Halo 4 Limited Edition bundles nine maps
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
$100 premium edition of upcoming sci-fi shooter to include nine maps, early access to six specializations, live-action film; Spartan Ops mode detailed.
Gamers looking forward to restarting the fight have a new option to consider, as Microsoft today announced Halo 4 Limited Edition.
The premium bundle includes access to the War Games map pack, which includes nine new environments spread across three future multiplayer add-ons. A release schedule for the map packs will be unveiled at a later date.
A Microsoft representative told GameSpot this afternoon that the map packs will be available for purchase separately after launch through Xbox Live. Pricing information was not made available, but the company said this will be announced later.
Additionally, Halo 4 Limited Edition grants gamers early access to six specializations, which unlock additional customization options. The six specializations available in Halo 4 Limited Edition will be made available at a later date to all gamers.
On top of that, Halo 4 Limited Edition packs in the UNSC Infinity Briefing Packet, which includes an armor customization diagram, a blueprint of the Infinity ship, and additional "insight" into what it means to be a Spartan-IV soldier.
The premiums don't end there. Halo 4 Limited Edition also includes various digital content offerings delivered through Xbox Live, as well as the special edition of the upcoming 90-minute live-action film Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.
On top of announcing Halo 4 Limited Edition, Microsoft today formally took the wraps off Halo 4's Spartan Ops offering. This mode will offer a weekly series of episodes through Xbox Live that tells the story of the UNSC Infinity and its crew after the events of Halo 4. The episodes will also introduce players to a new team of Spartans called Majestic Squad.
According to Microsoft, the episodes will provide a backdrop for the Spartan Ops game missions, which will also be released on a weekly basis. Gamers can take on these objective-based missions either alone or with up to three friends. Further specifics were not offered.
Halo 4 is due for a worldwide release exclusively on the Xbox 360 on November 6. It is a sequel to 2007's Halo 3 and takes place nearly five years after the events of that game. Halo 4 is currently in development at Microsoft's new Halo label 343 Industries, the shop that recently took over for series creator Bungie.
For more on Halo 4, check out GameSpot's latest coverage.
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
213 comments
Wow... So the limited edition basically equates to paying for left out content?
Fools will be fools.
3 Like It's the debt they pay off. That's their business. Making games and satisfying the customer are 2nd. Paying off their debt, to increase the capacity, and push the profits to shareholders is #1.
Starhawk has free map packs. So I guess people's 'business acumen' isn't entirely correct. Only idiots think that creating map packs for free, in total, has one working for free. That you 'have' to charge for it, is forrest gump thinking.
You can make a multiplayer map in a day. Making these map packs aren't a huge resource outlay. You aren't hiring voice talent. You already have the gun sounds, the game engine, certain graphical assets. Quit believing the Wall Street BS. Work for free my.....
So let's see. GRAW had 42 maps. Not including other co-op maps. Not all map packs cost money. Each map pack had 6-8 maps. So even if charging for map packs, they could give you more than THREE FRICKING maps. These map packs with 3 maps are asinine whether they are Halo, CoD, or anyone else. Make the update worth it. If you're going to charge, make it a big update. Or be like others who give the maps away (since charging for them splits the community) and focus on other things like costumes/avatars. Halo 3 and such had that thing where you could buy extra space and stuff. There are other ways to go about it.
Remember everyone buy facebook stock and hold it to the bottom because you believe in the idiot company. Facebook = MySpace circa 2007. Lose all your money because you believe in the CIA.
2 Like My qualm with DLC is that it separates the multiplayer audience. I'd be far more willing to pay for a large 50 dollar expansion-pack than 5 smaller, ten dollar add ons.
This would only break the community into two rather than 6 parts, and I wouldn't need to do so many annoying micro-transactions/ purchasing of stupid XBL points.
These large expansion packs could also be available on disk (like they are for PC).
1 Like 3 map packs, 90 min halo movie, the game its self is worth the money this is just a bonus im just about to go pre-order this right now:) u will be saving money buying this special edition rather than buying the map packs at a later stage so in my opinion its a good deal.
4 Like It actually makes me sad to see what gaming's turning into. Publishers segregating the fanbase from day one with this limited edition map nonsense, it's really disgusting. I would never give money for such a thing, even if it was my favorite series (which Halo is far from)
@istuffedsunny Don't listen to what the fools who don't know business, just fake business, say.
There are other ways to recoup the cost of a making a map, which in reality is a day or three of wages. This guy THINKS he knows business, and how it should be run.
Really he is just forwarding an incorrect ideology. He also forgets that when a game comes out with just a few maps, they aren't doing their jobs to begin with. But never mind that. His mind is in the ethereal nether regions where everything is business focused on the forest from the trees never realized.
@jmc88888 Lets say you work for someone for 8 hours a day, would you ask for extra payment if you 9 hour instead? YOU WOULD YOU DUMB FUCK.
Started playing darksiders sins a few months and actually eager for darksiders 2. The reason I say this is because Vigil Games isn't participating in this shi*t. 343 already made DLC for a limited edition, whereas they should make the NORMAL game as good as possible.
@talamalopilis I pretty sure the cost to hire people 10 years ago were cheaper and required less people. "Get paid more" ... that why they need DLC bro =/ Companies need to make money to pay off worker's salary. What else, the cost of making games increases while the retail price stay the same.Even if companies were nice, what about the people who work for them? They will ask for raise monthly, have you consider that?
@FinalHermit think about it this way, the company has a job to do that should take 8 hours, ok. but the company is getting paid by the hour, so why dont they take 10 hours to do an 8 hour job and get paid more.. see what im getting at.
the game companys are making more money off of equal to or lesser product than maybe 10 years ago
DLC is no longer an extra overtime shift, it is planned from the beginning and is accounted for in the overall budget.
10 years ago: game=budget
now: game+DLC=same budget
leading the game on its own to be a lesser product
@istuffedsunny Yes, developers should make everything free for you cause you so fking special in this world, people need to make a living, stop bitching. For them, gaming is business, not Christmas. I don't see you working for free.
2 Like I can not wait for this game!! my collection will be complete again :D
Bring on the Premium Bundle.
I am a huge fan of the halo series, but not of day 1 DLC of maps. See starhawk to see how its done
Son I am dissapoint, bungie made better job with limited edition. Avatar, elite costum, flames, halo waypiont exclusive content access, Dr. Halsey's journal.
2 Like @a1450358509If the 3 map packs weren't included I would agree with you. But with three map packs each costing 800 M,P ( 3 x 800 = 2400 ) this is clearly not overpriced
3 Like 3 maps for 800 points isn't overpriced? Of course it is.
Just because they've and others have gotten away with it, doesn't mean it isn't a screwjob.
Map packs should EACH have at least double that, or more like 8-12 maps. So you are saying what amounts to ONE map pack, 9 maps, is perfectly fine being THREE. That's CLEARLY overpriced. Now I can see it being 1200 points for such a map pack, but 3x800 is WAY too much.
As an example look at GRAW 2. When all was said and done it had 42 maps. More if you count Co-op maps. The map packs didn't have 3 maps in them, more like 8, and not all of them cost something. THIS is the way to charge for content.
Then again you could also go another route like Starhawk, where ALL the future maps will be FREE.
So charging up the wazoo for 3 MAPS at a time, is a screwjob. Just because you get a 'deal' by throwing all this money at them in the beginning, which of course you give up any recourse if the game sucks big time. Hey it happens. Then you're not only out 60 bucks, but 100.
Thanks WALL STREET!
1 Like I wasn't very excited about all this digital stuff (that seems like a waste of money to me) up to the point I read about the including a special edition of the upcoming live action Halo 4 film....okay, now you've got my attention.
1 Like I pre-ordered. The lesson I've learned:If you wait to buy/reserve a limited edition of a popular shooter, you probably won't get it.
2 Like Oh man this sounds so cool, I can't wait! Definitely sounds like the few extra quid goes a long way-i'll sure as hell consider it :)
2 Like The real question is, when these map packs eventually release will it be available for EVERYone, or only people who bought the limited edition first and then the rest of the herd a few months later (ala COD Elite)? Honestly, I kinda regret buying into Elite for the content because half the people I play with online don't have the maps till months later...or at all. It's not a HUGE deal, but I'd like to avoid that this time around.
@mikey1611 i was thinking the exact same thing, replacing my 360 with a busted drive. i started thinking maybe MS will do some epic price cut that'll make things easier
5 Like I have few limited edition games but it's impossible not to drool over a new limited edition!
9 Like To all those that believe the map packs are a day one for those that buy the limited edition read the following...
"The premium bundle includes access to the War Games map pack, which includes nine new environments spread across three future multiplayer add-ons. A release schedule for the map packs will be unveiled at a later date."
It is clearly stated that the spread out over a certain timeframe post launch. The limited edition basically allows buyers to pre-purchased future Map packs before they are released. This will not allow anyone to get the maps day 1. For example all those that bought a new copy of Alan Wake on 360 recieved a code for a piece of DLC that was launched a few months after the release of the game.
To all those who were complaining, while I can understand why you felt aggrieved, I hope in the future that you properly read any article before commenting on them, as it is frustrating to read comments that are clearly wrong.
sounds decent, though i've never like dlc preorder bonuses, and a soundtrack would be good too. but i'll probably buy it.
2 Like "The episodes will also introduces players to a new team of Spartans called Majestic Squad."
Majestic Squad? Eh, doesn't sound like a very good name for a team of the best soldiers the world has ever seen. Not very tough.
2 Like New games here in Australia cost $100 or $120.. Also 100US is like 88AU, seems like a fine price to me for whats offered
@thereal-15-cent You misunderstood what they said. Them wanting 2 editions for the GAME does NOT mean that there won't be a Halo 4 360 Slim console bundle(which would obviously come with the REGULAR edition of the game). Mark my words: There will be a Halo 4 360 Slim console. Microsoft knows it will sell at $400 with a 320GB HDD and 2 controllers with the rotating d-pad (the Halo Reach controllers lacked the new d-pad)
I didn't say they won't make a Halo 360, my reply was to raev92, not kenkashijd. I think they might make a Halo 360, but they're not making a Legendary edition of the game.
@raev92 No, they decided to meet in the middle and just have the regular and Limited Edition.
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Halo 4
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- Publisher(s): Microsoft Game Studios
- Developer(s): 343 Industries
- Genre: Action
- Release:
- ESRB: M
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