movie release are still a possibility but are currently on hold. Originally lined up for Peter 'Lord of the Rings' Jackson, O'Conner is now a little circumspect: "We're being very careful to pick the right time and the right partner".
Back to the actual game though, and the next instalment of Halo should see Bungie's Halo: Reach hitting your Xbox 360 this time next year. O'Conner explains that it's "a chronological prequel (to Halo 1), but it is not a prequel in the directions the Star Wars prequels were to the (original) movies. It will cover events in and around the planet Reach." And as for Master Chief... "I think that (his) fate, Cortana's fate and the identity of that giant, dark planet at the ending (on the game's hardest skill level) - that's a spoiler - are probably big mysteries that would be irritating if they were just cliff-hangers."
“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
The wait is finally over. Today, a new chapter in the legendary “Halo” saga opens up with the highly anticipated launch of “Halo 3: ODST.” After finishing the fight with Master Chief in “Halo 3,” players now have the opportunity to take a step back in time and experience the “Halo” universe from a whole new perspective.
Last night, more than 7,000 retail stores in the United States and a host of retailers in other countries opened their doors at midnight to usher in a flood of fans who sought to be the first to play the critically acclaimed title. Launch festivities were capped off with a “Halo” franchise celebration at the Experience Music Project | Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, where Bungie and 343 Industries luminaries were on hand to meet and greet fans and celebrate the launch together.
Xbox 360 exclusive “Halo 3: ODST” is already winning critical acclaim from the nation’s top media outlets. Here’s what they are saying about the game:
“The best Halo game yet,” and “An action-packed thrill ride from start to finish.”
--Game Pro
“It's part Blade Runner, part Saving Private Ryan, and yet in the end it's still definitely Halo.”
--1UP.com
“ODST is simply an excellent game.”
--G4TV’s X-Play
With “Halo 3: ODST,” developer Bungie takes the “Halo” franchise into all new territory. Players are put in the boots of an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, some of the toughest and bravest soldiers of the UNSC. Players must search for clues to find out what happened to their squad when a drop into the city of New Mombosa goes wrong, and discover the secret behind the Covenant’s interest in the city.
In addition to a full-fledged campaign, “Halo 3: ODST” introduces Firefight, a new cooperative multiplayer mode where up to four players battle waves of unrelenting Covenant onslaughts. The game also introduces three new “Halo 3” competitive multiplayer maps and contains the complete, standalone “Halo 3” multiplayer experience on a second disc. “Halo 3: ODST” will also act as a key to entry into the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta at a later date.
The “Halo” franchise is an award-winning collection of properties that have grown into a global entertainment phenomenon. Beginning with the original “Halo: Combat Evolved” for Xbox in 2001, the rich fiction of the franchise has since inspired a series of blockbuster Xbox and Xbox 360 video games, New York Times best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more.
Published by Microsoft Game Studios, the “Halo” franchise of games is exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the games are optimized for the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network. To date, more than 27 million copies of “Halo” games have been sold worldwide, driving more than 2 billion hours of gameplay by people connected to Xbox LIVE.
To keep abreast of the latest “Halo” news, follow the Halo Waypoint Twitter @HaloWaypoint. You can also learn more by visiting the Halo Waypoint page at http://www.facebook.com/HaloWaypoint. For more information about Bungie, visit www.bungie.net.
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.
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