Halo Reach Preluding Lower Sales For Black Ops

So now it’s official: Microsoft's first-person behemoth Halo: Reach is the year’s biggest entertainment event, generating $200 million in sales in just 24 hours in the United States alone.



That’s two-thirds of what Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 took in from the North American and U.K. markets in its first day last year, but it’s still a number that’s nothing to sneeze at. The one-day take already eclipses the three-day opening weekends of “Iron Man 2,” “Toy Story 3” and “Alice in Wonderland.”



While Microsoft is doing cartwheels, though, the rest of the gaming industry is nervously shuffling its feet. Despite a number of high profile releases, it hasn’t exactly been a banner year for game sales -- and the success of Reach might not help things.



The slump is due, in part, to the ongoing recession. But also deserving some of the credit is the lingering effect of Modern Warfare 2 – a game whose multiplayer component was so deep and so rich that it kept players hooked, reducing their need and desire to buy other titles.



Fatigue is finally starting to gradually set in for that game, but Halo: Reach may well pick up that mantle.



As much praise as the game’s single-player campaign is getting, it’s the rich multi-player mode that really has players excited. New armor abilities, new game modes and an impressive suite of creation tools have overwhelmed the Xbox Live user base with joy. And the game’s matchmaking service is working like a charm so far.



That’s a lot of reasons to play -- and could give buyers plenty of excuses to put off other purchases in the coming months.



“There’s always a worry that a game like that can take share and cannibalize other games,” says Colin Sebastian, an analyst with Lazard Capital Markets.



To add to worries, Call of Duty: Black Ops will be hitting shelves in less than two months – a one-two punch to other game developers. That could put a number of seemingly big titles on the bubble, their sales in jeopardy.



None seems in a more perilous position than EA’s Medal of Honor. The battle that was shaping up between the rebooted military shooter and Call of Duty was already a tough one, but with Halo: Reach potentially impacting people’s buying decisions, the game could face an even tougher challenge. (The game's controversial decision to allow players to fight as Taliban forces in multiplayer might not help, either.)



Medal of Honor is actually scheduled to hit shelves well before Black Ops, but it has been three years since the last version – and Call of Duty has become the industry’s biggest seller in that time. The hope, in part, was that the Call of Duty fan base would buy Medal of Honor as a placeholder while waiting for the release of Black Ops – but they could be too busy with Reach to do so.



Meanwhile other titles like Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Tron: Evolution, which all would normally appeal to the same general demographic, might be overlooked entirely.



“I see Halo: Reach creating a vacuum in multiplayer,” says Billy Pigeon of M2 Research. “I expect it will have an effect similar to ‘Modern Warfare 2’. People will be playing online and may not buy other games.”

Over 70 Million Halo: Reach Games Played

Bungie's released updated stats for Halo: Reach's launch week, confirming the prequel has already clocked up more than 70 million games played.



Everything about the game is tracked, right down to shots fired.



- On Tuesday, September 14 at approximately 1:30pm PST, just a few hours after launch, Halo: Reach's online unique user count had already completely eclipsed Halo 3's total tally for the entirety of the week (09/13 through 09/20).



- To account for the same number of online players found in Halo: Reach during that same window (just six days), we had to run the numbers for Halo 3 going all the way back to 8/6/2010, encompassing a full 45 days of Halo 3 play!



- Ultimately, Halo: Reach's online population for the first week dwarfed Halo 3's by comparison, snagging four times the number of total unique users and decimating Halo 3's all time high of concurrent users by more than 65 per cent.



And a few more stats:



- 70 Million+ Games have been played

- 235 Million+ Player-Games have been played

- 2 Million+ Files have been uploaded to File Shares

- 5,901 man-years have been spent in online Reach games

- 20 Million Daily challenges have been completed

- 709,840 Weekly challenges have been completed

- 165 Billion Credits have been earned

Halo: Reach Noble Map Pack releases November 30

Halo Reach The Best Game of 2010

A new map pack for Halo: Reach deploys November 30. The Halo: Reach Noble Map Pack releases on Xbox Live and at retail outlets nationwide featuring new multiplayer locations for various modes such as Free for All, Team Slayer, Team Objective and Big Team Battle.



The pack contains three new maps: Tempest, Anchor 9, and Breakpoint.



Tempest offers players an abandoned shoreline facility divided between two symmetrical bases and an open sky above. Each base contains a makeshift shelter and access to strategic routes for small and large-scale skirmishes. Tempest supports 8 – 16 players and game modes such as Free for All, Team Slayer, Team Objective, and Big Team Battle. Tempest also contains a Forge palette for creating new custom maps.



Anchor 9 is set in orbital dockyards with mirrored interior hallways and an open central hangar bay. The map features close quarters combat for 2 - 8 players, and supports Free for All, Team Slayer, and Team Objective multiplayer modes.



Breakpoint is set in modular archaeological labs designed for air and ground combat. Breakpoint offers multiplayer for 8-16 players, and supports the Invasion and Big Team Battle game modes.



Developed by Bungie, the Noble Map Pack includes new Achievements worth a total of 250 Gamerscore points. It will be available for purchase for 800 Microsoft Points ($10) directly from Xbox Live or with a Microsoft Points card sold at retail locations worldwide.

New Maps And Playlists Coming Out For Halo Reach

New Maps And Playlists Will Be Available For Play On November 12, 2010

As multiplayer-gamers look toward the impending release of Call of Duty: Black Ops, it’s easy to imagine that millions of Halo: Reach players on Xbox Live could become bored with Bungie’s offering. In a time of the year where triple A titles are released every other week it’s best to keep your multiplayer experience feeling as fresh as possible.



That’s why Bungie has dropped a new update to the Halo: Reach playlists that address a few balance issues, move some game variants into their own playlists, and even adds two new ForgeWorld created maps.







"Undead Nighmare" PackNew DLC for Red Dead Redemption. The Zombie Apocalypse is Here!

RockstarGames.com/RedDeadRedemptionAds by Google

Read on for the complete run down.



Playlists



New Playlist: Team Snipers



New Playlist: Living Dead



Rumble Pit



•Lineup rebalanced to offer more kill, less frill.

•Removed Infection, Safe Havens, Race, Rally, Headhunter Pro

•Removed “Classic” gametypes

Team Slayer



•Removed all Snipers gametypes

Team Objective



•Removed 1 Flag Classic

•Removed Headhunter Pro

•Removed the following gametypes from Hemorrhage due to the size of the map with only 8 players: Multiflag Classic, 1 Flag CTF, 1 Flag Pro, 1 Bomb Assault

•Removed Oddball and Hot Potato from Boardwalk

Multi Team



•Removed SWAT

•Removed Classic gametypes

•Removed The Cage

•Changed wighting for Rocket Race so it does not have a 100% chance to appear in Slot 3

Big Team Battle



•Removed Multiflag from Boneyard and Spire

Invasion



•This playlist now offers 3 voting options

Firefight



•Updated Firefight playlist gametypes to be a full set instead of 1 round. Adjusted skull progression.

•Removed Friendly Fire

Score Attack



•Removed Crash Site

•Added Mythic Score Attack

•You can no longer pickup other weapons in Sniper Attack

Maps



Zealot/Arena Zealot



•Arena Zealot is now used for all Slayer gametypes

•Players can no longer stand on the edge of the generators in space and crouch to shoot below the shield

Asylum



•Softkill zones added to the tops of the Sniper buildings

Boneyard



•Modified respawn zones for Slayer gametypes

Hemorrhage



•Modified respawn zones for both bases

•Respawn timers for all Warthogs on Hemorrhage should now be 120 seconds

Gametypes



CTF



•All CTF gametypes should now have a player respawn of 10 seconds

•All Classic CTF gametypes now feature Flag At Home To Score and Touch Return

•Flag At Home To Score disabled for non-Classic CTF gametypes

•Modified Flag Return and Flag Reset times: 1 Flag on Small maps use 10 second return and 30 second reset. All other gametypes use 30 second return and 45 second reset.

Assault



•Assault gametypes now have a player respawn time of 10 or 15 seconds depending on the map.

In addition to the Playlist changes, we’re also introducing two new Forge Map Variants with this update, Cliffhanger and Atom. Atom will be on display in the Team Slayer, Team Snipers, Team Objective, Multi Team, and Big Team Battle Playlists. Cliffhanger will be found in Rumble Pit, Team Slayer, Team SWAT, and Team Objective.



The two standouts for me are the removal of Team Snipers from the Team Slayer playlist (Finally!) for its own dedicated playlist and the new infection-only playlist entitled “Living Dead,” seems very appropriate with Halloween just around the corner. Obviously the element most players will be interested in are the two new maps. They might not have as much depth as what we are getting with the Noble Map Pack, but who doesn’t appreciate a change of scenery every now and again.



Bungie has been very diligent about providing content to their fan base – by way of these monthly or bi-monthly updates. The developer has acknowledged that, while they will be trying to stay active in the community, there will come a time when these updates will be fewer and far between. The hope is that by this time, they will have done enough to make the multiplayer a solid and long lasting experience.



What do you think of this newest Halo: Reach update? What are the particular standout changes made to your favorite playlists?



Halo: Reach is out now for the Xbox 360.

Halo: Reach level cap going up

Halo: Reach is all set to get a level cap increase, Bungie has announced.



The developer will lift the limit above its current Lt Colonel Grade Three high-point once 117 million daily and weekly million challenges have been completed.



Bungie reckons that should be some time in November.



The post on Bungie.net read, "When you do cross the 117 Million mark, we'll celebrate by blowing the lid off the level cap! In the immediate aftermath, new ranks and armor will be made magically available for you inside The Armory, provided you have the rank and credits required. Time to get to work!"



"Oh, and no, we won't be counting boosted challenges," the post added.



The update also announced that 16,445 years of play had been logged so far, constituting 784 million player-games. In summary, it's quite popular.



Last week Bungie announced that new DLC - the Noble Map Pack - will be out on 30th November

Campaign Matchmaking goes live, level cap being raised next month.

Halo: Reach's multiplayer is getting another fresh lick of paint as campaign matchmaking finally goes live and Bungie announces the level cap is to be raised in November.



Alongside the launch of campaign matchmaking Bungie announced (via its comprehensive weekly update) a slew of tweaks in its weekly update with Team Snipers and Living Dead being added to the playlists while Rumble Pit has been streamlined.



The long-awaited raising of the level cap was also given a date of sorts, and it's due to be unlocked once the community has completed 117 million daily and weekly challenges – a feat that's due to be achieved sometime in November according to Bungie's estimates.



Halo: Reach has proved quite popular since its September release – we certainly liked it, and so it seems did some 3.3 million people in the US at last count.

Halo: Reach Review – “It’s Time To ‘Reach’ Reach”

   

I’ve played Halo for years and I can safely say that the series has had a huge effect on my life. I’ll never forget the LAN parties me and my friends had on half days in high school – these were truly awesome times. When I think back about Halo 2 and 3 I wonder if I was caught up in Microsoft’s hype machine. I’m not saying they we’re bad games, they we’re actually great games but like I’ve said before I feel like that with each subsequent Halo release Bungie slowly took away what made the franchise so special – Simplicity.



With Reach Bungie has changed all this, they’ve removed most of the features that over complicated the series and added new features that make the tried and true Halo formula feel fresh. Halo: Reach is the result of Bungie spending ten years perfecting the Halo franchise.





The single player campaign’s plot line is very simple, you follow Noble Team as they deal with the Covenant assault on one of the UNSC’s most important outposts, the planet Reach. The story is engaging and it is caped off by one of the best endings I have ever experienced in a video game – the final chapter is a truly moving experience and I’m very pleased that Bungie chose to keep it in the game. I’ve read interviews where Bungie’s creative director, Marcus Lehto, explained how including the ending was a subject of debate among the development team. I’m glad it wasn’t left on the cutting room floor.



The more linear plot line keeps the game focused and moving a long at a break neck pace. Every single player level is engaging and exciting, none of them cause the game to drag or get boring unlike other iterations in the Halo franchise. One particular level and my personal favorite Halo level ever, The Long Night Of Solace, is perhaps the single best level I have ever played in a first person shooter. I was quick to criticize the space combat Bungie showed off at this years E3 but it was great and definitely didn’t feel tacked on at all. Bungie managed to integrate this mini-game like feature in such a seamless fashion that it fit perfectly into the games overall feel. The anti-gravity space portion of the levels were also ridiculously fun and fresh.



The campaign is dark, realistic, fresh and most importantly a whole lot of fun – it’s an experience no Halo fan or gamer for that matter should miss.



Bungie made the right decision by creating an entirely new graphics engine for Reach, Halo 3′s was starting to look seriously dated. The result is possibly one of the best looking games on the Xbox 360. Reach does lag occasional when there are multiple enemies and vehicles on the screen, especially when your playing with multiple people on one Xbox. This is disappointing but it doesn’t really damage the game’s overall experience and it doesn’t occur that often. It would have been nice if Bungie spent a few more months polishing the game off but I imagine that’s difficult when Microsoft is probably breathing down your neck to get the game out the door. Overall the graphics have a much more realistic feel when compared to Halo 3 and this perfectly compliments the game’s darker tone.



The inclusion of new vehicles that are actually fun to drive, the Falcon, Sabre, and Revenant are also welcome additions to the franchise. Unlike past new weapons each new inclusion fits perfectly into the Halo universe and is expertly balanced.



The new armor abilities also simplify Halo 3′s item system and make the game generally much more balanced than past Halo games. The hologram ability, the only ability not included in the Reach Beta, seems rather stupid at first but it is extremely useful in sniper matches. Even though I’m a seasoned Halo veteran I often fall for this silly ploy – sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s the actual player and who’s the hologram. Fall damage has also been drastically toned down from the beta, it was difficult to avoid killing your self when jet packing across maps – I died numerous times because of this.



I’m also a fan of the new health pack system, maybe it’s just nostalgia speaking but it reminds me of Halo: CE and ads a sense of urgency to the single player. I don’t bother rushing in to a swarm of elites because I know that my health won’t fully regenerate unless I find a health kit. Martin O’Donnell’s music is once again amazing, he manages to capture the monk like Halo theme of older games but also still gives Reach’s music a fresh and engaging sound. The title music is particularly breath taking.



One of my main complaints about Reach’s multiplayer mode is the lack of map variety. A few of the multiplayer maps are remakes from Halo 3 and Halo 2 which is great for gamers looking to replay them but it’s also lazy on Bungie’s part. I would have liked to see these remakes included in the game but also a lot more new maps. A few of the remakes from matchmaking are Forge World maps so they all look very similar, this is also somewhat disappointing. I’m sure Bungie will release multiple map packs during the games life span and I can almost guarantee that one will appear on the Xbox Live marketplace very soon.



Another complaint I have about multiplayer is the game’s matchmaking mode. The removal a visible ranking system and social playlists irks me quite a bit. Rankings gave me something to work towards every time I played Halo 3 and social playlists we’re perfect for when I wanted to play games with my girlfriend who isn’t that great at Halo. I realize why bungie did this, to try to keep the community in one single playlist and decrease the amount of time it takes to find games, but that doesn’t mean I really like it. The new arena is Bungie’s new playlist for competitive ranked gaming but it’s a somewhat confusing method and is rather time consuming. Apparently you need to play three games a day for six days until you are assigned a division. Then after that you play other gamers in your division and are given the opportunity to move to a higher level. It sounds cool and gives you something to work towards on a monthly basis because it resets every season.



The inclusion of Halo: ODST’s firefight mode is also great, there’s nothing like jumping into a game with a few friends and blindly blasting away at the Covenant. The fact that it supports matchmaking now to is also great, if your down one friend you can still create a four person team. I still wish Bungie included a server list in Reach, Forge World is an amazing tool and the ability to share maps with other users is a great feature but without a server or game list you can only play your creations with people on your friends list. With all the content included in Reach I find it strange that Bungie still didn’t add this feature in their swan song to the Halo franchise.



As soon as you start playing it’s very easy to tell that Halo: Reach is culmination of 10 years of game design. As someone who’s been playing Halo since the franchise began I can safely say that this is by far the best game in the series. It even surpassed Halo: Combat evolved – for a nostalgic person like my self this is not an easy feat for a game developer to accomplish.



Game Judgment’s Christopher Goodchild will also be reviewing Reach so be on the look out for his opinion on Bungie’s latest epic over the next few days.



Pros



-Great single player experience



-Possibly one of the most content rich games ever released on the Xbox



-Great multiplayer experience



Cons



-The game lags when there are too many enemies on the screen



-Lack of multiplayer map variety



- No game or server list for custom games



Overall Rating 9.5/10



Reccomendation: Buy it!

A Decade of Writing Halo

Halo Reach Has Energized The Gaming Community For Over 15 years.

Bungie knew they were on the right track with Halo when, in developing the original game, a tester looked at art of the ringworld arcing over a lush jungle scene and told the developer: "I don't know what this game is about, but I want to be there right now." This is because Bungie realized early on that narrative success hinged on the creation of place, not plot. That was one of the many points made this morning at "Writing the Whirlwind," a discussion of ten years crafting the Halo narrative by Joseph Staten, writer and design director at Bungie.



What Staten means by valuing place over plot, is that Bungie understood that if you create a proper playground, you can get any number of stories out of it. You can see the success of that in the simple fact that the Halo universe has been a decade-long phenomenon that spans multiple games, from the original Halo to the ODST side story to Bungie's final Halo adventure, Reach. If Bungie had sat down to create the exact narrative of Halo, they may have very easily painted themselves into a corner.



The second part of the equation is giving the player an accessible window into that place. That window is the Master Chief. When crafting the Master Chief, Staten made sure to set up the iconic hero as the ultimate "straight man." If you think about it, can you really describe the Master Chief in more than a sentence or two? No, unless you do something Bungie is quite happy about – you start filling in the blanks with your own interpretation of the Master Chief. That hooks you right into the soul of the narrative. Yes, there is a story. Yes, there are key events. But do you care more about those things, or do you care about a great way to experience the Halo universe?







Halo in Five Minutes



But lest folks think that Bungie deals wholly in high-minded discussions of narrative, Staten said that Bungie understood the core of Halo is, as he put it, "shooting stuff." And he knew that as he was writing the Halo universe. Staten understood that – and this was his estimation – 95-percent of Halo players don't care about much of the narrative. They don't explore it at all. And the best game writers understand that.



But it sounds like Staten understands Bungie itself forgot it when they built Halo 2. Staten said despite its success, Halo 2 was indeed Bungie's "dreaded sophomore slump." He recognized that Bungie never should have ended that game on a cliffhanger because it put narrative over the base desire to get in, shoot stuff, and have a great time.



According to Staten, Halo 2 also suffered from a "technical overreach" that also hampered the delivery of a good story. He likened it to "watching a cathedral self-assemble in a hurricane." Amazing how success loosens the tongue (after all, Halo 2 is a few games back and if I recall, didn't do too shabby at retail), but it is always refreshing to see even a giant like Bungie admit failings.



But things got better as Bungie swung toward Halo 3 and the later Halo projects. Staten credits Halo's flirtation with Hollywood as a major positive because it exposed the team to different talents and storytelling techniques. Was it frustrating to have the movie and the Peter Jackson Halo projects fall apart? Sure, but without that experience, Staten says ODST and Reach would have not been written so well. However, Staten didn't move on from his brief discussion of Halo and Hollywood without taking a swipe at the studios. "I dunno if games will crush movies in ten years, but g-----n we're throwing some punches," said Staten with a smile. (And speaking of the Halo movie, the latest rumor is that Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks are hungry for Halo.)





Ranking the Best Halo Campaigns



As everybody knows, Reach was Bungie's last Halo. Staten says that Bungie is at peace with the decision to move on to its new game – which Bungie loosely teased during the session. When crafting Reach, Bungie returned to its original thrust: place over plot. "Planet Reach was a strong compelling place," said Staten. It was a place where Bungie could close the circle of the Halo canon, which was very important to them. And if you have questions over various parts of the canon after Reach, well, that was intended. Instead of just leaving strings dangling, Bungie cut them. Staten says the decision not to go overboard and tie up every loose thread of the Halo story should be emulated by more writers. That kind of obsession over the plot can get in the way of creating a good video game experience.



Staten's discussion wound down with a series of questions from the audience, which touched on things like how Bungie kept the canon straight while expanding the Halo universe over ten years and what inspired Cortana ("Smart women are extremely sexy," said Staten). But one thing stuck with me as I left the room and walked to my next panel. According to Staten, Bungie "wrote Halo as if it would be the only game they ever made." Obviously, that didn't happen. But by not treating the first Halo as a commodity that it could hopefully spin into a mega-franchise, Bungie created not just a great one-time video game, but also a seed of a place that gamers forced open into a universe they wanted to experience again and again in different ways.



And it will be exciting to see if Bungie can do it again.

Halo Reach Price Reduced

 












 
    In the game, you meet Noble Team and for the first time, players will fight alongside a squad of iconic Spartan soldiers. Each one with deadly talents as unique as their individual personalities and customized gear. It is an intense campaign that lets you live the events that set the stage for the Halo trilogy as the UNSC and Covenant clash at the height of their military power. Halo Reach takes a massive leap forward through all-new engine technology designed to take full advantage of next-generation graphics, audio, special effects, AI and animation. This game is the definitive multiplayer experience. It builds on the success of its predecessors, setting a new standard for competitive gameplay, customization, variety, and community integration. There is no question this is a great game. The only question left is why you have not bought it yet. It would make a great gift also.




I4U News brings you daily shopping tips on new releases, pre-orders, hot deals, sales events and unique gadgets. Read the latest Shopping Tips now.

Ten Reasons Why Halo: Reach Is The Best Halo Ever

Nowe, after five days of gameplay [noncontinuous thankfully] I have pulled out the top ten reasons why Halo Reach is awesome. These are opiniated and I didn't include some of the obvious reason like the weapons, maps, and stellar pics but looked to what stood out form the previous halo games.


Prior to playing Halo: Reach, I wasn’t a huge Halo fan. I was probably somewhere in the ten-thousands on the consummate Halo fanboy leaderboard, having merely “liked” Combat evolved, not played much multiplayer and only thought about Master Chief once before I went to sleep in the run-up to the Reach review event. But having completed Bungie’s Halo swan song, I deem it to be the best Halo game ever – and here are ten reasons why:








1. Because it’s Bungie’s Last Halo

You can imagine the insane brainstorm session Bungie had at the start of Reach’s development, with orders from top Bungie brass for the Halo team to do whatever they like, just raise the bar so impossibly high that 343 Industries will have to “crunch” for three years solid just to create game fit to walk in Reach’s shadow.



2. Because Derek Carroll Says It Is

Halo multiplayer designer Derek Carroll is an honest man. He eats fish on Fridays, considers television to be a vice and doesn’t even tell white lies to save people’s feelings. This is why we believe him when he told us “We set the bar really high. We don’t know what the next Halo game will be but, Halo: Reach is the best Halo”.



3. Because It Has A Jet Pack

Bungie takes a great campaign game with sprawling, tiered map design and then gives Noble 6 a limited amount of three-dimensional movement with a jet pack, opening up the boundaries of experimental shooting and hinting at the emergent potential of Reach’s multiplayer online gaming.



4. Because It's Truly Legendary

Bungie knows how to spin a good yarn. You know the feeling that you’ve just played a role in small but epic piece of fictional history? Combat Evolved players will know what I’m talking about: that yawning sense of gravity imbued in your every decision. Every level of Reach has that in spades and Noble 6 is the very definition of a legend.



5. Because SPARTANS Never Die

Okay I’m chomping at the bit here… I want to give you some details of Reach’s final level so badly, but the merest mention will spoil it for true Halo fans that have saved themselves for the official launch. All I will say is, it’s one of the best-conceived, most ingenious series sign-off’s I’ve ever played.



6. Because Map-Making Rocks

Halo 3’s Forge World was fairly inaccessible to all but the most dedicated cartographers, and even then some sterling maps emerged from it anyway. Bungie has made Forge World a lot easier to use for all while giving top-end map makers even more control over their creatons.



7. Because Firefight Has Evolved

Bungie has applied the same treatment to Firefight 2.0 that it has to Forge World. Creating new multiplayer modes has expanded to give mode-makers the option to fine tune enemy types and how they appear, manipulating skulls and uploading maps for community perusal and play. It gives life to Reach way beyond what you get in the box.




8. Because Your Gran Can Play Too

Yup, you heard it right. Reach’s Trueskill means players will be rated within around ten games or so according to their skill levelm then matched to the appropriate online games. Players of all levels can muck in with team and multiplayer games without having to worry about beating their two-second average life span or finding a decent challenge.




9. Because It’s The King Of Vehicle Combat

It’s a testament to the overall quality of Halo that it can feature the most diverse and exciting vehicle combat in the genre, yet not be known as the shooter with the cool cars. From the mundane Warthogs to Ghosts, Banshees, an entire level devoted to space flight in the Sabre and the awesome Scorpion, we haven’t enjoyed vehicle combat this much since we first played Destruction Derby.



10. Because It Will Last Until Oblivion

When Microsoft wanted to turn the last servers of the original XBox Live off, a hardcore contingent of Halo players kept them going for weeks by refusing to log off. Halo fans will be playing Reach well past its “sell-by” date and undoubtedly well into the life span of the next generation of Microsoft console. And they’ll still be playing when those servers are inevitably switched off, too.

How To Prepare For Halo Reach

Halo Reach is going to be Available In 30 Days!!!Yes, that's right so I'm going to tell you when you should pre-order yours, if you haven't. Where to pre-order Halo Reach. And What each exclusive package contains and the prices of each. So Halo fans, This is what you should do to get ready for Halo Reach:

   alt="Microsoft Store" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=wnUDfL3SW98&bids=166833.10000219&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=11">

1. Stop Playing Halo 3! By continuing to play Halo 3 you are only wasting your time and ours by not finding out more about Halo Reach and how to pre-order it. Forget about every strategy or maneuver in Halo 3. In Halo Reach, there are completely different controls and the ninja and other BR tactics are none existent. So, MLG players. Get ready to transition to other objectives like stockpile, invasion, generator defense, headhunter, or CTF. That's right, the DMR is a single shot weapon and is fair to all people for mastering it, so no more getting four-shotted by a MLG player continuously. The DMR can kill an opponent via a four-shot but it can't shoot nearly as fast as the BR in Halo 3. No MLG, only cool objective games in Halo Reach.
2.  Pre-order You Copy of Halo Reach NOW because the fastest, cheapest way to get your copy is online via Microsoft Store: [automatic elite premium armor when ordering from Microsoft online]
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
      alt="Microsoft Store" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=wnUDfL3SW98&bids=166833.10000219&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=11">
   
   

   
   

   Or Better Yet, Right Here On Amazon:
   
   For New Tab Go Here: http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20:
   
   
   

Xbox 360 Wireless Headset

3.Halo Reach Wireless Xbox 360 Headset: http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003O6EEN6: 

Product Features

• Features all the functionality of the Wireless Headset, a distinctive silver color and artwork created by Bungie that was inspired by Halo: Reach, the blockbuster prequel to the award-winning Halo trilogy.
• The Best-Selling Headset on the Market. 
• Best quality for the price, rated number one on headset review sites.

4. Buy Halo 3: ODST

http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B001HWB68K

Halo 3: ODST is a standalone expansion for Halo 3 that for the cost of 30 USD includes 2 discs that features all DLC packs and a new multiplayer mode. ODST is a whole new campaign about an ODST squad in the ruins of New Mombasa during the events of Halo 2. You can buy it at Microsoft Or Amazon for only 30 dollars now:

   alt="Microsoft Store" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=wnUDfL3SW98&bids=166833.10000219&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=11">

.
Halo Reach is a prequel to the main Halo trilogy and takes place before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. Halo Reach is a completely new game due out fall of 2010 and it campaign is based on the defense of planet Reach.The Storyline Features the last battle between the Spartans And Covenant For Earth.Anyways, by buying Halo 3:ODST you're discontinuing Halo 3, which will be beneficial toward your speed of acclimation to Halo Reach and you're playing a new and exciting plot-line with some new features.

4. Reserve Your Halo Reach Copy At Best Buy

 Best Buy Outlet Store

 

:








5. Pre-Order The Halo Reach Limited Or Legendary Edition From Best Buy Where You Get:


From Amazon:

Halo Reach Limited Edition [80 dollars]

  http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B002I0JF0Q 

• Fastest shipping arrival time
• Cheapest Prices
• Ability To use gift cards and personalize your copy

Or At Best Buy Where The Incentives Are:

1.  If you reserve a copy of the limited or legendary editions you will receive three months of Xbox Live Gold for free.
2. Reserve a standard copy of Reach and you get one month for free. 
3. They also throw in 500 Reward Zone points as well as an extra incentive just in case that matters to you.

Product Features

Edition: Limited Edition

• Game Disc in custom case modeled after a recovered ONI data module
• A custom in-game Elite armor set for use in Reach's multiplayer modes
• Artifact Bag containing a brand-new piece of the extended Halo universe: The personal notes and documents of the creator of the SPARTAN program: Dr. Catherine Halsey
• Dr. Halsey's ONI Security Badge
• Embroidered Spartan II Patch

Product Features

Edition: Legendary Edition

Halo Reach Legendary Edition

• Noble Team statue expertly crafted by the artisans at McFarlane Toys. Individually molded and hand-painted
• UNSC-themed custom packaging
• An exclusive in-game Spartan armor effect
• Complete contents of the Halo: Reach Limited Edition, including: ONI data module box, Dr. Halsey’s Journal, Embroidered Spartan II patch, Dr. Halsey’s ONI Badge, and the Limited Edition Elite in-game armor

Play And Charge Kit On Xbox 360 Controller

6. Get A Play-n-Charge-Kit So you don't run out of battery power come September 14, 2010.

   Imagine yourself putting  in Halo Reach for the first time so excited about your new armor that you can hardly take a slurp of that diet coke, and then as you're getting into true "gamer euphoria" your controller goes out. You look down at your controller and there's no light. Your batteries failed you. A guaranteed way to never have your controller lose power and become disconnected during Matchmaking ,or while you're gaming in general, is to buy a play-n-charge kit. These are lifesavers for your pocket book and your gaming reputation. You never have to worry about buying batteries again. They charge while you play and NEVER Go Out. Get yours here Starting At $7.58  [Now comes in red, black, and green]
http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003F2X200

7. When The Game Changes so has to your gaming gear. Halo Reach is bringing the intensity of gaming to the world and you better come equipped and ready to play. The perfect compliment to your play and charge kit is a gamer-optimized Halo Reach Wireless Controller. This boss features grip indentations specifically designed for better aiming, grip, and comfort taking your gaming to another zip code! This is the latest design and technology in Gaming controllers all available for you to excel at Halo Reach to your potential. Get Yours Here, Again at Amazon where you'll find the best price and fastest shipping time.

http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003O6HOAG

8. Have trouble finding a valid reason to buy a larger, flat-screen TV, plasma TV, Or LCD TV? Well, now you have one. Study shows [This is a legit study] that gamers who played with a 37 Inch-42 Inch LCD TV performed better than gamers who played on smaller TVs [around 24 inches]   and those who played on plasma TVs. LCD TVs size 30 inches to 40 inches are the best to game on because:

• They are cheaper than plasma TVs
• Better contrast/brightness
• No glare
• evenly lighted
• Better graphics

So, Don't worry about the expenditure of buying a LCD TV. You can find a quality one, as described above, for around 400 dollars [On Ebay Less]
Here's A Great {Place To Buy Quality, Cheap LCD TV's:
http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003O6HOAG

Or

Best Buy Outlet Store Cheap Tv's

9. Buy a sleeker, More Halo Reach Friendly Xbox 360:

• You need more memory sopace
• you need better connection and technology
• Prevent all problems
• Order a Halo Reach Console Bundle [Cheapest option combined]

1. The Xbox 360 Elite
2. The Xbox 360 4 GB With Kinect
3. The Xbox 360 250GB Console
4. The Xbox 360 Pro  4 Gb refurbished [170 dollars]

http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20

10. Clean- Out, redesign, and upgrade your Gaming Room:

   That's right. Take out the vacuum cleaner and wipe off your console, controllers, and TV. The best prevention from your Xbox 360 form retaining the Three Rings of Death is to always keep your gaming environment as cool, and clean as possible [trust me, I figured it out the hard way].This means dusting your room and clearing it all form lint, dust, and floating debris that can harm the function of your Xbox 360, and ultimately mark the terminal end of your gaming. Always, keep your Xbox 360 off your rug, because debris can just openly float right inside those crevices in your Xbox 360 Shell and cause you big problems in the future. Is it worth it to ya to have a cleaner, better smelling, overall flattering gaming experience just for a hour a month to clean-up your gaming room? I mean, really all it takes is putting the Xbox 360 on top of a table or placing it in a self-cooling fan stand [bought one after my 1st Xbox 360  my old one   lapsed terminal due to overheating] . Better yet, save yourself the chores and just buy a fan stand for your Xbox 360, trust me: well worth the investment:   http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=82

11.Save Some Money:

We all know gaming can be an expensive hobby but we all have to have our cigarettes[ That's not a pun, I'm comparing the addict level of gaming to smoking]!!So, cancel that Netflix membership of 10 dollars per month and switch to buying from your local Redbox where all DVD's are only one dollar.The point is, you don't want to miss your car payment just because you purchased Halo Reach, so find the best deals[ Amazon.com] and forget all of the rest. The main thing you should be worried about is not breaking the bank not if you purchase recon armor for 150 dollars!! So go, on order your Halo Reach Copy  smartly from Amazon While There Still Available: http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=1: