Halo Reach launches in September

More than 2.7 million players make history with record-shattering demand for the multiplayer beta

Posted on May 24, 2010 - 1:08pm EST

Microsoft has announced that “Halo: Reach,” the blockbuster prequel to the best-selling video game franchise, will leave its mark on the entertainment landscape when it launches worldwide on 14th September 2010.

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed studio Bungie, “Halo: Reach” drops players back into the iconic universe they love so they can experience the birth of the “Halo” legend. During the past 10 years, the “Halo” franchise has inspired multiple New York Times best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more, and it has sold more than 34 million games worldwide to date.

“‘Halo: Reach’ is the culmination of a decade of ‘Halo,’ a franchise that has become a global entertainment and pop-culture touchstone,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios at Microsoft Corp. “Just as ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’ catalysed the success of the original Xbox to define a decade of entertainment, ‘Halo: Reach’ will push the boundaries for what’s possible in video games and help make 2010 the biggest year in Xbox history.”

As a testament to the anticipation for its release, more than 2.7 million “Halo” fans helped make entertainment history this month by participating in the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta on Xbox LIVE, making it the largest console video game beta test on record and more than triple the size of the “Halo 3” beta. Players completed more than 13 million online games and logged over 16 million hours of online gameplay, amounting to over 1,826 years of total play time in just over a two-week period. The data and user feedback gathered from the beta will help Bungie and Microsoft further refine the game and deliver a blockbuster experience that fans have come to expect from the “Halo” franchise.

“Halo: Reach” follows the story of Noble Team, a squad of heroic Spartan soldiers as they make their final stand on planet Reach, humanity’s last line of defence between the terrifying Covenant and Earth. Representing the best-in-class multiplayer elements that have become the hallmark of the “Halo” series, “Halo: Reach” offers the most action-packed multiplayer experience yet on Xbox LIVE. The “Halo: Reach” experience is completed with an intense campaign, an unparalleled suite of features and stunning new visuals powered by ground-breaking new technology.

“Halo: Reach” is available for pre-order in standard, limited and legendary editions at participating retailers worldwide. The limited and legendary editions of “Halo: Reach” are packed with extras that fans won’t want to miss. The centrepiece of the legendary edition is a 10-inch-tall, hand-painted and individually moulded Noble Team statue crafted by the expert artisans at McFarlane Toys. As a special bonus, fans can receive a token to unlock an exclusive in-game Spartan Recon Helmet, by picking up a copy of the game on launch day at North American retail stores, and outside of North America by making a pre-order reservation at participating retailers.