Halo 3: ODST controller pics hold clues into New Mombasa mysteries
by Christopher Grant 
{ Jun 2nd 2009 at 8:15PM } 
prepare to drop ,,, into our gallery of controller pics
At a press event last night, Bungie's Joseph Staten teased that the Halo 3: ODST controller's cryptic text should provide some clues into the mysteries of New Mombasa (if he did his job correctly, he said). Since our ability to decipher Bungie's clues has always left something to be desired (what's a Master Chief?), we thought we'd take some close-ups and ask The Internet to give it a shot.
So, The Internet, tell us: what secrets does this controller hold? We'll scrub through your comments and pluck out the best theories, so grab your magnifying glasses and deerstalker caps and get to work!
Gallery: Halo 3: ODST controller
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Neuromancer @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:21PM
It's code for "buy our game".
emirabal @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:27PM
Awesome, you read in between the lines, i was LMAO on this one...
Heh @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:28PM
Could the numbers be coordinates to a local gamestop? :O!
Killiam XXIII @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:07PM
ITS A TRAP!
finnith @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:58PM
Clearly an IP Address for gamespot.com
Duke @ Jun 3rd 2009 10:31AM
I believe you mean "Buy teh Haloz"
virtualmatrix258 @ Aug 20th 2009 6:26AM
Kikowani is a station on an Island in New Mombasa.
Alex @ Jun 2nd 2009 11:04PM
Lol .. Word. I cannot wait. I'm definitely going to look around for clues though. Forums `& stuff. I'm not totally into the storyline because I don't really enjoy the Halo story that much, but the storyline in ODST makes everything so much better and makes me even wanna start getting to know everyone and everything about the game a little more. ;)
9.22.09 .. Be there.
traceur_ryuk_shinigami @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:29PM
:O
Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:29PM
it's code for "I can haz recon?!"
Shmil @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:32PM
hmmm nesquik or ovaltine?
neftones @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:45PM
"Coming soon to the PS3."
RKOrules316 @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:53PM
Kikowani is a place in Mombasa and the number next to it could be the date of when it occured
Dustin @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:59PM
I googled KIKOWANI and it looked like it was a graveyard/term for something in a place called Mombasa... hmm Mombasa... New Mombasa... hmm. UNSC is also United Nations Security Council... coincidence, I think not.
Andrew T.S. Bedgood @ Jun 4th 2009 2:07PM
UNSC=United Nations Space Command in the Haloverse.
Dustin @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:59PM
When I plugged 23 03 28 30 into Google maps it game me a place in Algeria... could lead to something else I guess. It could be where you need to travel to in the game. It did say in the trailer that you landed in the wrong spot. He could have landed in either New Mombasa or Algeria and have to travel to the other place.
Devin @ Jun 3rd 2009 3:11PM
Ick, sounds like Resident Evil 5. Too much traveling Africa Lately.
LuiginDaisy @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:59PM
Hopefully it says "FIXED D-PAD."
NDrew2 @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:03PM
Good luck with that. :)
yokel @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:28PM
LOL agreed. When the hell is MS going to fix thier shitty d-pads?? :(
AgentGoomba @ Jun 3rd 2009 12:33PM
I like their D-pad.. It reminds me of the Sega Dreamcast... The controller looks awesome too! I just don't know if I want to dish out 100 bucks for it...
ExMcCloud @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:01PM
I got nothing I just wanted to comment...lol
disastor @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:02PM
The Leet speak looking stuff on image 4 spells out "jaganatha". That's actually sanskrit for Juggernaut or lord of the universe. Another definition said that the root "nath" means "master" (I thought that was a neat coincidence.) Check out wiki on it.
traceur_ryuk_shinigami @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:04PM
Sorry, this is just a test for a new account.
traceur_ryuk_shinigami @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:05PM
>:(
traceur_ryuk_shinigami @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:07PM
WTF?!?! Does it like register your IP adress or something?
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:14PM
Ok, this is starting to piss me off, I am using a different browser, under new readers, a different name, and a different email.
DangerMouse @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:48PM
Still not working? Try again.
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:03PM
I got it working :)
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:04PM
Now I'm just wait for my icon to appear. For some reason on my other one it said I didn't have a profile so I couldn't change my icon I wish I could transfer all my previous comments though.
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:06PM
Sorry for so many comments. One more test.
arrness @ Jun 2nd 2009 10:54PM
couldn't you test on like a old article or something?
dumbshit...
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jun 2nd 2009 11:34PM
Does it really matter? It's not like articles don't die withing a die anyways, you probably won't even see this message. You're just making it a bigger deal than it really is.
Drama queen...
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jun 2nd 2009 11:34PM
*within a day
Ezio Auditore de Firenze [PSN SniperChameleon] @ Jun 3rd 2009 12:56AM
you do know you could have just changed your name, without making a new account, right? i do it all the time.
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jun 3rd 2009 2:18AM
It wouldn't let me. For some reason it said I didn't have a profile.
arcticpenguins @ Jun 3rd 2009 4:28AM
Hey, idiot,
SHUT UP
OneShotKill @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:12PM
maybe GPS coordinates of where new mombasa is?
Mazrael @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:14PM
Means there's another Limited Edition Elite coming.. I was hoping for a ODST black/deep grey one.. especially with the bigger HDD that was rumoured a while back..
Zertoss @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:14PM
23 days, 3 hours, 23 minutes and 30 seconds left until Kikowani is glassed and Mombasa can be rebuilt into New Mombasa.
disastor @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:20PM
going even further with the "jaganatha" leet thing in image 4. the number "108" that follows it, is apparently very symbolic in the Hindu religion. But what would ancient sanskrit names and number have to do with the world of Halo? hmmm..
Triscuit @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:25PM
Perhaps the fact that Mombasa (the largest city in Kenya) is right on the Indian ocean and that there are numerous Indian immigrants living there?
Nick @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:21PM
In the gameplay trailer, on the Spartan Laser, the symbol above the 'select' button is on the Laser.
Drappel @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:23PM
The secret is that ODST stands for "Oh Damn, Spartan Time!"
The message is that this game will leave you waiting for Reach, which will have tons of Spartans.
Brian Fantana @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:35PM
Why didn't they just leave the controller straight green? I would have bought the damn thing if it wasn't for all the writing and lines on it.
Triscuit @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:36PM
Recap of what I posted in the picture's comments:
Picture # 4: Typing QTA XII/VI into google brings up some entries about solar energy and surface meteorology in quetta, pakistan and la quinta, california. Just typing in QTA, I found a page listing acronyms, and there are (out of the numerous results) four possibilities, one of which stands out in particular. QTA means Quick Turn Around, Quality Trait Analysis, Qualification Test Article, and lastly (and most importantly) it is a HAM Radio Q signal meaning "disregard". So, "QTA (disregard) XII/VI (12/6 [12÷6])". Possible meaning of "disregard 2".
sources: http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/QTA
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=QTA+XII%2FVI&btnG=Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Picture # 5: Kikowani is a village/city in Mombasa, typing it into google the first result is Kikowani cemetery. I'm guessing that the following numbers are longitude/latitude, but I haven't figured that out exactly quite yet.
Picture # 7: Go to http://wikimapia.org/3497572/Kikowani-Cemetry-Makaburini
and zoom out two times. Then take this picture into a seperate window and resize the two windows so that you can see both this and the map at once. The lines on the controller look roughly analogous to the roads/landmarks around Kikowani cemetery, no?
Can anyone else get any further with what I've found out? I'm still working, but more heads are better than mine.
picasotriggerfish @ Jun 3rd 2009 12:15AM
K92.28.D003303.DD below right stick (best readable on image 3), is also discussed on B.Net forums in regards to the "Keep It Clean" wallpapers, meaning "No Public Access"
picasotriggerfish @ Jun 3rd 2009 12:23AM
Bottom left corner of controller: "55.6992.3840" same situation. Sighted on pictures of SI again. Also, if Google Maps: mid-ocean between Scotland and Denmark.
picasotriggerfish @ Jun 3rd 2009 12:33AM
Can anyone figure out what the lettering is on both the handles, below the A and B button with the two arrows pointing at it, and above the X button?
The Dark Wayne @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:38PM
Yeah yeah yeah great, but what about a helmet edition?!?!