Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Microsoft, Steven Spielberg working on Halo: The Television Series]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/microsoft-steven-spielberg-working-on-halo-the-television-seri/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/microsoft-steven-spielberg-working-on-halo-the-television-seri/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/microsoft-steven-spielberg-working-on-halo-the-television-seri/#commentsMicrosoft working on Halo live action television series Microsoft has announced that it will be producing a live action television series based on the Halo franchise, shown exclusively via the new Xbox One console. 343 Industries will oversee the show, and Stephen Spielberg will play a part as well (though his full role wasn't yet revealed).

Spielberg appeared in a short video at today's announcement, where he said he was excited to be involved with "the heroes, worlds, and wonders that Halo will take us to."

JoystiqMicrosoft, Steven Spielberg working on Halo: The Television Series originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industrieshalohalo-the-television-seriesmicrosoftsteven-spielbergxboxxbox-revealTue, 21 May 2013 13:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 4 getting new Forge Island map for free on April 11]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/24/halo-4-getting-new-forge-island-map-for-free-on-april-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/24/halo-4-getting-new-forge-island-map-for-free-on-april-11/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/24/halo-4-getting-new-forge-island-map-for-free-on-april-11/#comments New Halo 4 map343 Industries has announced at PAX East this weekend that Halo 4 is getting a new Forge map, with plenty of blank, open canvas for Halo level makers to paint their creativity on. As you can see in the quick video on IGN's page, "Forge Island" actually has three different islands of varying size, all completely flat and round, to give map makers lots of room to build whatever they want.

The map will also come with some new Forge pieces, which the developers have already used to build a copy of Hang 'Em High. 343 specifically asked at the panel if a fan would be kind enough to remake Blood Gulch on the biggest island, so that's possible too. The new map and related tools are all being released for free on April 11, just a few days after the Castle Map Pack arrives on April 8.

JoystiqHalo 4 getting new Forge Island map for free on April 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blood-gulchcastle-map-packdevelopersforgeforge-islandfreehalohalo-4hang-em-highmapmicrosoftplayersreleasexboxSun, 24 Mar 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie discussing 'Destiny' at GDC 2013]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/bungie-discussing-destiny-at-gdc-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/bungie-discussing-destiny-at-gdc-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/bungie-discussing-destiny-at-gdc-2013/#comments Bungie and Activision's new IP, Destiny, will be the subject of a session during this year's Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. Dubbed a "Brave New World: New Bungie IP," the talk will cover the studio's approach in putting together Destiny's original setting, "a place where the next ten years of great Bungie adventures will unfold."

The Destiny leaks last year suggested a "fun and accessible" multi-platform project, set in the future and featuring a large-scale war between man and alien (bearing a strong resemblance, in other words, to Halo). Having been teased with Destiny and its iconography for months now, we expect some insight into just how Bungie's new universe is shaping up.

The Game Developers Conference runs from March 25 until March 29. The time and date of Bungie's panel has yet to be announced.

JoystiqBungie discussing 'Destiny' at GDC 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbungiedestinygdcgdc-13gdc-2013halomicrosoftpanelpcplaystationps3revealxboxWed, 16 Jan 2013 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 4 and Hitman: Absolution on sale on Amazon today]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/09/halo-4-and-hitman-absolution-on-sale-on-amazon-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/09/halo-4-and-hitman-absolution-on-sale-on-amazon-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/09/halo-4-and-hitman-absolution-on-sale-on-amazon-today/#comments Halo 4 is on sale for $39.99 on Amazon today, and comes with $10 in Amazon Instant Video credit. What was that you said? You have more money to spend? Well you're in luck, because a PC download of Hitman: Absolution is on sale for $29.99 on Amazon as well, with Xbox 360 and PS3 versions at $39.99.

Halo 4's Crimson Map Pack arrives December 10. For those without a calendar, that's tomorrow, which makes today's sale rather convenient.

Gallery: Halo 4 (Crimson Map Pack)

JoystiqHalo 4 and Hitman: Absolution on sale on Amazon today originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesamazoncertain-affinityHalohalo-4hitman-absolutionIO-Interactivemicrosoftpcplaystationps3salesSquare-EnixxboxSun, 09 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo franchise up to 50M sold worldwide, next entry in the works]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/halo-franchise-up-to-50m-sold-worldwide-next-entry-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/halo-franchise-up-to-50m-sold-worldwide-next-entry-in-the-works/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/halo-franchise-up-to-50m-sold-worldwide-next-entry-in-the-works/#comments Halo franchise up to 50M sold worldwide, next entry in the worksIn the last month or so the Halo franchise shot past the 50 million mark for games sold worldwide, the figure being 46 million going into the launch of Halo 4 by 343 Industries. Microsoft revealed the new milestone to us via a recent press release.

The new figure would suggest sales of around 4 million for Master Chief's latest adventure, but it's those pesky other Halo games that are complicating the issue. We do know the Xbox 360 shooter made $220 million on its first day at retail - not bad when you consider the multi-platform Black Ops 2 did $500 million in the same time, with more expensive special editions.

343's Development Director, Frank O'Connor, revealed this week that the next major Halo game was already in the works before Halo 4 launched. Speaking to CVG, O'Connor said, "I can't say more than that, but work on the game started actually before we launched Halo 4 and continues apace as we cycle staff through the team's vacation breaks. We're excited about the next game."

JoystiqHalo franchise up to 50M sold worldwide, next entry in the works originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industriesfrank-o-connorhalohalo-4microsoftxboxFri, 07 Dec 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft Vancouver is now Black Tusk Studios, building 'the next Halo']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/02/microsoft-vancouver-is-now-black-tusk-studios-building-the-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/02/microsoft-vancouver-is-now-black-tusk-studios-building-the-nex/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/02/microsoft-vancouver-is-now-black-tusk-studios-building-the-nex/#comments Microsoft Studios Vancouver becomes Black Tusk Studios, working on new franchiseMicrosoft Studios Vancouver has been rebranded as Black Tusk Studios, and the team is tasked with creating Microsoft's "next big entertainment franchise," or as the layman says it, "the next Halo."

Black Tusk has 55 employees and looks to double that number within a year; those already there have an average of 12 years experience building AAA games. This includes studio manager and former EA man, Mike Crump.

"We are working on Microsoft's next big entertainment franchise," Crump tells The Vancouver Sun. "We're not working on an existing franchise; we're looking to build the next Halo here in Vancouver, for example, which is really exciting. We are building something from the ground up."

Microsoft laid off a small number of people in Vancouver earlier this year, but said it remains invested in the British Columbia games industry. If it's pouring enough money to build another Halo franchise into Black Tusk, we'd say Microsoft is heavily invested, indeed.

JoystiqMicrosoft Vancouver is now Black Tusk Studios, building 'the next Halo' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Dec 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-tusk-studiosHalokinectmicrosoftmicrosoft-studios-vancouvermicrosoft-vancouvervancouverxboxSun, 02 Dec 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One million players have completed Halo 4's campaign]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/one-million-players-have-completed-halo-4s-campaign/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/one-million-players-have-completed-halo-4s-campaign/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/one-million-players-have-completed-halo-4s-campaign/#comments The official Halo Waypoint blog has shared a number of stats and figures from Halo 4's first week, revealing that over a million people have already completed the new game's campaign since launch; six percent of which have finished the game on its "Legendary" difficulty setting.

All of that campaign playing took up 13.5 million hours of gameplay; however, War Games was actually the most popular game mode, with four million users clocking 16 million hours of competitive multiplayer within the first five days of launching. 1.9 million hours were spent playing Spartan Ops, Halo 4's ongoing episodic co-op mode.

And if you're wondering just how much overall death Halo 4 has caused, 343 says that 4,590,416,285 kills took place in all of the game modes within the tracked five-day period. That's over 4.5 billion kills, between fellow players, the Covenant, and the new Prometheans. With all of that killing, it's no wonder the planet is called Requiem.

JoystiqOne million players have completed Halo 4's campaign originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industriescampaignhalohalo-4legendarymicrosoftprometheansrequiemspartan-opsstatswar-gamesxboxFri, 16 Nov 2012 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Play Halo 4 multiplayer a whole lot, get free Microsoft Points]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/play-halo-4-multiplayer-a-whole-lot-get-free-microsoft-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/play-halo-4-multiplayer-a-whole-lot-get-free-microsoft-points/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/play-halo-4-multiplayer-a-whole-lot-get-free-microsoft-points/#comments Play Halo 4 multiplayer a whole lot, get free Microsoft PointsXbox Live Rewards is offering free Microsoft Points to players who plunge their lives into Halo 4 multiplayer. There's a maximum 800 MSP up for grabs, 600 of it for playing 140-plus hours of Halo 4 multiplayer, and 200 for spending at least 3000 MSP on Halo Marketplace content. The catch? You've got until November 30 to put in the time.

If you like freebies but don't like the idea of a whole month playing one game's multiplayer, the good news is you get 300 MSP for playing 70 hours, and 100 MSP for 35 hours. And if you only have 1500 MSP spare for Halo stuff this month, you still get 100 MSP back. You should note Microsoft says there's a maximum total of 10 million MSP on offer across all players, and they'll be doled out on a "first-come, first-serve basis."

FYI, clocking in 140 hours of Halo 4 mulitplayer by the end of the month equates to just under six hours each day. That's roughly a third of your waking life in November. To put that in persp... what's that? Oh, right. See you in December, then.

JoystiqPlay Halo 4 multiplayer a whole lot, get free Microsoft Points originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industrieshalohalo-4microsoftmultiplayerXBLMxboxxbox-livexbox-live-rewardsWed, 07 Nov 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo franchise up to 46 million games sold worldwide]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/halo-has-made-nearly-3-billion-in-sales-46-million-units-wor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/halo-has-made-nearly-3-billion-in-sales-46-million-units-wor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/halo-has-made-nearly-3-billion-in-sales-46-million-units-wor/#comments Halo has made 'nearly' $3 billion in sales, 46 million units sold worldwideThe Halo franchise is up to 46 million games sold worldwide. Microsoft gave us the impressive figure today ahead of the launch of Halo 4, which was recently revealed as comfortably Microsoft's most expensive game to date.

According to Microsoft, Halo has so far generated $3 billion in revenue, there are 120 million pieces of user-generated content in Halo 3 to date, and 5 billion hours have been logged into Halo games via Xbox Live. We won't speculate on what all these figures may rise to following Halo 4's release next week.

JoystiqHalo franchise up to 46 million games sold worldwide originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halohalo-3halo-4microsoftphil-spencerrevenuesalesxboxWed, 31 Oct 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn vignette debuts squad]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/30/final-halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-video-debuts-squad/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/30/final-halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-video-debuts-squad/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/30/final-halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-video-debuts-squad/#comments
The final installment of the Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn vignette series debuts the Hastati squad from the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, which fight for a cause they don't seem to believe in. The live-action mini-series kicks off on Halo Waypoint and Machinima Prime on October 5.

JoystiqFinal Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn vignette debuts squad originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesforward-unto-dawnHalohalo-4live-actionmicrosoftMicrosoft-Game-Studiosmini-seriesxboxSun, 30 Sep 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch election coverage on Xbox Live, get avatar armor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/29/watch-election-coverage-on-xbox-live-get-avatar-armor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/29/watch-election-coverage-on-xbox-live-get-avatar-armor/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/29/watch-election-coverage-on-xbox-live-get-avatar-armor/#comments Watch politics and get Halo 4 Avatar armorXbox Live Rewards members that tune in to live election coverage via Xbox Live on three of four scheduled dates will receive Halo 4 Warrior armor for their avatars. Viewers will be able to participate in live polling as well as present poll questions via Twitter using the hashtag #XboxPoll.

The four debates, of which viewers need to watch three to get their totally-not-real Halo armor, are all scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern 6:00PT:
  • October 3, 2012: Presidential Debate on Foreign Policy
  • October 11, 2012: Vice-Presidential Debate
  • October 16, 2012: Presidential Debate on Domestic Policy
  • October 22, 2012: Presidential Debate

JoystiqWatch election coverage on Xbox Live, get avatar armor originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Avatarelectionelection-2012Halomicrosoftobamarock-the-voteRomneyxboxXbox-Livexbox-live-rewardsSat, 29 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gallery: The Tokyo Game Show 2012 Square Enix/Play Arts Booth]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/22/gallery-the-tokyo-game-show-2012-square-enix-play-arts-booth/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/22/gallery-the-tokyo-game-show-2012-square-enix-play-arts-booth/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/22/gallery-the-tokyo-game-show-2012-square-enix-play-arts-booth/#comments Gallery The Tokyo Game Show 2012 Square EnixPlay Arts BoothSo, I'm not a professional photographer or a professional action-figure critic or anything, but I am a professional Video Games Person, so I was duty bound by my strict code of VGP ethics to take a lot of pictures of some pretty awesome looking stuff at Square Enix's Play Arts booth during this year's Tokyo Game Show.

Prototype figures from upcoming Halo, Batman and Mass Effect figure series can all be seen in the gallery below, as can my inadvertently-captured pasty reflection and a few bonus slimes that were thrown for good measure.

Gallery: Play Arts (TGS 2012)

JoystiqGallery: The Tokyo Game Show 2012 Square Enix/Play Arts Booth originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 22 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-figuresanne-hathawaybatmanBatman-Arkham-Asylumcowboy-bebopdevil-may-crydollsfigurehaloheath-ledgermass-effectmetal-gearplay-artsslimessquare-enixstreet-fightertekkenthe-jokertomb-raidertoysSat, 22 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 4 ViDoc makes Chief human, multiplayer map 'Exile' revealed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/halo-4-vidoc-makes-chief-human-multiplayer-map-exile-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/halo-4-vidoc-makes-chief-human-multiplayer-map-exile-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/halo-4-vidoc-makes-chief-human-multiplayer-map-exile-revealed/#comments
Along with the revelation that Grifball will be making its way into Halo 4 multiplayer, a number of other exciting tidbits were revealed by 343 Industries at PAX. First up is a brand new ViDoc which takes a look behind the scenes of Halo 4 and at the emotional growth of John 117 himself. Of particular interest are the bits showing off Halo 4's motion capture setup, which appears to be borrowing a page from Naughty Dog's playbook and capturing the full physical performance of the game's actors.

Next up is a first look at the multiplayer map, Exile. Check out some screens below, featuring a verdant canyon setting and one guy being really mean with the flag.

Continue reading Halo 4 ViDoc makes Chief human, multiplayer map 'Exile' revealed

JoystiqHalo 4 ViDoc makes Chief human, multiplayer map 'Exile' revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industrieshalohalo-4microsoftpax-2012xboxTue, 04 Sep 2012 11:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Latest Halo 4 'Forward Unto Dawn' episode waxes philosophical about cryo-sleep]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/latest-halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-episode-waxes-philosophical-ab/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/latest-halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-episode-waxes-philosophical-ab/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/latest-halo-4-forward-unto-dawn-episode-waxes-philosophical-ab/#comments Latest Forward Unto Dawn episode waxes philosophical about cryo sleep
If we've taken anything away from the latest Halo 4 "Forward Unto Dawn" short above, its that being an enlistee at Corbulo Academy means two things. First, students are apparently locked into their rooms at lights out like some kind of military prison barracks, and secondly, cryo-sleep is both commonplace and, apparently, terrifying.

Most sleepers report having strange dreams during cryo, but not the blonde in today's short. "For me, it's like dying," she says, "and then waking up again. Sweet dreams." At that moment, Master Chief and a human version of Cortana (given life and physical form by 282 Reality Circuit) burst through the ceiling and tell our young heroes that they're needed, and time is short.

... Okay maybe we made up that last part, but wouldn't that have been awesome?

JoystiqLatest Halo 4 'Forward Unto Dawn' episode waxes philosophical about cryo-sleep originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesforward-unto-dawnHalohalo-4microsoftmicrosoft-studiosweb-seriesxboxFri, 31 Aug 2012 12:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 4 soundtrack lands Oct. 22, Special Edition runs $75]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/halo-4-soundtrack-lands-oct-22-special-edition-runs-75/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/halo-4-soundtrack-lands-oct-22-special-edition-runs-75/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/22/halo-4-soundtrack-lands-oct-22-special-edition-runs-75/#comments Halo 4 soundtrack lands Oct 22, Special Edition includes remix album, vinyl, $75 price tagTwo versions of the Halo 4 soundtrack will become available on October 22, but only one of them will cost more than the game itself. Composed by Massive Attack alumni Neil Davidge, the standard edition Halo 4 soundtrack will encompass 15 tracks from the game's score in both physical and digital formats for $13.98.

The Special Edition 2-Disc Box Set, on the other hand, will set you back quite a bit more. At $75, the package includes the standard soundtrack, a 14-track remix album (sorry, no Skrillex), a behind-the-scenes "Making of Halo 4 Music" DVD and accompanying hardcover book with "composition notes from Neil Davidge plus exclusive behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive artwork images." The kit also comes with a 12-inch art print signed by Davidge, an honest-to-goodness vinyl record with Cortana and Master Chief on the disc itself, and a special shirt for your Xbox Live avatar.

Whether your Halo-music monetary threshold is $14 or $75, both versions will be available at Halo Waypoint.

Continue reading Halo 4 soundtrack lands Oct. 22, Special Edition runs $75

JoystiqHalo 4 soundtrack lands Oct. 22, Special Edition runs $75 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesHalohalo-4massive-attackmicrosoftNeil-DavidgeOSTremixsoundtrackspecial-editionxboxWed, 22 Aug 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Legendary Edition Halo 4 360 bundle official, limited edition controllers also detailed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/14/legendary-edition-halo-4-360-bundle-official-controllers-also-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/14/legendary-edition-halo-4-360-bundle-official-controllers-also-s/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/14/legendary-edition-halo-4-360-bundle-official-controllers-also-s/#comments Legendary Edition Halo 4 360 bundle official, controllers also sold separatelyMicrosoft's $400 Legendary Edition Xbox 360 bundle was "officially" announced today during SDCC, despite having been ousted yesterday by IGN. As we originally heard, the bundle includes a remarkably fancy transparent Halo 4-themed 360 with blue lights and bespoke Halo sounds, two matching transparent controllers with matching blue lights, vouchers for both in-game and Avatar DLC, a headset and (of course) a copy of the game.

What we didn't know, however, was that snazzy Halo 4-edition controllers, blue LEDs and all, will also be sold on their own at $59.99 a pop, starting Oct. 21. Both controller and console are available for your inspection in the gallery below.

Update: The controllers sold separately differ in design from the controllers packaged with the bundle; the wording of this article has been updated for clarity.

Gallery: Legendary Edition Xbox 360

Continue reading Legendary Edition Halo 4 360 bundle official, limited edition controllers also detailed

JoystiqLegendary Edition Halo 4 360 bundle official, limited edition controllers also detailed originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 14 Jul 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesbundlehalohalo-4legendary-editionlimited-editionmicrosoftxboxSat, 14 Jul 2012 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Minecraft XBLA Skin Pack also includes Master Chief]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/06/minecraft-xbla-skin-pack-also-includes-master-chief/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/06/minecraft-xbla-skin-pack-also-includes-master-chief/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/06/minecraft-xbla-skin-pack-also-includes-master-chief/#comments Minecraft XBLA skins include Master ChiefWhat cavalcade of Minecraft skins would be complete without everyone's favorite cyborg? Play XBLA revealed Master Chief as one of the 40 different skins coming to Minecraft on Xbox Live Arcade.

As you can see above, Master Chief isn't the only recognizable blockhead in the group. Skin Pack 1 also includes Danklef, a scientist from 'Splosion Man, and Old-School Trials Evolution Guy.

Gallery: Minecraft (Master Chief Skins)

JoystiqMinecraft XBLA Skin Pack also includes Master Chief originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlchalohalo-4master-chiefmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiosMinecraftmojangskin-pack-1skinsxboxFri, 06 Jul 2012 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo mastermind takes his sci-fi shooter chops to mobile gaming with Industrial Toys]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/10/halo-mastermind-takes-his-sci-fi-shooter-chops-to-mobile-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/10/halo-mastermind-takes-his-sci-fi-shooter-chops-to-mobile-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/10/halo-mastermind-takes-his-sci-fi-shooter-chops-to-mobile-gaming/#comments Industrial Toys' first title is a scifi shooter to blow away mobile controls, community featuresAlex Seropian, Bungie co-founder and creator of the Halo franchise, has a new studio focused on creating mobile, hardcore games, and his first title is going to be -- wait for it -- a sci-fi shooter.

As a hardcore game, Industrial Toys' sci-fi shooter utilizes Unreal Engine and will exist in a world similar in size to the Elder Scrolls or World of Warcraft universes, Seropian said. As a web-based title, it may have some similarities to Team Fortress 2, president Tim Harris suggested after we asked about any online multiplayer capabilities:

"It's interesting you bring up TF2," Harris said, laughing.

That's where the familiarity from Industrial Toys ends: Seropian and Harris, the latter formerly of Seven Lights, are looking to innovate the touchscreen-control space in a major way, while adding community features integrated on a level other mobile games can't, well, touch.

Continue reading Halo mastermind takes his sci-fi shooter chops to mobile gaming with Industrial Toys

JoystiqHalo mastermind takes his sci-fi shooter chops to mobile gaming with Industrial Toys originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alex-SeropianandroidBungiebungie-studiose3-2012Haloindustrial-toysiosipadiphonemobilesci-fishootertim-harrisSun, 10 Jun 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@E3: Halo there, it's a Spartan bathroom]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/seen-e3-halo-bathroom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/seen-e3-halo-bathroom/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/06/05/seen-e3-halo-bathroom/#comments SeenE3 A Spartan bathroomWe have had a tradition of interesting things happening in the bathrooms at E3. Whether it's the crass or simply taking care of business, the WC can be a happening place.

This time around it was far more innocent, because while doing post-relief actions, we noticed the mirror proclaims in bold letters: "You're looking at the next great Spartan." It is quite motivational and a great way to get back into the fight of E3 2012.

Continue reading Seen@E3: Halo there, it's a Spartan bathroom

JoystiqSeen@E3: Halo there, it's a Spartan bathroom originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3-2012halohalo-4Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Red vs. Blue season 10 premieres tomorrow]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/red-vs-blue-season-10-premieres-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/red-vs-blue-season-10-premieres-tomorrow/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/27/red-vs-blue-season-10-premieres-tomorrow/#comments
Image
We can barely believe we just wrote that headline. When we watched the first few episodes of Red vs. Blue in 2003, we thought they were pretty hilarious, but that the show would fade like so many other online parodies do. And now we're writing about the show's tenth season. Thanks for making us feel old and wrong, Rooster Teeth.

Season 10 of Red vs. Blue kicks off tomorrow, May 28, and features the vocal talents of Elijah Wood as an AI program called Sigma. This season will complete the Project Freelancer story line, as shown in the above, mature-language-filled trailer.

JoystiqRed vs. Blue season 10 premieres tomorrow originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>HaloHalo-Combat-EvolvedpcRed-vs-Bluerooster-teethseason-10Sun, 27 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 4 heading 'Forward Unto Dawn' with new live-action web series [update: teaser image]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/30/halo-4-heading-forward-unto-dawn-with-new-live-action-web-seri/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/30/halo-4-heading-forward-unto-dawn-with-new-live-action-web-seri/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/30/halo-4-heading-forward-unto-dawn-with-new-live-action-web-seri/#comments ImageIt wouldn't be a Halo launch without a tremendous media campaign, and Halo 4 looks to be no different. The weeks leading up to the Master Chief's return this November will be filled with a new web series entitled "Forward Unto Dawn," according to Variety. Representing Microsoft's "largest investment" in live-action ever, the series will be shown on Machinima and Halo Waypoint.

Details around the series still lie dormant - perhaps buried in a Forerunner facility - with Microsoft aiming to shed more light on the project at the San Diego Comic-Con this July. Using our own pervasive powers of prognostication, we're going to predict that Spartans figure into the series somehow.

Update: Microsoft has passed along an image to promote the series and, sure enough, it looks like the Chief will be making an appearance. Check out the full image in the gallery below.

Gallery: Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn announcement

JoystiqHalo 4 heading 'Forward Unto Dawn' with new live-action web series [update: teaser image] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industrieshalohalo-4live-actionmarketingmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiosxboxMon, 30 Apr 2012 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Book: Halo film failed because Microsoft doesn't 'get' Hollywood]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/book-halo-film-failed-because-microsoft-doesnt-get-hollywood/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/book-halo-film-failed-because-microsoft-doesnt-get-hollywood/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/book-halo-film-failed-because-microsoft-doesnt-get-hollywood/#comments ImageMicrosoft didn't mess up when it hired a fleet of actors in Spartan armor to deliver the Halo script to potential movie studios, and the deal didn't stall when each production house had a fixed amount of time to read and bid on the screenplay. In the end Microsoft wanted too much, and it didn't know how to ask for it - it only knew how to demand. The industry differences between Microsoft and the film's two production studios, Fox and Universal, eventually led to the project's implosion, Jamie Russell explains in his book, Generation Xbox: How Video Games Invaded Hollywood.

Microsoft's terms included $10 million against 15 percent of the box office gross, a budget of at least $75 million and fast-tracked production, as well as creative approval over the director, regular flights from Seattle to L.A. to review post-production footage and 60 first-class plane tickets for Microsoft personnel and guests to attend the premiere, all at the expense of whichever studio picked up the script. Not even Harry Potter was getting this level of concessions, Larry Shapiro of Hollywood talent agency CAA says.

Continue reading Book: Halo film failed because Microsoft doesn't 'get' Hollywood

JoystiqBook: Halo film failed because Microsoft doesn't 'get' Hollywood originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookfilmHaloHalo-3Hollywoodjamie-russelmicrosoftxboxThu, 19 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Halo Infinity' domains registered by Microsoft brand manager]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/halo-infinity-domains-registered-by-microsoft-brand-manager/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/halo-infinity-domains-registered-by-microsoft-brand-manager/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/halo-infinity-domains-registered-by-microsoft-brand-manager/#comments ImageIt appears Microsoft has registered a handful of domains containing the phrase "Halo Infinity" and "Halo Infinity Multiplayer," leading us to believe that Microsoft is planning to reveal a new line of anti-aging skin-care products in the near future.

The names are registered through domain manager MarkMonitor, who handles a few of Microsoft's other franchises, including Microsoft.com, Fusible reports. MarkMonitor grabbed most "dot" iterations of "Halo Infinity Multiplayer," including .net and .org, but Haloinfinity.com is already in use as a Japanese site to help people cope with baldness, Google Translate reveals. MarkMonitor also registered spartanops.org and morethanjustamap.com this week, Fusible finds.

"Infinity" is a map exclusive to the PC version of Halo: Combat Evolved. So far Microsoft hasn't made any announcements about the potential map or its SPF 72 moisturizing cream.

Joystiq'Halo Infinity' domains registered by Microsoft brand manager originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>domainHaloHalo-Combat-EvolvedMarkMonitormicrosoftpcregistrationxboxWed, 04 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo stats blown out by Bungie as studio moves on]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/halo-stats-blown-out-by-bungie-as-studio-moves-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/halo-stats-blown-out-by-bungie-as-studio-moves-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/halo-stats-blown-out-by-bungie-as-studio-moves-on/#comments Bungie is out of the Halo stat-tracking biz, but says "so long and thanks for all the fish" with one last nuke of information. Since 2004, over 20.8 billion Halo matchmaking games have been played, with Halo 3 supplying a majority at 11.5 billion, at around 221 million games averaged monthly.

The studio gathered all the data up in a mega infographic, covering stats of the great battles between humanity and The Covenant, and Red vs. Blue. At the end of Bungie's oversight of the online war, the body count exceeded 136 billion, with over 43 billion assists.

Having moved on from Halo, Bungie is currently in a 10-year contract with Activision to produce ... something.

JoystiqHalo stats blown out by Bungie as studio moves on originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BungieHaloHalo-2Halo-3Halo-3-ODSTHalo-ReachmicrosoftxboxMon, 02 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo 4 'Warhouse' multiplayer map concept art and info deployed]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/halo-4-warhouse-multiplayer-map-concept-art-and-info-deployed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/halo-4-warhouse-multiplayer-map-concept-art-and-info-deployed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/halo-4-warhouse-multiplayer-map-concept-art-and-info-deployed/#comments Warhouse is a massive mining ship, one of the multiplayer maps available in Halo 4 when it ships later this year. On the outside, there is a beautiful space vista to distract you while a Spartan sneaks up behind you and bashes your billion-dollar helmet in with his Battle Rifle. Inside, there is a giant half-built mech to distract you while -- well, while the same thing happens.

Warhouse is a working title for this map, 343 says in the latest Halo Bulletin update. It's a smaller, symmetrical map designed for Slayer gametypes. "We wanted this playspace to be similar competition-wise to older symmetrical maps in previous Halos, so we sought influence from those, and also from the industrial close-quarters combat in more recent games," the 343 blog post reads.

There are a series of small pathways connecting various areas of Warhouse, allowing for what 343 hopes are many surprising encounters. You know, like that time that Spartan sneaked up behind you and -- well, you get the idea.

Gallery: Halo 4 (Warhouse concept art)

JoystiqHalo 4 'Warhouse' multiplayer map concept art and info deployed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-Industriesconcept-arthalohalo-4microsoftmicrosoft-studioswarhousexboxFri, 30 Mar 2012 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA['Halo: The Fallen' fan film is gorgeous, gory, grunty]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/halo-the-fallen-fan-film-is-gorgeous-gory-grunty/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/halo-the-fallen-fan-film-is-gorgeous-gory-grunty/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/halo-the-fallen-fan-film-is-gorgeous-gory-grunty/#comments

Here's a stark look into the wartorn lives of a group of marines and ODSTs during the events of the first Halo title, as lovingly recreated by a group of fans. The prologue reel for Halo: The Fallen, viewable above, has a wizened veteran relive the first battle with the Covenant on Reach, complete with professional-quality CGI Elites, Grunts, plasma rifles and bullets.

The Halo: The Fallen prologue film is not-for-profit and was made with $200 to showcase the creators' talents, the YouTube description reads. If we could pay people in our own humble respect, these guys would be millionaires.

Update: This post originally credited the Halo: Helljumper folks as having created the above piece of video, which is inaccurate. It also referred to "Elites" as "Arbiters," which, frankly, we find inexcusable. Those responsible in the Department of Halo Alien Class References have been summarily sacked.

Joystiq'Halo: The Fallen' fan film is gorgeous, gory, grunty originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fanmadefilmHalohalo-helljumperHalo-The-FallenmicrosoftxboxSun, 11 Mar 2012 23:59:00 EST<![CDATA[There is no Halo 4 beta or Halo4beta site]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/there-is-no-halo-4-beta-or-halo4beta-site/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/there-is-no-halo-4-beta-or-halo4beta-site/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/there-is-no-halo-4-beta-or-halo4beta-site/#comments There are no plans for Halo 4 to receive a public beta, 343 Industries announced in a Q&A with franchise development director Frank O' Connor. He answered a slew of fan questions about Halo 4, revealing that it would be possible to play Grifball, that there would not be a color-blind mode (though considerations for that audience have been made in art decisions), and a few other tidbits. Check out the full factsheet here.

In related Halo 4 news, Microsoft recently won a legal battle against the bogus website Halo4beta.net, but as there won't be a Halo 4 beta we don't expect it to be put back into official use any time soon. Microsoft has also filed a complaint against Halo4beta.biz.

JoystiqThere is no Halo 4 beta or Halo4beta site originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-IndustriesbetafrankieHalohalo-4legalmicrosoftxboxSun, 11 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[10-year anniversary Xbox 360 bundle found on Amazon France]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/10-year-anniversary-xbox-360-bundle-found-on-amazon-france/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/10-year-anniversary-xbox-360-bundle-found-on-amazon-france/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/10-year-anniversary-xbox-360-bundle-found-on-amazon-france/#comments "But wait," you might be thinking. "The original Xbox launched on November 15, 2001. The tenth anniversary was last year, why come out with a 10-year anniversary bundle now? What's the deal? Oh my God, can you hear this? Quit listening to my thoughts! Get out of my head!!"

Whoa, chill dude! The American launch was in 2001, but the console's European debut didn't happen until three months later in 2002, hence the 10-year anniversary bundle showing up on Amazon France in 2012. The €280.00 ($375.50) package comes with a 250-gb Xbox 360, two wireless controllers, a boxed copy of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, digital versions of Halo: Reach, Gears of War 2 and Fable 3, as well as a 3-month Xbox Live Gold membership card.

The bundle is set to ship on March 9, and while we appreciate the sentiment and everything, we can't help but feel like a 360 reproduction of this might have been a more touching tribute. Make it happen, Microsoft. We'll give you money.

Joystiq10-year anniversary Xbox 360 bundle found on Amazon France originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-year-anniversaryamazon-franceanniversarybundlefable-3fable-iiiGears-of-war-2gow2halohalo-combat-evolved-anniversaryhalo-reachmicrosoftxboxFri, 24 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GANG announces nominations for 10th annual awards in game audio]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/gang-announces-nominations-for-10th-annual-awards-in-game-audio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/gang-announces-nominations-for-10th-annual-awards-in-game-audio/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/gang-announces-nominations-for-10th-annual-awards-in-game-audio/#comments The Game Audio Network Guild (which translates to the convenient acronym of GANG) has announced its nominees for the 10th annual GANG Awards to be held at GDC, honoring the best music and audio in interactive entertainment over the last year. You can see all of the nominees in the press release after the break. As you might imagine, Battlefield 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Portal 2 are all nominated, all of which boasted very excellent and memorable aural experiences.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, however, leads the pack in nominations, with nine total, including Audio, Music, and Sound Design of the Year. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary also got a nod for Best Soundtrack Album, despite the fact that most of the music is as old as the awards ceremony itself. And while most of the choices are obviously worthy, there's one more worth mentioning: Bastion was only nominated for one category, for Best Audio in a Casual/Indie/Social Game. Shame that it's relegated to just that category -- <a aiotitle="Build that Wall" "="" data-cke-saved-href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8cELTdtw6U" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8cELTdtw6U">"Build that Wall"</a> is one of the best listens our ears have had all year, video game-related or otherwise.

Continue reading GANG announces nominations for 10th annual awards in game audio

JoystiqGANG announces nominations for 10th annual awards in game audio originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardsbattlefield-3game-audio-network-guildganggang-awardsgdcgdc-2012halomicrosoftplaystationps3uncharted-3xboxThu, 09 Feb 2012 06:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Former Bungie president, Alex Seropian, leaves Disney Interactive]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/former-bungie-president-alex-seropian-leaves-disney-interactiv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/former-bungie-president-alex-seropian-leaves-disney-interactiv/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/former-bungie-president-alex-seropian-leaves-disney-interactiv/#comments Alex Seropian -- who helped found developer Bungie in the 1990s -- has left Disney Interactive, where he was head of game development. After helping create the Halo franchise at Bungie, Seropian started his own studio, Wideload Games, which was then acquired by Disney when it hired Seropian in 2009 as a creative-development lead.

Disney has confirmed Seropian's departure and said he will be replaced by former Blizzard vice president Bill Roper, Game Informer reports. In 2003 Roper left Blizzard and founded Flagship Studios, which busted in 2008, and he was picked up by Cryptic Studios. In 2011, Roper left Cryptic to join Disney Interactive as vice president of the Marvel Franchise, which recently announced Marvel: Avengers Alliance coming to Facebook in Q1 this year.

JoystiqFormer Bungie president, Alex Seropian, leaves Disney Interactive originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alex-Seropianbill-roperBlizzardBungiedisneyDisney-InteractiveHalomicrosoftmobilenintendopcplaystationps3WideloadwiixboxTue, 07 Feb 2012 18:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Bungie handing over Halo community services to 343 in March]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/bungie-handing-over-halo-community-services-to-343-in-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/bungie-handing-over-halo-community-services-to-343-in-march/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/bungie-handing-over-halo-community-services-to-343-in-march/#comments OopsAs of March 31, 2012, Bungie will no longer host any Halo services on Bungie.net. Current Halo data will be transferred to 343 and, at that time, "all live Halo data will be managed by 343 Industries, and Bungie will no longer be able to update game stats and player service records, to host new user generated content, or to operate the Bungie Pro service." Using a peculiar bit of language, Bungie notes that "any replacement functionality" will be hosted by Halo Waypoint on halo.xbox.com.

Notice that Bungie doesn't mention whether or not such functionality will be replaced, though it seems unlikely that Microsoft would allow Halo's community features to disappear. They are, after all, a hallmark of the franchise. Because really, what's the point of playing Halo if you can't show off how awesome you are (or, as the image above illustrates, how funny it looks as your Spartan's limp corpse sails through the air).

JoystiqBungie handing over Halo community services to 343 in March originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halohalo-3halo-3-odstHalo-Reachmicrosoftxboxxbox-liveWed, 01 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo: Eye of the Storm is anything but calm]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/halo-eye-of-the-storm-is-anything-but-calm/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/halo-eye-of-the-storm-is-anything-but-calm/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/halo-eye-of-the-storm-is-anything-but-calm/#comments
You know, the younger crowd has more ways than ever to pay homage to their favorite games. Back in our day, the only "machinima" we could produce were crude sketches of Chrono and the Battletoads in our Trapper Keeper. Now kids can produce short films about their favorite game using their favorite game!

And that's pretty much what Halo: Eye of the Storm is. Created under Microsoft's Game Content Usage Rules in Halo 3, this 22 minute epic re-imagines the events of The Storm, the game's fifth campaign mission. In his submission email to Joystiq, creator Philip Kang told us it took over two years to create Eye of the Storm. He had to play through the same mission over 100 times trying to get the AI to do specific things necessary for each shot. Actors, right?

In the end, it was all worth it: Kang's created a video masterpiece, now featured on a website our friend's uncle once called "a website."

JoystiqHalo: Eye of the Storm is anything but calm originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>haloHalo-3halo-eye-of-the-stormmachinimamicrosoftphilip-kangxboxFri, 30 Dec 2011 02:02:00 EST<![CDATA[McFarlane's sixth Halo: Reach action figure series drops in February]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/mcfarlanes-sixth-halo-reach-action-figure-series-drops-in-febr/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/mcfarlanes-sixth-halo-reach-action-figure-series-drops-in-febr/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/mcfarlanes-sixth-halo-reach-action-figure-series-drops-in-febr/#comments Another platoon of Halo: Reach action figures from McFarlane Toys is set to be deployed to a toy store near you. Microsoft has revealed the Series 6 figurines, which include new individual Carded Figures and Deluxe Boxed Sets, will be available in February 2012.

New individual figures include Noble Team members Kat and Jun, an Elite Zealot, Brute Major and the Team Objectives set seen above. Finally, Kat can live forever in both our hearts and our toy display case!

JoystiqMcFarlane's sixth Halo: Reach action figure series drops in February originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-figureaction-figureshaloHalo-Reachhalo-reach-series-6mcfarlane-toysmicrosofttodd-mcfarlanetoysxboxThu, 29 Dec 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Helljumper is a fanmade series that looks like a Hollywood hit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/20/halo-helljumper-is-a-fanmade-series-that-looks-like-a-hollywood/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/20/halo-helljumper-is-a-fanmade-series-that-looks-like-a-hollywood/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/20/halo-helljumper-is-a-fanmade-series-that-looks-like-a-hollywood/#comments

A group of dedicated Halo fans have put some serious time, sweat, tears (we assume) and talent (we can see) into a coming webseries, Halo Helljumper, based on the short story "Dirt" by Tobias S. Buckell. The film series will tell the tale of one ODST battling the Covenant before the fall of Reach. The first episode is set to premiere in January. Check out the trailer above and get some more information about the cast and props right here.

JoystiqHalo Helljumper is a fanmade series that looks like a Hollywood hit originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Halohalo-helljumperHalo-ReachHelljumpermicrosoftxboxSun, 20 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary gets double disc soundtrack release]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/13/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-gets-double-disc-soundtrack-rel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/13/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-gets-double-disc-soundtrack-rel/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/13/halo-combat-evolved-anniversary-gets-double-disc-soundtrack-rel/#comments What if $40 just isn't enough to show your love to your favorite FPS? You're in luck then: Sumthing Else Music Works is release the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary soundtrack, which features re-orchestrated Halo tunes, as a two-disc album.

The package is $14.9 and gets you two CDs of music, originally created by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori and remade for 2011. There's also a limited edition green vinyl record for $24.99, which has fewer tracks but gets you an MP3 album of the music to download as well. If you really want to show you're the "Lord of the Rings," maybe buy both?

Continue reading Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary gets double disc soundtrack release

JoystiqHalo: Combat Evolved Anniversary gets double disc soundtrack release originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halohalo-combat-evolved-anniversarymicrosoftsoundtrackxboxSun, 13 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Microsoft launching 'Halo Living Monument' for Combat Evolved Anniversary]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/rumor-microsoft-launching-halo-living-monument-for-combat-evo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/rumor-microsoft-launching-halo-living-monument-for-combat-evo/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/rumor-microsoft-launching-halo-living-monument-for-combat-evo/#comments Remember when Halo: Reach launched -- all the way way back in 2010 -- and Microsoft asked us to visit a special website and contribute to a "living monument?" You may better recall the marketing that went along with it, but it would seem Microsoft is prepping a similar campaign for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

Fusible claims to have stumbled upon Halo Living Monument, a site Microsoft seemingly set up and registered only weeks ago, and took the above screen cap. And, sure enough, a month ago, Fusible caught the registration. A quick who.is search shows the domain in question is registered to Microsoft.

With Combat Evolved Anniversary only a few weeks out, we anticipate we'll be seeing the site launch soon. Like, now. Now? How about now?

JoystiqRumor: Microsoft launching 'Halo Living Monument' for Combat Evolved Anniversary originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industrieshalohalo-combat-evolved-anniversaryhalo-living-monumentmicrosoftxboxWed, 02 Nov 2011 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Halo Anniversary promo trailer not for the uninitiated]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/halo-anniversary-promo-trailer-not-for-the-uninitiated/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/halo-anniversary-promo-trailer-not-for-the-uninitiated/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/halo-anniversary-promo-trailer-not-for-the-uninitiated/#comments
If you have, in some Mr. Magoo like fashion, managed to stumble around the last ten years without playing the original Halo, this launch trailer for Halo Anniversary will spoil just about every major plot point. Everyone else: Enjoy.

JoystiqHalo Anniversary promo trailer not for the uninitiated originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halohalo-combat-evolved-anniversarykinectmicrosoftxboxMon, 31 Oct 2011 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA['Grenade!': Take a look at Halo Anniversary's Kinect functionality]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/grenade-take-a-look-at-halo-anniversarys-kinect-functionali/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/grenade-take-a-look-at-halo-anniversarys-kinect-functionali/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/grenade-take-a-look-at-halo-anniversarys-kinect-functionali/#comments
As promised, we've got a quick and dirty video of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary's Kinect functionality, straight from the Halo/343 Industries panel at New York Comic Con. Are you prepared to shout "Grenade!" and have Master Chief straight throw a grenade, all willy nilly? We sure hope so!

Joystiq'Grenade!': Take a look at Halo Anniversary's Kinect functionality originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343-industrieshalohalo-combat-evolvedhalo-combat-evolved-anniversarykinectmicrosoftmicrosoft-studiosnyccnycc-2011xboxSat, 15 Oct 2011 22:34:00 EST<![CDATA[When we were your age, we didn't have Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary achievements]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/when-we-were-your-age-we-didnt-have-halo-combat-evolved-anniv/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/when-we-were-your-age-we-didnt-have-halo-combat-evolved-anniv/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/15/when-we-were-your-age-we-didnt-have-halo-combat-evolved-anniv/#comments It's hard to imagine a Halo game without achievements, but in the long passed, black-and-white prohibition-era yesteryear of 2001, that's just how things were. No 'chievos to grind, no Gamerscore to bolster, and only the earliest, fledgling proto-trolls were hurling racial slurs over Xbox Live.

A lot has changed since then, and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary knows that kids these days couldn't handle a Halo experience devoid of achievements, so jump past the break for a complete list of points you never had the opportunity to earn in the first place.

Continue reading When we were your age, we didn't have Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary achievements

JoystiqWhen we were your age, we didn't have Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary achievements originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>343343-Industriesachivementshalohalo-combat-evolved-anniversarykinectmicrosoftxboxSat, 15 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Dreamworks Halo movie mentioned in press release [update 2]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/rumor-dreamworks-halo-movie-mentioned-in-press-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/rumor-dreamworks-halo-movie-mentioned-in-press-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/rumor-dreamworks-halo-movie-mentioned-in-press-release/#comments So this is ... weird.

Halo.fr received a press release for the French version of the novel Halo: Cryptum, and it mentions a forthcoming Halo movie in development with Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks.

Now, we've gotten better than a greedy mortician at ignoring signs of life from the oft-revived and killed-off Halo movie, and would have been more than happy to dismiss this as a misinformed publicist or hopeful copy editor. But it's a little harder in this case. The blurb mirrors a report from Vuture that Dreamworks was considering adapting the books, avoiding some of the legal cruft gathered around the video game-to-movie adaptation. Ready for the weird part? We ran the story on the Vulture piece exactly one year ago today.

Spooky, right? We suspect the interference of ghosts, but we've contacted the novel's US publisher and Microsoft in the hopes of finding our for sure.

[Update: We heard back from Tor, which publishes Halo books stateside. It doesn't work with French publisher Milady directly, but was unaware of any movie version of Halo in the works. That's not a denial per se, but if it was happening, you can bet Tor would have heard about it.

Update 2: And now, a post from 343 Industries' Frank O'Connor on NeoGAF, which reads "This is ow you say? Ah yes. Ze nonsense." Yeah, we're calling it: Time of death: 12:05 p.m. EST]

JoystiqRumor: Dreamworks Halo movie mentioned in press release [update 2] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dreamworkshalohalo-cryptummicrosoftmoviessteven-spielbergThu, 06 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST