Halo: Reach Defiant Map Pack drops March 15

Halo: Reach's second deployment of downloadable content is almost here. As part of a Microsoft Games Showcase event in San Francisco today, the publisher announced the Halo: Reach Defiant Map Pack will be available through Xbox Live on March 15 for 800 Microsoft points ($10).

Bungie's latest Halo add-on updates the Firefight and online multiplayer areas of Reach with three new battlegrounds: Condemned, Highlands, and Unearthed. Condemned is a space station level supporting six to 12 players, while Highlands takes the fight outside for eight- to 16-player battles in the wilderness of Reach. Finally, Unearthed is set in one of the planet's mining operations and supports up to four players in the Firefight mode.

The Defiant Map Pack was created with the help of Certain Affinity, an Austin, Texas-based studio founded by Halo 2 multiplayer team lead Max Hoberman. The studio has also contributed to shooters like Left 4 Dead and Call of Duty: Black Ops, as well as creating its own game in Age of Booty.

Bungie's first multiplayer expansion for Halo: Reach--the Noble Map Pack--arrived in December. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.