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Halo 3 golden

Two weeks after the game was "99.9 percent complete," the Master Chief is now on a direct course for a September 25 launch.

It's official: Halo 3 is done. Two weeks after developer Bungie Studios announced that "99.9 percent" of work on the game was complete, publisher Microsoft Game Studios announced today that the eagerly awaited sci-fi shooter has gone gold. Rated M for Mature, the Xbox 360 exclusive is available in three versions: the $59.99 regular edition, the $69.99 limited edition, and the $129.99 legendary edition, which comes with a miniature helmet of the game's hero, the Master Chief. Microsoft is also releasing a special Halo 3 edition of the Xbox 360 in September for $399.

Halo 3 is the culmination of the trilogy that kicked off in 2001 with Halo: Combat Evolved. Despite having no online support, the Xbox exclusive was a multiplayer phenomenon, and greatly aided Microsoft's entry into the console fray. The online-enabled Halo 2's debut in 2004 provided a major shot in the arm for Xbox Live, Microsoft's gaming service. With over one million preorders of Halo 3 in the US alone, Microsoft is hoping for a similar boost for the Xbox 360, which has been recently losing market share to the surging Wii and the temporarily discounted PlayStation 3.

Story-wise, Halo 3 will chronicle the invasion of Earth by the pan-species religious crusade known as the Covenant. As outlined in GameSpot's extensive previous coverage, its single-player campaign will support four-player online co-op play, and will feature both the human Master Chief and the ex-Covenant Elite warrior known as the Arbiter. The game's online multiplayer modes were tested extensively earlier this year in an open beta program, and will feature many new maps, weapons, and a limited level editor.

712 Comments

  • wiggles89

    Posted Sep 23, 2007 7:35 pm GMT

    OMG!!!! I got a copy of halo 3 already and it kicks **** ass!!!!!!!!!

    BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • rogue9ch

    Posted Sep 10, 2007 11:46 pm GMT

    Wow, some people just can't read. Hey "haynsey123", I believe it is mentioned elsewhere that the backgrounds are actually rendered objects...they exist in real time. And yet you say they look poor? That's about the dumbest thing I ever heard. And "doubleg0108", that $399 thing was a Halo-themed CONSOLE, not the game. Come on, people, stay in school.

  • haynsey123

    Posted Sep 6, 2007 11:16 am GMT

    this looks sh*t in comparison to unreal 3, whats with the poor background detail?

  • jyrexx

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 9:04 pm GMT

    Anyone Agree? Halo 2's "Cool Parts" were too SCRIPTED...

    I always have had this cheated feeling about the "cool vehicle moments" in Halo 2.

    In Halo:CE the Control Room there was a part that you could STEAL a covenant Banshee if you were quick or if you found the invisibilty. I thought that was just about the coolest thing I had ever done in my life at the time, because it was a Ground Battle but I STOLE a Banshee and rained hell on the Covenant from above. I had options in Halo:CE! MY ISSUE WITH Halo 2: They just gave you the Banshee and it was flying time. Almost like removing the option to not fly. I felt like it was the "Hey everybody its time for the cool flying moment in the game". I felt it was SCRIPTED, and I didn't innovate myself and steal the Banshee to help turn the tide of a Battle.

    Thats my 2 cents. And I think this was the theme with alot of the "cool parts" of Halo 2. With the Scorpion, it was so awesome to get in the Scorpion in Halo:CE. But in Halo 2, "OK everybody get in a Scorpion, because its time for the cool tank moment in the game, get in and shoot stuff!". I LOVED the game, but it was so booring compared to the options in the battles in Halo:CE. The "insert memorable experience here" parts just made me mad because the player wants to CREATE his OWN memorable experiences.

    OK, thats my 4 cents.

  • spartacus1

    Posted Sep 4, 2007 6:54 am GMT

    i have a bet on with my brother that halo 3 won't be delayed. microsoft have too much much resting on halo 3 if it gets held back they're just shooting themselves in the foot. too many games have been delayed this year most of them by 2k.

    my 360 got the 3 red lights last friday, luckily it happend after i completed bioshock!!, microsoft say it will take 25 working days to repair which will means i when i get my copy of halo 3 on the 26th i will have nothing to play it on!

    HALO 3 RULES!!!!!!

  • kingcole225

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:48 pm GMT

    halo is too good. halo 2 is pimp. halo 3 will @#$%^& rock

  • lamprey263

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 8:10 pm GMT

    wow, games being pushed back seems to be so much the norm that they actually have to make a news announcement that it's on schedule a month before the release that nobody was doubting

  • doubleg0108

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:21 pm GMT

    God Damn. A Special Edition halo for $399. It better come with a Energy Sword

  • masterchief1994

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 7:41 am GMT

    Imagine if HALO 3 and Gears of War 2 both came out in Sept there would be serious competion between them on Xbox Live and imagine playing two of best series of games in one month.

  • Agermemnon

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 5:55 am GMT

    Well after playing the COD4 beta on xlive it has a challenger for sure

  • hegetshiskeys

    Posted Sep 3, 2007 1:19 am GMT

    Gamespot seems all to commercial friendly with the big M as of late... hmmmmmm................ I wonder...

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Sep 2, 2007 11:39 pm GMT

    Haha, they'll actually make some copies of it and then cancel it at the last minute like they did with Half-Life for Dreamcast. That'd be hilarious. As long as I get a copy of course.

  • caboose301

    Posted Sep 2, 2007 5:18 pm GMT

    i was like f it if its the last halo mine as well get the legendary edition idk what ppl say if its a waste of money i think its kick ass
    cant wait 22 more days 3 hours 41 min 20 secs

  • bigmick07

    Posted Sep 2, 2007 4:09 pm GMT

    can't wait just deciding if i should get the 60 dollar or the 70 dollar one not sure yet

  • damned_beast

    Posted Sep 2, 2007 10:43 am GMT

    Cant wait for Halo 3.

  • sonynhater

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 9:14 am GMT

    its not going to be delayed. so dont shoot yourself in the foot

  • Slacker6000

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 8:33 am GMT

    Well this should give Gamespot plenty of time to have a review up before the game comes out.

  • packernation31

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 8:30 am GMT

    I think I'll shoot myself in the foot if it gets delayed

  • Rudy_Roughnight

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 6:06 am GMT

    Four more weeks. Think it's enough time to manufacture 20 billion copies?

  • bam226

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 1:17 am GMT

    For some reason i have a feeling its gonna get delayed. They'll probably find something that they dont like and delay it for another couple of months.Hopefully it wont be da case and ill have my copy at midnite or whenever they decide 2 release it. Good times; )

  • phantomdragon

    Posted Sep 1, 2007 12:59 am GMT

    sk8rjr comment hit home, I too enjoy the plot as much as you, I wouldnt if I didnt read the novels, they opened up the story so well and explained so many things, which saddens me because the games didnt. Which results in the hindered minds of the people who dont know because they didnt read the book. Now im not saying everybody has to or should, it just makes the story a hell of a lot better, deep, mysterious, and with come ' Holy F**king Sh*t! ' stuff haha

  • CTR360

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 11:58 pm GMT

    finish the fight the best fps console game coming soon 25 days

  • sk8rjr

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 10:15 pm GMT

    Hmm, I guess I'm one of the only people here who appreciate the depth of the Halo Plot. If you would pay attention to the novels and other works of fiction in Halo's Canon, you can see how rich and deep Halo's narrative is.
    I'm not saying its the best of plotlines, but its very good for an FPS.
    Also, the fun is just as present in the single-player campaign as it is in the multiplayer. Whereas Unreal is only loads of fun online or with mods, Halo is fun both online and off. Remember charging the beach in Silent Cartographer? Or driving your a$$ off the Pillar of Autumn?

    Seeing the conflict through the eyes of the Covenant was good as well.
    The amount of allusions that Halo has in its story is staggering, when compared to shooters like Half-life 2, or Unreal, it makes Halo look like a very shiny apple. My point is, this game has a way of taking you into a universe all its own. I only hope M$ can keep getting more franchises like this out into the open.

  • panteral3

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 8:17 pm GMT

    Microsoft better stop resting on its laurels and get back in the game. WIth the Wii taking over and the PS3 garnering steam and support, M$ will relive the days of yore (RIP XBOX).

    In other words:

    $50 won't CUT IT, M$!!!! Try $100, then I'll consider a purchase....

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 5:13 pm GMT

    Yeah! Halo 3 is coming!

  • bobblehead875

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 3:32 pm GMT

    25 days! its like an early christmas!
    it doesnt matter if you like this game or not, no one can deny that it has had a MAJOR impact on the gaming world. and if you do deny it, youre a filthy liar, or blind. either way i pity you. but yaaaay! almost here!!!! =D

  • spidey008

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 1:18 pm GMT

    I can't wait for Halo 3. This is going to be awesome.

  • Holopaw

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 11:49 am GMT

    Most of the people that talk trash about Halo just got owned when they played online, making them cold and angry inside. Thus, not allowing them to accept Halo 3's awesomeness.

  • ---n00b_kid---

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 11:15 am GMT

    this game is gonna OWN so many haters and noobs

  • azizrulez

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 11:10 am GMT

    awesome,this game just cant get here soon enough

  • Agermemnon

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 10:28 am GMT

    Hmm i thought halo was originally a pc game then microsoft liked what they saw and bought bungie to make games for their up and coming console the xbox , sounds to me some pc only gamers still got their noses bent out of shape about it lol

  • williamshattner

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 10:27 am GMT

    I just like that the author finally found a use for the word "pan-species". Kudos.

  • McGregor

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 10:10 am GMT

    nobody is forced to buy this game. just wanted to let everyone know that. Halo was, and is a great game for the system it is played on. Granted if it were on PC it wouldn't do as well, it couldn't compete with the unreal tournaments, quakes, and medal of honor's. but on the console, it reigns supreme! I actually give microsofts' xbox live a lot of credit for the success of halo 2. it IS the best online system for a console. and the reason that halo became even more successful. halo 3 hopefully will add more to the franchise, but even if it doesn't it gives better graphics and at least the same multiplayer (but new maps) as halo 2, and that is reason enough to buy it for me!

  • DeadManV1

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 6:24 am GMT

    Sadly I was forced to pre-order this game because no one will be playing anything else once this comes out, Halo was a above average FPS, Halo 2 was over hyped and 3 will be the same, it's a good game but it's fan base and the little kids online make it almost unbearable to even speak about.

  • dangly_balls

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 5:10 am GMT

    diablobasher why are you posting on this article if halo is "just another game" if it were on a pc. firstly its on xbox 360, secondly pc games use mouse and keyboard, completely different to controller. thirdly, we can just sit on our beds or sofas relax and play our games with one controller wirelessly, on a nice big hd tv, knowing not many people or even nobody has hacked or modded their consoles, so the game is fair, equal and enjoyable. Thats why its so different to PC games and that is why console gamers buy it. Its fun, enjoyable, entertaining, could even be addictive. Bungie wouldnt be bankrupt if it was on PC, it is a great game, otherwise the millions of copies sold and millions of fans wouldnt be here. On a lighter note, i seriously cant wait! wooh! ^^ Anyone know if there will be a built in clan system? if you do post here or send me a pm thanks

  • laitheybaby

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 4:27 am GMT

    God I'm so sick of PC gamers. Why don't you go criticise all the other console FPS' seen as they are all influenced by Halo which must make them even worse? Halo brought "your" genre to consoles and popularised it, but the franchise hasn't got to where it is today simply because of where the camera is situated. There is more to Halo than your ignorance will allow you to see and that is why it separates itself from PC shooters, it has more to offer than just gameplay.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 3:18 am GMT

    SomeFreakyGuy:

    Oh i didn't say that, i was just reffering to the guys argument below, him saying that what makes the game stand out is it's amazing storyline, which is an utter fallacy.

    Halo is just an above avg multiplayer shooter, nothing more, and if it were released on the PC not the Xbox, it would be just another shooter, and bungie would probably be bankrupt by now like so many other companies.

  • amirkalloe

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 3:08 am GMT

    I can't wait to get ’the king of games’ in my hands

  • SomeFreakyGuy

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 2:35 am GMT

    diablobasher: Judging Halo by its plot is a tad unfair. The reason it is hailed as such a great game is usually for the balanced and enjoyable multiplayer and the combat. Thus 'combat evolved', I doubt Bungie intended to 'steal' the plot ideas so much as play homage and allow players to relive great sci-fi moments in a FPS setting.

  • Kezman118

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 2:31 am GMT

    We are getting even closer to 25th September.....

  • diablobasher

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 2:00 am GMT

    I don't care what anyone says, to say that Halo has a 'good' or 'in-depth' storyline is utter plop, it's just a mishmash of derivetive plot, generic science fiction, and some flat out stolen pieces of fiction.

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 1:44 am GMT

    saw the gameplay video. Can't criticize it bad but not standing out either

  • ---n00b_kid---

    Posted Aug 31, 2007 12:11 am GMT

    Halo 3 will PWN killzone 2

  • sk8rjr

    Posted Aug 30, 2007 11:27 pm GMT

    Lord Vulcan, may I point out that all of the FPS games you enjoy have bad plots? Halo is great because of its balance of storytelling, action, and movie-quality FMVs. Serious Sam blew, Alien vs. Predator, sucks, period.
    I'd much rather play The Legend of Zelda: The Wand of Gamalon over AvP.

    Hell, that Zelda had a much better plot.
    My point is, Halo is a great series, and trust me, u wont see Halo3 in a bargain bin anytime soon. UT2k4 is just a rehash of every other UT in existance with up'd graphics everytime. Gears of War was brilliant.
    You sir, should buy a bike, pedal to the nearest bridge, and Superman your way to the bottom.

  • Skiggy80

    Posted Aug 30, 2007 10:51 pm GMT

    "ssj3-undertaker " "im still getting this but it will be like 5-6 mouths after the release"

    That has to be the stupidest comment I have ever heard!! Whats in 5-6 months that would make you want to buy it then?? The price isnt going to drop by then. lol that was just a way for you to say you dont care its coming out. Well let me tell you, anyone who says Halo 1, 2 and 3 arent that good are seriously either jealous its not on their system of choice or are just tryin to spoil it for everyone else. I 'm willing to bet if the Halo's were on the ps3, it would be an awesome game, right?? You haters are so predictable and any real fan of the series shouldnt take anything you say to heart. The game is awesome, just like when people wait for a sequel to a movie, this is the same. Its a kick ass action fps that we all cant wait to play. Its a story that we all have grown to follow and an interesting one as well. And for "lordvulcan"(lol nice name dork) Serious Sam shouldnt even be mentioned on a forum that talks about Halo. So you can take your Serious Sam and Turok and seriously shove them up your a$$. Whoops, looks like Im gonna be suspended again. (lol) I wouldnt take your fps advice ever and even if it was you and I in this world, I still wouldnt ask you what game to play. Your selection of fps are crap and again shouldnt even be mentioned in the same paragraph as Halo. Well my fellow Halo fans, I'll be back to post more hatred on haters again after my suspension but until then, HALO 3 WILL RULE ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!

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