Joystiq

New Halo 4 figures include the most adorable Cortana ever

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EST

Funko's Pop! Vinyl line of collectible figurines is welcoming four new Halo 4 figures into its already plentiful ranks of super-deformed pop-culture characters. Available on November 8, the new line includes Master Chief, both red and blue Spartan Warriors, as well as the unbelievably cute Cortana figure seen above.

Seriously, it's like if Betty Boop were a hyper-intelligent, holographic artificial intelligence from the future. Check out all four figures in the gallery below.

Gallery: Halo 4 (Funko Pop Vinyl Figures)

New Halo 4 figures include the most adorable Cortana ever originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Oct 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo 4 'Scanned' launch trailer is here

Ludwig Kietzmann — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 01:31:00 EST

Halo 4's extravagant 'Scanned' launch trailer takes a peek behind the helmet of Master Chief, the stoic cyborg with humanity at heart. It's not exactly a biopic, but you get a decent dose of anguish and cybernetic aliens for your 2:22.

Halo 4 'Scanned' launch trailer is here originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 01:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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343 turns the other cheek: Halo 4 won't reveal Master Chief's face

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST

Halo 4 won't reveal Master Chief's face, so if you were playing the Halo series solely for a glimpse of chiseled space soldier jawline, it might be time to throw in the towel. 343 Industries is continuing the faceless precedent set by Bungie, which refrained from showing Master Chief's visage throughout its time with the franchise.

Not that we don't know what Master Chief looks like - he's described in detail in the 2001 novel Halo: The Fall of Reach.

"The funny thing about the Chief is he's actually really well described," O'Connor tells Eurogamer. "If you went down into that line and found a nerd with a deep canon Halo t-shirt and said describe the Master Chief to this police sketch artist, that police sketch artist would then produce a perfectly accurate rendering of an older man, almost painfully pale, almost albino white, with pale blue eyes, reddish hair, close cropped to a skin head, and maybe the last remnants of freckles he had when he was a kid."

O'Connor wants to keep the mystery alive and doesn't want fans to feel alienated by an official face. "That's a device to keep the player invested in the character and keep the player from constantly being reminded that they're not a hero or that they have to be a boy or they have to be a girl, or whatever that is," O'Connor says.

Maybe it's better this way, super fans. More often than not, on-screen adaptations of book descriptions are supremely disappointing.

343 turns the other cheek: Halo 4 won't reveal Master Chief's face originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Potential spoilers for Halo 4 story unleashed in official assets

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST

A barrage of Halo 4 media and pre-launch information has led a few fans to uncover more about the story than 343 Industries may have intended. The following information may be considered a spoiler; it names the supposed main antagonist and contains a snippet of the motion-capture script revealing a potentially pivotal scene with him, Master Chief and Cortana, as collected by NeoGAF:

Continue reading Potential spoilers for Halo 4 story unleashed in official assets

Potential spoilers for Halo 4 story unleashed in official assets originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Master Chief surveys the Art of Halo 4 book cover

Mike Schramm — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 10:30:00 EST

Above, your eyes can gaze upon the cover of the upcoming Awakening: The Art of Halo 4 art book, featuring all sorts of concept art and designs from Microsoft's upcoming Halo 4. It's got everything you want in a Halo book cover, including Master Chief, some crazy epic Forerunner structure, and a trusty assault rifle.

Actually, that's not quite true; we could use at least a little Covenant. Is that a Covvie ship flying through the background? Unclear. You'll have to wait to get a better look when the book arrives on store shelves in November, along with the new game itself.

Master Chief surveys the Art of Halo 4 book cover originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Jul 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minecraft XBLA Skin Pack also includes Master Chief

David Hinkle — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 17:10:00 EST

What 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)

Minecraft 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.

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Master Chief and his cryotube toy set

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST

Master Chief is getting a cool deluxe figurine set from McFarlane Toys featuring everyone's favorite interstellar peace-keeper in a UNSC cryotube. The set includes a posable Master Chief, the cryotube (complete with realistic frost detail) and a pistol, and will be available in August.

McFarlane is also developing figurines of Master Chief, an Elite Zealot, a Storm Grunt, a Spartan Warrior, Cortana, a Spartan Soldier and two new enemies, the Crawler and the Watcher.

The cryogenic Master Chief appears to be extremely similar to the initial prototype McFarlane showed off in February, which means we still wonder how he goes about turning his head between Madonna's cast-off shoulder pads. At least his all-essential forearms are protected.

Master Chief and his cryotube toy set originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Master Chief called in to resolve Syria, reports BBC

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:30:00 EST

During a news segment on the United Nations' involvement in the Syrian conflict, the BBC aired an image of the UNSC - the fictitious United Nations Space Command from Halo.

The image, shown in the background of the clip above, even gets a special spotlight as the camera zooms in on the anchor as she discusses the very serious, very real issues plaguing Syria over the past year.

The BBC has since acknowledged and apologized for airing the Halo logo, telling Eurogamer, "BBC News makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all images broadcast, however very occasionally mistakes do happen. Unfortunately an incorrect logo was used during a segment on last week's News at One bulletin and we apologise to viewers for the mistake.

"The image was not broadcast in our later bulletins."

Even if the BBC has stopped airing the USNC logo, the error has of course popped up on YouTube. The most obvious logic behind the mistake is that BBC editors searched Google Images for "United Nations Security Council symbol" and snagged the Halo UNSC logo that popped up in the results, but we like to think it was a subtle message to focus more efforts on quickly appeasing the situation in Syria - more efforts involving Master Chief.

Master Chief called in to resolve Syria, reports BBC originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo 4 bringing the Battle Rifle back, introducing unlockable abilities in progression system

Ludwig Kietzmann — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

Few fictional weapons can drum up their own cult following. The cadence and rat-tat-tat ruthlessness of Halo's Battle Rifle is unmistakable no matter which side of the barrel you're on. It's a death sentence in the right hands, punctuated by an ellipsis of bullets ... and painfully described in overwrought, armament love letters built on phrases like "ellipsis of bullets." As far as iconic Halo bits and pieces go, the Battle Rifle seems almost as inextricable as Master Chief.

And yet the cyborg with humanity at heart skipped enough games for Microsoft to make a big deal out of his return in Halo 4. The new (ish) franchise custodians at 343 Industries are in a tight spot, where they have to shape a message not only around what's new, but what's coming back. The Battle Rifle's return is an easy way to establish the latter, then, especially to those fans who couldn't wrap their heads around the weapon's disappearance in the first place.

Speaking to Joystiq in an interview last year, former Bungie game designer Jaime Griesemer saw the weapon as a piece of deadly nostalgia. "It's not just a weapon, it's the weapon," he said. "For a skilled player, they spend most of their time using that one weapon. If you never miss, it's the most effective tool in the toolbox. So for them, Halo 3 is the Battle Rifle. All their Halo emotion and experience is tied up in it. So it isn't surprising to me when people react that way."

How daunting must it be to work in a space where a video game gun can reach beloved status? It's no wonder Microsoft is being sensitive and cryptic about Halo 4, which introduces what could be the biggest, most widespread (and controversial) change to the multiplayer in years. According to 343, Halo 4 will add customizable loadouts and abilities that are unlocked through a progression system.

Gallery: Halo 4 (05/03/12)

Continue reading Halo 4 bringing the Battle Rifle back, introducing unlockable abilities in progression system

Halo 4 bringing the Battle Rifle back, introducing unlockable abilities in progression system originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Halo 4's Master Chief steps boldly into the physical realm

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST

We first got a look at Halo 4's Master Chief with this epic picture of him being born from an exploding robot womb, and the physical version made by McFarlane Toys stays true to that rendition, right down to the placement of the chink in his armor. If Microsoft approves this prototype, Halo 4 will mark a departure from previous armor designs, which have generally offered more coverage around Master Chief's vital organs, and more mobility around the neck and shoulders. Because that's what armor should do.

For example, the Halo 4 version offers a squishy black bullseye over Master Chief's heart, while in Halo 3 that area was covered in sturdy green armor. The bicep patches in the above design look large enough to carry your emblem of choice (unicorn), but not to stop advanced-technology bullets from piercing your skin as previous armor versions do. Also, he's fighting a galactic war, not practicing advanced yoga -- there is no reason for that much uncovered space on his hips.

Microsoft will decide if this prototype is close enough to in-game reality before it launches in the fall as part of McFarlane's Halo 4 lineup, which will include brand new weapons, characters and vehicles. This year McFarlane also plans to drop two new product lines based in the Halo universe: Micro Ops, which offers classic figures at 1:100 standard size, and Halo Avatars, 2.5-inch physical renditions of Xbox Live avatars.

Halo 4's Master Chief steps boldly into the physical realm originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tough Economy: Even Master Chief has to buy Halo

Christopher Grant — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:00:00 EST

With engagement ring in pocket, Geekadelphia founder (and friend of the site!) Eric Smith was dumped. While most people would be immediately thrown into a deep depression, Smith opted instead to sell the ring and buy a suit of Master Chief armor. He wrote about the ordeal last week in an essay called "Master Grief" on Bygone Bureau, which was promptly picked up by every website in existence.

Which brings us to the above video. What does someone with a full suit of Master Chief's MJOLNIR armor do when a new Halo game - specifically Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary - comes out? If you answered, "pre-order it on Amazon" well ... you're probably right. But if you're Eric Smith, you drag your ass through Center City Philadelphia and film it. You'd think Chief would be on some kind of VIP list.

Tough Economy: Even Master Chief has to buy Halo originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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343 goes behind the scenes of Halo: Anniversary's campaign

Mike Schramm — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 07:00:00 EST

This latest trailer from Microsoft's 343 Industries goes behind the scenes on Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary's campaign mode, which the team tells us has been carefully updated graphically and with extra features like online co-op mode, skull modifiers, 3D, and even that Kinect functionality we learned about last weekend. And there's a lot of thought going into these features: Master Chief's retro armor, for example, was iterated on for a good six to seven months (including cues from fan feedback after its first appearance at E3) before the team arrived at the final version.

As Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor himself says, the updated game certainly seems like quite a smörgåsbord for the Halo fan, all for just $40. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is due out on November 15.

343 goes behind the scenes of Halo: Anniversary's campaign originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The making of a McFarlane Halo figure makes us feel old

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST

Video games are great and all, but most of us at Joystiq HQ still harbor a penchant for action figures, born from youthful days and being forced to play outside now and again. As we've matured, however, so has the toy industry, and action figures these days are way more awesome than the stuff we had growing up.

Kids these days don't know how good they have it, either. The above video, for instance, showcases the state-of-the-art rapid prototyping technologies used by McFarlane Toys to create their hyper-detailed Halo figures. Back in our day, action figures took months to prototype, and we were happy about it!

And another thing! Back in our day, the words "3D" and "printer" would never share space in the same sentence, let alone be used in conjunction with one another to describe an actual thing. Get off our lawn!

The making of a McFarlane Halo figure makes us feel old originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's a giant Master Chief and Mario made out of ... balloons

David Hinkle — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:00:00 EST

They said you were a joke. They said you'd never be a somebody. They said your love of latex and highly volatile, unstable objects would be your downfall. Yeah, well who's laughing now? You've just made a life-size balloon sculpture of Master Chief and now he's your best friend ever.

Continue reading It's a giant Master Chief and Mario made out of ... balloons

It's a giant Master Chief and Mario made out of ... balloons originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bleszinski: Master Chief passed on a Gears of War 3 cameo

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 02 May 2011 19:30:00 EST

Curious as to why the Xbox 360's two biggest exclusive shooters never managed to fuse, forming some kind of chimera made of space armor and hilariously disproportionate guns? Wonder no more -- in a recent interview with Complex, Gears of War' designer Cliff Bleszinski revealed, "I actually approached Microsoft on getting Master Chief into the game, but those guys are kind of squeamish." He jokingly added, "If you had to break it down, I'd say that Gears is like Mortal Kombat and Halo is like Street Fighter."

From there, things get ... a little grisly. Bleszinski said, "if we were to get Master Chief, we'd get his model, put him in a COG suit, make it blow up, and do some test animation work. We'd have to see what his head looks like being blown to smithereens or how his arm would look getting sawed off." We're not sure the ol' arm-saw technique's gonna work on MC. After all, this is the same guy who can get shot point blank by a rocket-propelled grenade without suffering any structural damage.

Bleszinski: Master Chief passed on a Gears of War 3 cameo originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 May 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox-exclusive Mortal Kombat fighter discussed, Boon says

James Ransom-Wiley — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST

With Kratos headlining the Mortal Kombat roster on PS3, it seemed only a matter of time before NetherRealm Studios would announce an Xbox-exclusive character for the ninth installment in the grizzled fighting game series -- except the game's out today. It never happened.

"Unfortunately, the circumstances didn't allow us to make a 360 exclusive [character]," MK boss man Ed Boon told Eurogamer. "I'm not allowed to talk too much about it, but I can tell you we certainly wanted to do an exclusive for 360, but that's all I can say."

Boon did end up saying a little more, as he hinted that Halo's Master Chief and Gears of War's Marcus Fenix came up as (obvious) choices during discussion. Of course, Chief has been known to "balk at" the invitation to join an exclusive fighting tournament. And we heard that it's in Marcus' contract that any arena he enters has to be cover-based.

Xbox-exclusive Mortal Kombat fighter discussed, Boon says originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bungie on developing the character of Master Chief

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:15:00 EST

Speaking to IndustryGamers, Bungie's Joseph Staten shared some insight on the studio's character choices for Halo's enigmatic Master Chief. According to Staten, it was a conscious design choice to keep players in the dark about specific details from the Chief's life. It helped immerse players in the role, said Staten, adding, "The less players knew about the Chief, we believed, the more they would feel like the Chief."

Staten shared a few other details, notably that Cortana began solely as a "functional design requirement," namely a guide for the player; however, as she evolved, said Staten, she grew to highlight the Chief's humanity. Check out the full article for more on Bungie's design choices, including how the team introduced themes of loneliness and abandonment in order to help players "feel the weight of the Chief's heavy responsibilities" throughout the series.

Bungie on developing the character of Master Chief originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video game characters need business cards too

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Getting in touch with heroes can be difficult. Typically, they only bother to roll out of bed and show up when something goes really wrong.

Continue reading Video game characters need business cards too

Video game characters need business cards too originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Master Chief wants to take you to the space bar

David Hinkle — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:30:00 EST

We've seen Master Chief do some bizarre stuff over the years. He's fallen in love with a Storm Trooper and even taken time off to pursue an acting career. Now he's trying to break into the burgeoning German music scene under the stage name of Michael Wendler, with his first single, "Piloten wie Wir." Somewhere right now, David Hasselhoff is probably crying into a cheeseburger.

But we digress. All of this exposition means nothing until you've actually watched Master Chief take you to the space bar, space bar, space bar. So head past the break and do that. Do that right now.

[Thanks, Nathan]

Continue reading Master Chief wants to take you to the space bar

Master Chief wants to take you to the space bar originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 May 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Master Chief Sings: a 19-disc set of John 117's best

David Hinkle — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:27:00 EST

With all of that space travel going on, there's got to be plenty of downtime for the last Spartan in existence. Sure, Master Chief can just hop into a cryo-chamber and saw some wood between Halo games -- but every now and then, when nobody's around, MC likes to exercise the old pipes. You would not believe how dynamic his range is, clearly exhibited in the video past the break from IGN.

Oh, and before you watch the video (and inevitably call that number to order your own set), know that we think we've finally figured out John 117's identity: Michael McDonald.

[Via LazyGamer]

Continue reading Master Chief Sings: a 19-disc set of John 117's best

Master Chief Sings: a 19-disc set of John 117's best originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Master Chief crash lands onto Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST

The modders at Kitty Corp: Meow Mix, the group behind the remarkably awesome Cloud Strife appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, have worked their inexplicable magic once more, bringing a decidedly non-Nintendo character into the frantic fighting game. This time around, it's the Halo universe's quintessential badass, Master Chief -- or rather, a re-skinned version of Captain Falcon, who is fully decked out in Master Chief's armor. (We really hope he asked permission before trying it on.)

You can check out a video of Master Chief's moves in a playful sparring match against Cloud just past the jump. Enjoy that video, because it might be the closest to a 3D version of Mushroom Kingdom Fusion that we'll ever get.

[Thanks, Ike!]

Continue reading Master Chief crash lands onto Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Master Chief crash lands onto Super Smash Bros. Brawl originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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April Fools: Halo film finishes the fight for love

David Hinkle — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:30:00 EST

Of all the April Fools jokes created for today, IGN may have just unleashed the best. It's the missing trailer for the once-was-gonna-happen Halo film. We don't want to ruin it for you, but let's just say that Master Chief is uniquely able to straddle the line between being a fighter and a lover. Where else did you think all of that Spartan research money went?

Anyway, hit up the Man Cannon and fly past the break to finally see the face of Master Chief!

Continue reading April Fools: Halo film finishes the fight for love

April Fools: Halo film finishes the fight for love originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A step towards peace: Master Mario Chief tattoo

David Hinkle — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:19:00 EST

The Console Wars[TM] have been raging since before some of us were even born. For a majority of gamers, this is all they know, but thankfully one man is stepping up to try and bring an end to this eternal conflict. In combining Halo's Master Chief and Nintendo's iconic mascot, Mario, he's created one super tattoo and blueprint for the future prosperity of all gaming peoples. This Master Mario Chief is able to squash Goombas at alarming speed and save not only the Mushroom Kingdom from despair, but all of humanity in the year 2553 -- he's a figure every console owner can love.

Frankly, we applaud this man's courage and dedication to acknowledge that there are good things on all consoles via this permanent tattoo. Instead of blindly trashing the opposition as inferior, he celebrates each console's merits. Except for anything on Sony platforms, though, because Sony totally sucks.

[Via Hawty McBloggy]

A step towards peace: Master Mario Chief tattoo originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17 Spartans bust a move at the Philly Mummers Parade

David Hinkle — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:15:00 EST

[Image: Kotaku]

Flash mobs are all the rage now, but the above image actually comes from the Philadelphia Mummers Parade this year. Kotaku reader Justin managed to snag video of the choreographed event which, if it were real cyborg human heroes and not a bunch of faux-Spartans, would probably end up costing taxpayers about $814 gajillion -- and that's in today's dollars, not even accounting for 500 years of inflation.

To check out video of the dance routine, head on over to Kotaku.

17 Spartans bust a move at the Philly Mummers Parade originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Halo Legends delivers third free episode, titled 'The Package'

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:30:00 EST

Another Saturday has arrived, and with it another free episode of Halo Legends on the Xbox Live Marketplace. For 24 hours only (of course it won't be on the internet afterward!), you can catch an anime'd up Master Chief delivering "The Package" with four "specially selected Spartans."

Today's episode is the first half of a two-parter (concluding on December 12), so be sure to catch it or be left lonely and confused when next week arrives. Or you could always just wait until the whole shebang arrives on Blu-ray this February 9.

PSA: Halo Legends delivers third free episode, titled 'The Package' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marc Ecko Master Chief hoodie almost wearable

Richard Mitchell — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:45:00 EST

We have to admit that, upon first glance, the Marc Ecko Master Chief hoodie is not one of the ugliest things ever created. In fact it even appears somewhat sensible. It looks like something one could wear in public without feeling like a complete tool. The color scheme isn't garish, the UNSC branding on the left sleeve is subtle enough that it doesn't scream out "NERD!" and ... oh wait, what's this? On the right arm ... is that the UNSC logo ... ? Or ... is it ... oh dear God ....

Continue reading Marc Ecko Master Chief hoodie almost wearable

Marc Ecko Master Chief hoodie almost wearable originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Safeguard your virginity with this limited edition Master Chief bust

Xav de Matos — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:15:00 EST

Get ready to lie, cheat and steal because ONE2ONE Collectibles has revealed an insanely detailed Master Chief bust for the low, low price of $249. This "strictly limited," 1:2 scale bust of Halo's most popular playable character -- unless that gets topped somehow -- stands at 12 inches tall and 12 inches wide, and is set to be released during Q4 2009. If the Chief isn't your character of choice, ONE2ONE also revealed that busts of a Brute Chieftain and ODST Marine are on the way. Get those pocketbooks ready, ladies and gentlemen. This could be an expensive fourth quarter, after all.

[Via TeamXbox]

Safeguard your virginity with this limited edition Master Chief bust originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live Top 10: Halo, can anyone hear me?

David Hinkle — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST

Xbox Live sure can, Master Chief, as your game Halo 3 was once again the most played title on Xbox Live. For the week ending June 29, many gamers took to the floating rings in space for some first-person combat, knocking down the duo of Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty 4 to second and third place, respectively. The rest of the list posted by Major Nelson is pretty run-of-the-mill, save for what came in last place: Rock Band 2. We can't remember the last time Rock Band 2 populated this list. So, good for you, little game-that-could!

On the XBLA side, it's all about the Worms 2. Explosive sheep were quite the draw, as the sequel to Team17's fragfest managed to beat out another popular XBLA title, Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalker. We guess Magic: The Gathering is all tapped out. Get it? Hello? Where are you going?

Xbox Live Top 10: Halo, can anyone hear me? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Master Chief gets civilian-ized

Xav de Matos — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EST

It's never a slow news day when you can find a picture of Master Chief in a letterman Jacket. PWN or Die features a hilarious gallery of images starring Halo's marquee super-soldier, Master Chief. Usually we recognize the Master Chief from his aggressive "Earth saving" escapades, but these "Senior Yearbook images" show us the UNSC powerhouse has a softer side too. If you've dreamt of Sears Family Portrait style images of the Chief, your prayers have been answered. Or your worst nightmares have come true ... either way, check it out.

Master Chief gets civilian-ized originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bungie: Don't expect to see Master Chief in ODST

Richard Mitchell — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST

Given that Halo 3: ODST takes place directly after the Prophet of Regret bugs out of New Mombasa, it's not too surprising to learn that Master Chief won't be appearing in the game. See, everyone knows that the UNSC In Amber Clad -- carrying Master Chief -- jumped into the same slipspace rupture used by Regret. Duh.

Still, if you were sternly hoping that John 117 might make some kind of cameo, those hopes have now been officially quashed by Bungie's Brian Jarrard. Speaking to Multiplayer, Jarrard stated the totally obvious, "Master Chief, at the time this game takes place, is actually off on other parts of the galaxy." Jarrard elaborated, "In this game, it's all about you playing the role of an ODST," adding, "The way the timelines work in this game, Master Chief is off doing something else."

So there you have it, the only place to find Master Chief while playing ODST is where he can always be found: Our hearts.

Bungie: Don't expect to see Master Chief in ODST originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seen@E3: Spartans can drum too

Dustin Burg — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST

Dragging our sleep deprived selves through the convention center, today, we came across a Halo'riffic surprise. An unidentified red Spartan - one that sorta resembled the hue of Red vs. Blue's Sarge - was seen drumming his lil' Spartan heart out at the Lego Rock Band booth. He was thumping to the beat of "The Final Countdown", four starred the tune and we're pleased to report that no drum set victory tea-bagging was performed. It's all about self control, kids.

Seen@E3: Spartans can drum too originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bungie: No plans for more Halo 3 content beyond ODST

Ludwig Kietzmann — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST

Seemingly in contrast with recent comments made by producer Allen Murray, Bungie has told Eurogamer that it currently has no Halo 3 content planned following the Fall release of Halo 3: Overly Descriptive Subtitle Treatment. "We'll never say never, but currently Bungie has no plans to make new Halo 3 content beyond the release of ODST," came the explanation. The formerly Microsoft-owned studio does, however, intend to keep supporting the popular first-person shooter with matchmaking playlist updates and uninhibited use of the fabled Banhammer.

Whether the task of generating Halo 3 content into 2010 will fall away in favor of a new game, or simply be handed over to a different studio, remains up for speculation. Either way, it seems Halo 3 will be watched over by its creators in some form or another until we all finally stop playing -- and that could be even longer than Murray's supposed two-year time frame, right?

Bungie: No plans for more Halo 3 content beyond ODST originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Custom Master Chief Transformer becomes Warthog, collector's item

Randy Nelson — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST

The custom Master Chief Transformer we wrote about last year? It's so last year. There's a new green custom 'bot on the (auction) block, and it -- quite fittingly -- becomes a Warthog in vehicle mode. Its creator (and eBayer) built the 5 and 1/4" tall marvel out of a McFarlane Toys Master Chief figure, an Actionclix Warthog and an actual Transformers toy (Hound, in case you're wondering).

Want this one-of-a-kind Halo artifact on your bookshelf? Be prepared to pony up a hefty sum. With 52 bids as of this writing, the figure is currently going for $320 -- with an entire week to go before the auction closes. Click through after the break to see it in Warthog mode.

[Thanks, Rev Freakshow]

Continue reading Custom Master Chief Transformer becomes Warthog, collector's item

Custom Master Chief Transformer becomes Warthog, collector's item originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario does battle with Halo's Spartans ... again

Justin McElroy — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST

We don't know what Mario has against the Halo universe, or why Spartans can't stand denizens of the Mushroom Kingdom. But, senseless though it may be, the two worlds have met again on the battlefield and, as you can see after the break, the conflict makes their last meeting look like a tetherball match.

Now that the ground is littered with helmet fragments and soaked with the blood of Yoshis, can the two move toward peace? Or at least unite in a mutual hatred of Kratos? Only time will tell.

Continue reading Mario does battle with Halo's Spartans ... again

Mario does battle with Halo's Spartans ... again originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NYCC 09: Marvel Comics releasing two more Halo mini-series

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, First Person Shooters

If you enjoyed Marvel's yet-to-be-completed Halo: Uprising comic series then you may be interested in a recent announcement from Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada -- during his Cup O' Joe panel at NYCC, Quesada confirmed that Marvel will be publishing two more Halo miniseries by the end of the year. Hopefully, these two won't get bogged down by late-in-the-game story revisions and accompanying year-long delays.

The first five-part series, which is set to deploy this summer (and could conveniently wrap in time for Halo 3: ODST) will be penned by She-Hulk writer Peter David, and drawn by Gigantic's Eric Nguyen. The second series, due out in winter, will be produced by Fred Van Lente and Francis Portela, the writing and illustrating (respectively) team behind Wolverine: First Class. Best of luck, guys -- you've got some awfully big shoes to fill.

NYCC 09: Marvel Comics releasing two more Halo mini-series originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want to kill some time? Check out Mario vs. Spartan: The Game

David Hinkle — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Fan stuff

Joystiq's Free Game Club picked up on Mario vs. Spartan: The Game and, by golly, we're glad they did. This simple title is easy to get a grasp on, even though the premise makes no sense. But, hey, you get to beat up on a billion dollar cyborg dude thing (whatever that Chief Master guy is supposed to be) with Mario. That isn't too bad, right?

So, if you find yourself stuck in front of a computer today just like us, check out the game here. It's a good way to kill some time.

See also: It's a Wonderful (Super Mario) World

[Via Joystiq]

Want to kill some time? Check out Mario vs. Spartan: The Game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Master Chief takes on Mario

Xav de Matos — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:45:00 EST

Filed under: Fan stuff

Each week our sister site Joystiq showcases a free PC game available to those who posses both too much free time and the internets. This week's entry is Mario vs. Spartan: The Game. Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like.

Sure, the game isn't considered top tier in the world of free flash games but it features two things our readers may be used to; Halo and hating on other platforms / characters from other platforms. Can you, as Master Chief, finally dispatch the nuisance that is Super Mario? We suppose it's time to find out if you can finish this fight. Believe.

[Via Joystiq]

Master Chief takes on Mario originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Joystiq Free Game Club: Mario vs. Spartan: The Game

Justin McElroy — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: PC, Action

Yes, the idea of Master Chief being dispatched by Bowser to kill Mario tests the limits of even disturbingly circuitous fan fiction logic. And OK, fine, the gameplay leaves a certain something to be desired. And no, we don't know why our favorite Spartan brought only grenades and no guns. But Mario vs. Spartan: The Game is what we're going to talk about this week, so you're gonna have to deal with it.

It has a lot of shortcomings, but the idea of Master Chief fighting Mario is just so devastatingly badical, we found ourselves powerless to resist. Seriously, we bet you could find the design doc written on the back of a binder in Wite-Out somewhere. Awesome.

Are you leet enough to finish teh fightz0r against Mario? Share your accomplishment in the comments below.

[Via Hawty McBloggy]

The Joystiq Free Game Club: Mario vs. Spartan: The Game originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fable 2's Spartan armor and energy sword pictured

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, RPGs

DailyGame had published several screens of Fable 2's "Master Chief" armor and "Elite Energy Sword" before Microsoft requested the images be taken down. The Hal's Outfit (that's what the MJOLNIR looking suit's called) is obtained by purchasing the Fable 2 Collector's Edition. After downloading the bundle's exclusive content from Xbox Live, players will apparently receive the Hal suit from a treasure chest after leveling up for the first time.

The outfit can be seen above and we've placed a better image of the sword after the break.

[Via X3F]

Continue reading Fable 2's Spartan armor and energy sword pictured

Fable 2's Spartan armor and energy sword pictured originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First screens of Fable II's Master Chief outfit

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: News, Fable 2

Way back in August, we reported that a Master Chief outfit -- a Spartan outfit, if you want to get technical -- would be making an appearance in Fable II. Now, thanks to DailyGame, we have the first screenshots of the outfit, which is known as Hal's Outfit in the game.. It looks slightly different from the original images. Overall we'd say it's closer to the actual look of the Chief's iconic suit. Also pictured in the new screenshots is the energy sword -- Hal's Sword. It looks nice and all, but it only deals a paltry 22 damage, so let's hope it has some amazing bonus properties. Head over to DailyGame for more images.

First screens of Fable II's Master Chief outfit originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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