Halo 3 beta surfaces

Next Wednesday, those lucky enough to snag an invite to the Halo 3 beta will get their first chance to play Bungie's long-awaited shooter. Today, press outlets were given their own codes to access the beta, and the first video footage from Halo 3 multiplayer is already on GameSpot.

For several hours, GameSpot editors sampled the Beta's three maps and multiplayer modes. The results can be seen in the series of gameplay videos below, and a detailed analysis of the beta can be found in GameSpot's hands-on preview.

This afternoon's gameplay was a prelude to coverage of tonight's Microsoft event in San Francisco, which will show off Halo 3 to a select group of the games press corps. Check back later this weekend for a full rundown of the evening's festivities.