Halo 2 maps available April 17th for $4, Xbox 360 not required

94 Comments by Christopher Grant Mar 30th 2007 12:51PM
Filed under: Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Xbox 360, First Person Shooters

Remember that 2am Bungie announcement where they promised new Halo 2 multiplayer maps but only if you promised to play them on an Xbox 360? They stuck to their word with the maps -- Halo 2 renditions of Hang 'Em High and Derelict, two of Halo: Combat Evolved's most popular multiplayer maps -- but have broken their promise on the console requirements. See, now they're saying these things will work on both Xbox and Xbox 360 platforms. Who's saying that? Bungie's own Frankie, that's who!

For the reasonable price of $4 (wow, no MS Points?), you'll be able to download both maps -- now redubbed Tombstone and Desolation respectively -- on April 17. Because the original Xbox doesn't use Billy Bucks, they've foregone the confusing currency conversion and settled on good old money. Similarly, because the old Xbox doesn't distinguish between Gold and Silver accounts, you'll need to be a Gold member to download and play. Hurrah for coming through for the old school Halo gamers: letting them play some heretofore offline-only Halo maps in Halo 2 on their aging Xboxen.

Gallery: Halo 2 Blastacular Map Pack

Source

(Page 1) Reader Comments

Virtua Fanboy: Mar 30th 2007; 1:02PM

Wow, after the Elite debacle this is some damn positive news. Having more people to play is always a good thing.

Virtua Fanboy: Mar 30th 2007; 1:04PM

billy bucks. lol.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 1:07PM

dang... I was hoping for minimal cheating on those maps due to 360 required...

Chris: Mar 30th 2007; 1:15PM

Sweeeet. Can't beat new maps. Keeps us calm and composed while we wait for Halo 3.

Damn, they should totally call it Billy Bucks! Or Xpoints. Or BillBux. Anything besides Microsoft Points, which is the worst name for a Microsoft product I've ever heard. I gag a little every time I say it out loud.

qbix: Mar 30th 2007; 1:22PM

Nothing can come close to Hang 'em High for the original Halo. Halo 2 has a very different feel in terms of gameplay so I don't think it'll be nearly the same. I mean, this map forced a lot of people to learn the crouching technique when jumping from high places (or land on slanted surfaces). And don't get me started about the endless pistol battles that took place in this very map. I'm still buying it though.

Grindstone: Mar 30th 2007; 1:24PM

I agree with Intentless. I was hoping these would be 360 exclusive because of the rampant cheating on the hackable maps from before. Granted, they have cracked down on many cheaters, but still, there was hope... for a little while.

qbix: Mar 30th 2007; 1:25PM

Oh, and blowing things towards you was also a common practice... sniper rifle, come to me!

Ken: Mar 30th 2007; 1:36PM

Ah yes, Halo 2. I remember playing that on the N64. What a great game.

samfish: Mar 30th 2007; 1:36PM

Wasn't there supposed to be two huge back-to-back night announcements on the MS blog earlier this week or something?

The first was the 360 Elite. What was the second? WAS there supposed to be a second..?

Virtua Fanboy: Mar 30th 2007; 1:38PM

The cheating doesn't bother me. I think it funny sometimes. What I'm most excited about is that I can still play these new maps system link w/my Xbox 360 and Xbox. There's nothing like 8 people playing in the same house. (I'm to lazy to bring the living room tv to the den so we can all play in the same room, lol.)

denney: Mar 30th 2007; 1:43PM

OH YEAH BABY.

Neoxkc: Mar 30th 2007; 1:53PM

There was, it was an announcement for that deepfish browser for windows mobile. I'm pretty sure that was what it was. It was reported on Major Nelson's site and Channel 10. Needless to say I was disappointed.

Kizzle: Mar 30th 2007; 1:56PM

Nice. Halo maps that don't use points - so you get to use your credit card...just in time to have your XBL account pretext'd and hijacked!

Chris 4tee4: Mar 30th 2007; 2:10PM

Am I the only one who thinks charging $4 for two maps, that should have been included, on a 3 year old game is a bit much?

Jake: Mar 30th 2007; 2:12PM

Virtua Fanboy,

The Elite "debacle" was only a debacle in the minds of Nintendo and Sony fanboys. I have a 360 and am very happy with it. I don't see this new model as spelling any trouble for what my system is capable of.

C. Grant: Mar 30th 2007; 2:13PM

Chris 4tee4: why should they have been included? The game is four year's old and, by most accounts, people seem to like it.

Jake: Mar 30th 2007; 2:16PM

@15

Yes, you are. It costs money for the maps especially because the game is old. These maps aren't going to move game copies, so there is no reason to give them away other than kindness. If you think $4 for two maps is worth it, get it. If not, don't. And you feel the maps should have been included in the original game. I think a 100 dollar bill should be included in every candy wrapper, so we both are gettin screwed.

JasonL: Mar 30th 2007; 2:26PM

Great! Time to dust off Halo 2.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 2:29PM

Sadly in order to products to be made peeps gotta get paid...

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 2:29PM

*** to products for products... eh... oops...

cyberfrog: Mar 30th 2007; 2:36PM

Sigh, am I the only one that thinks 4 bucks for 2 new maps sounds like madness? It seems that micro-transactions aren't going anywhere, but downloadable content used to be a way to reward current owners and entice potential ones who were on the fence, at least for the pc crowd. I admit, making maps, and good maps in general, has probably become more complicated, but people do it for fun all the time. It's only a matter of time until companies start planning ahead and begin releasing games with less maps, while all the time planning downloadable maps of the week.

Flit: Mar 30th 2007; 2:36PM

Hang em high will makes Jesus cry without having the pistol.

Chris 4tee4: Mar 30th 2007; 2:37PM

I just wanted something a little more out of my live subscription besides maintenance and free demos, I don't really like the idea of minuscule content costing $4.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 2:43PM

If they follow suite with the last map packs they will eventually be free...

zwarren69: Mar 30th 2007; 2:43PM

Whats sucks, is after they killed xbox early i cancelled my account, which ended last month. I would actually buy these maps.... but sorry im not buying another live account or a 360 to do so... =(

-Zach

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 2:44PM

Pistol was bull anyway. What was the point of sniper if your starting weapon was easier quicker and deadlier than the rifle?

Keith Sheehan: Mar 30th 2007; 2:47PM

The $4 makes sense since MS Points don't really work with the original Xbox, do they?

Tom: Mar 30th 2007; 2:48PM

Wait a minute. Halo 2 was released Nov 9, 2004. That would make this game 2 years, 4 months, 21 days. Not 4 years, or even 3 years like you people are saying. And its only $4. Get a job.

Chris 4tee4: Mar 30th 2007; 2:50PM

@Tom
Are they hiring at bungie?

Tom: Mar 30th 2007; 2:55PM

Probably, but I doubt you have the skills necessary.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 2:55PM

go to bungie.net they should still have the hiring link on there...

Ken: Mar 30th 2007; 2:59PM

Yeah, true... Requires alot of skill to make "Generic FPS III: The Death Ray".

Whatever.

Tom: Mar 30th 2007; 3:01PM

Would "Generic FPS III: The Death Ray" be as good as Halo? Or sell as well?

UncleScrotar: Mar 30th 2007; 3:03PM

Uhhh sweet. Sort of. $4 for 2 maps. 2 maps, mind you, from a 4 year old game that you can get used for $15 at EBGames. In short, you're basically paying 1/4 of the total cost of the game for two maps. Coolness. Thanks Bungie. You're super awesome.

Virtua Fanboy: Mar 30th 2007; 3:04PM

"The Elite "debacle" was only a debacle in the minds of Nintendo and Sony fanboys. I have a 360 and am very happy with it. I don't see this new model as spelling any trouble for what my system is capable of.

Posted at 2:12PM on Mar 30th 2007 by Jake"

Oh sorry Jake, the Elite is the best thing that ever happened to MS, and no Xbox fanboys were annoyed by this in the least bit, just Sony and Nintendo fanboys. /Sarcasm in case you can't tell.

I don't really care about the HDMI aspect of it it's just the fact that I have to pay $180 extra to take advantage of the 120 gig hdd when "Elite" owners only have to pay what $70 or $80 extra. Ya I feel a little ripped off. Nothing I haven't gotten over though.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 3:17PM

Again not four years old and for the record.... Its four dollars what is that too much for your monthly allowance to support or something... Seriously...

Tmoney: Mar 30th 2007; 3:21PM

The maps should be free. This should go to the cost of hyping halo for the launch of halo 3. $4 for recycled maps is a little steep. You are basicaly paying for their brand expansion

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 3:23PM

Then don't buy it if you don't want to support a third parties work. That is fine.. No biggie. They won't miss four dollars...

Vidikron: Mar 30th 2007; 3:26PM

@36

There seems to be confusion over thos whole 4 year old deal. I'm sure the 4 years old is coming from the fact that there were oginally Halo 1 maps, not Halo 2. So in that respect, they are that old. Also, depite the claims of others, $4 IS pretty steep for 2 maps. Not only is it just two maps, it's two ported maps, not even originals.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 3:28PM

They didn't just take the old maps and push them over. They completly remade the maps from the ground up... I am a fan of Halo. I have fond memories of destroying people on these maps. I have been looking forward to these maps. They are a business, this is America. Sadly nobody seems to understand you need to pay to get things just like you get paid to do your job.

Vidikron: Mar 30th 2007; 3:36PM

@40

Just how much work do you think it takes? I see people crank out maps galore for PC shooters. The engine is already there, the textures are there, etc... I'm not saying they shouldn't get paid, but $2 per map is pretty expensive when all they really had to do was fire up the level editor and recreate the old maps... especially when they can likely count on thousands of people purchasing the maps. I bet they could have charged half that and easily made $$. I don't let Nitnendo slide with their ridiculous VC prices and I won't give Bungie a free pass either.

Tom: Mar 30th 2007; 3:43PM

@41

Why not charge the $4 then since you know people will but them?

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 3:46PM

Ummm... I find it unlikely that they used a straight up building block level editor. Like I used to tool with for Quake and Doom... From the picks it looks like they made up some of their own textures and shapes for a large majority of it... Thats like telling me you shouldn't pay a photographer for an image because you coulda done the same with a disposable camera.....

Vidikron: Mar 30th 2007; 3:53PM

@41

Goodwill and because some people won't pony up the money at $4.

@43

I'm sure they did little more than just use a level editor, I was just making the point that I doubt they really had to do much. Seriously, people make their own textures and even music for lots of PC shooters for free. Bungie has all the professional tools they need. I seriously doubt it took that much work to port these over. But if you want to beleive that slaved away working 16 hour days for weeks on end creating this and at $4 are hoping to barely break even.. be my guest. I'll not be so naive.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 4:02PM

Because when you work in the field you work to break even... Sorry... Talk to a professional photographer and see if his or her goal is to break even......

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 4:05PM

Personally my goal isn't to break even... Sony's goal isn't to break even... Nintendo's goal isn't to break even... Oh wait... Sony bad example they are simply trying to get out of the red... People price things at what they feel they can charge and still have a certain amount of people buy the product. If you don't want to buy it wait till interest drops and then eventually the price will drop. There are those that think four dollars is worth it... And there are those that don't.

Shibathedog: Mar 30th 2007; 4:05PM

OH MY GOD THANK YOU!!! HANG EM' HIGH!!!!

The number one thing i missed most from Halo 1 that i felt halo 2 needed more than anything.

Brings back memories of No shields, Hang em, sniper only, XBConnect matches :D

KilgoreTrout XL: Mar 30th 2007; 4:07PM

People complaining about the $4 need to get a fucking job.

Holy shit.

You should be spending your time complaining about other things, like how astonishingly cheap you are, or how pron's never been the same since the jump from film to video.

But not four dollars. Jesus. I've drank beers that cost double that. A f-u-c-k-i-n-g beer.

Repeat after me: "I am a whiner. I need to stop whining." There, that's better.

Intentless: Mar 30th 2007; 4:09PM

Kilgore... excellent point... German Beer in America isn't cheap and it only lasts a few moments... These maps will at least get a few hours out of me....