[Update: The news went up at 2AM Pacific: new Halo 2 multiplayer maps coming next Spring, a Monday Night Football commercial on 12/04/06, and a shiny, shiny screenshot.]
Both Frankie at Bungie and apparently Microsoft (via IGN) have dropped hints that there will be a big mega giant huge news announcement today about Halo at 2AM (although in fairness, IGN said that Microsoft told them that, not Frankie. And then my best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious).
It's the 5th anniversary of the game, (five years? It's hard to believe it's been that long.) So what could it be? Bungie's classic Marathon coming to Xbox Live? A playable Halo 3 demo on marketplace? Limited-edition full-sized Warthog pimped out with an Xbox 360 Steering Wheel?
Well, blogger Zack Stern and yours truly have been up for hours now, staring at the screen, drumming our fingers, and hitting the refresh button. So far, nothing yet. Although we democratically decided that since Bungie and Microsoft are both based on the West Coast, that maybe they meant 2AM Pacific time. Nice of them to tell us. *rassin frassin*
We hope there is some real precious news associated with this, or else we're gonna feel like we got punked. And not in a good way.
Check out our live(ish) chatroom countdown to 2AM after the jump! That is ... 2AM eastern. When ... nothing happened.
10:43:42 PM Kevin: So Zack ... I see you're waiting up for the boffo Microsoft news, eh?
10:44:18 PM Zack: Well Kevin, I don't own any virtual pets. So this seemed like the next-best use of my time.
10:44:40 PM Kevin: Yeah, I know the feeling. I was just updating my gold star chart of favorite commenters.
10:44:41 PM Zack: Are you virtually excited?
10:44:54 PM Kevin: You know it. My virtual pulse is racing.
10:45:23 PM Zack: Ridge Racing?
10:45:37 PM Kevin: Zing! 2 points to Zack.
10:45:57 PM Zack: Thanks. You gave me the easy lay-up.
10:46:14 PM Zack: What could you hope the BIG NEWS will be?
10:47:00 PM Kevin: Well, I hope Microsoft is announcing that they'll be paying me for playing the Xbox 360. Bill Gates has been on a philanthropic tear lately, so fingers crossed on that one.
10:47:19 PM Zack: Yeah, I got that email, too. Nice.
10:47:22 PM Kevin: You?
10:47:37 PM Zack: I'm hoping for, first choice, sustainable clean energy.
10:47:49 PM Kevin: That runs quietly.
10:48:07 PM Zack: Second choice: a contest to play Master Chief in the yet-to-be resurrected Halo movie.
10:48:36 PM Kevin: Oh yeah? You think you could fit into that Mark XVIII whatever-the-number-is armor okay?
10:49:00 PM Zack: No. I have a hard enough time remembering which button punches.
10:49:22 PM Zack: But bring on the Star Wars-kid Halo audition tapes!
10:49:48 PM Kevin: You can always just order the Legendary edition and wear that helmet. In fact, wear it all the time and never take it off. It might make waiting in the post office line easier.
10:50:05 PM Zack: As far as you know, I'm wearing it right now.
10:50:21 PM Kevin: It's a helmet, not underpants ... right?
10:50:31 PM Zack: It doesn't specify.
10:50:43 PM Kevin: Well then, you go with that look.
10:51:06 PM Kevin: Personally, I've been hoping all along that Halo 3 would come out early. I mean, we have the EGM issue which screams HALO HALO HALO...
10:51:33 PM Zack: Remember that band, Tony, Toni, Toné? I digress.
10:51:45 PM Kevin: Of course I do, being a child of the 80s.
10:51:57 PM Kevin: ... And rumors about that announcement, but it seems like it would chew right into Gears of War sales, and I doubt MS would do that. But then, they are kind of nuts, so who knows.
10:52:42 PM Zack: Sure. The fanboy in us all wants the Halo-ships announcement.
10:52:55 PM Kevin: And I want a new Porsche, while we're wishing.
10:53:25 PM Kevin: Well, it's 7 minutes until 2am (Eastern) ... I'm not even sure where we should be looking. xbox.com? Drudge Report? CNN? Fark.com?
10:53:54 PM Zack: I just keep refreshing Joystiq. They'll have something about it soon.
10:54:12 PM Kevin: Oh yeah, those guys are always on the ball.
10:54:31 PM Zack: Even when there's no court.
10:54:39 PM Kevin: Zing!
10:57:16 PM Zack: I do give Bungie credit for being tight-lipped about some announcements in the past, however.
10:57:51 PM Kevin: Yeah they really kept the lid on the whole story about me being the most awesome badass Halo 2 player ever.
10:57:57 PM Kevin: That was more to protect me, though.
10:58:34 PM Zack: From hordes of women
10:58:45 PM Kevin: Yeah, they really dig the gamers and their mad skillz.
10:59:37 PM Zack: Okay. One minute gone. One more minute left in this whole charade.
10:59:48 PM Zack: Unless we have the wrong hour.
10:59:59 PM Kevin: Unless they meant 2am pacific. Who drops news at THAT freaking hour?
11:00:49 PM Zack: What happened? Are we still here?
11:01:03 PM Kevin: Well, my Xbox 360 just exploded in the other room.
11:01:25 PM Kevin: Oh, that's because I left it turned on while sitting on the carpet. BOOYAH!
11:02:41 PM Zack: Hmmm. Nobody is calling me. TV not being preempted. No alert sirens.
11:03:01 PM Kevin: You know, Microsoft, Bungie, and IGN are all based on the West Coast (like us --- because we roll like that).
11:03:06 PM Kevin: So I'm guessing 2am PST.
11:04:05 PM Zack: Or it was all just a dream.
