UK NewsSpots: Halo 3 360; Championship Gaming Series

Microsoft announces UK date and pricing for Halo-themed 360
Bungie's Halo 3 is one of the most anticipated titles of 2007, and it's set to arrive in the UK on September 26. Microsoft has today announced that a special edition of its Xbox 360 console will arrive in stores on the same day.

Retailing at £279.99 (£30 more than the standard Pro console, which has had its price reduced to £249.99 from August 24), the console will have a "Spartan green and gold finish" and will come along with a Halo 3 special editions of the wireless controller, 20GB hard drive, and wired headset. Halo 3 special edition gamer pics and themes will also be available as an exclusive download via Xbox Live.

UK and European qualifiers for Championship Gaming Series announced
The new Omega Sektor in Birmingham, which is Europe's largest gaming venue, is set to play host to the UK and European qualifiers of the first season of the Championship Gaming Series.

The event, taking place between September 20-23, will be open to the public, and sign-ups are open now on www.thecgs.com. The winning two UK teams will take part in the UK Final on September 26-28 in London, and the competition will be televised on Sky One and Sky Two.