Halo 5 Event Includes Selfies at Edge of Space, Someone Playing From a Helicopter

Microsoft has announced a partnership with YouTube for a Halo 5: Guardians event that it's likening to a New Year's Eve countdown. Instead of another year, this countdown celebrates the release of Halo 5.

The show, Halo 5: Live as it's being called, will stream exclusively on YouTube from 6 PM EDT on October 26 for six straight hours until midnight on October 27, when the game launches. The broadcast will include new gameplay footage, appearances by celebrities such as Nathan Fillion (who has a part in Halo 5), and interviews with developers at 343 Industries, among other things.

Microsoft Stores around the world will hold special fan events on October 26, where shoppers can watch the entire broadcast, play the game early, and get a Halo poster with a $25 purchase, that evening only. More details about the event are available at the Microsoft Store Facebook page.

The goal for Halo 5: Live, Microsoft said, is to "reinvent the traditional video game launch." Because the event is being streamed live on YouTube, anyone can watch, wherever they are. The schedule of events for the six-hour broadcast is below, with descriptions written by Microsoft.

Real-world events are being held across the globe, too, a couple of which are particularly eye-catching. A fan in Australia will play Halo 5 from a helicopter flying over Sydney; gameplay will be broadcast to a screen suspended by another helicopter. Microsoft is also shooting Master Chief and Agent Locke action figures to the edge of space to take the "most epic Gamertag selife."

Halo 5: Live Schedule of Events:

• The world premiere of Halo: The Fall of Reach episode one, the new animated series that tells the dramatic tale of the origin and intrigue behind the SPARTAN program that propelled characters like the Master Chief and Dr. Catherine Halsey into the pantheon of Halo lore.
• The first Xbox roundtable featuring the writers behind Halo 5: Guardians and Nathan Fillion, the voice of Spartan Buck.
• Special documentaries will get up close and personal with Halo superfans around the world, showcasing what makes Halo Nation unlike any other community in gaming.
• A lucky fan in Australia will play Halo 5: Guardians from a helicopter flying over Sydney, as gameplay is broadcasted via a screen suspended from a second helicopter.
• In London, iconic entertainment venue The Roundhouse will transform into a Halo 5: Guardians celebration, with a friendly tournament between four teams of YouTube creators and fans. U.K. fans can win a chance to attend the London event by visiting: http://bit.ly/1REsmt6.
• In celebration of a Halo superfan from Japan who has played over 10,000 hours of Halo, Master Chief and Agent Locke action figurines will travel to the edge of space for the most epic Gamertag selfie.
• A Taiwanese cosplayer will bring his passion for the Master Chief to life when he collaborates with one of the hottest jewelry designers in Australia to recreate the Master Chief's helmet with more than 30,000 Swarovski crystals. The one-of-a-kind helmet will be unveiled during the show and kick-start a chance for gamers around the world to bid on it for charity.
• In New Zealand, Halo fans will converge at the close of the Armageddon Expo for multiplayer sessions, cosplay displays and more.
• In Hong Kong, a real-life course inspired by the new Halo 5: Guardians competitive Arena multiplayer mode, Breakout, will be constructed, putting Halo fans into real 4v4 combat.
• In New York City, a special fan destination will take place at the brand new flagship store Microsoft at Fifth Ave. and 53rd St., located in the heart of Manhattan and culminating in the midnight launch of Halo 5: Guardians.

The Halo 5 release date is set for October 27 exclusively for Xbox One. In other recent news about the game, 343 has announced its launch day multiplayer playlists and revealed all the achievements. In addition, the game is now available to pre-load, though it won't unlock until October 27.