Halo 3

Halo 3 is a first-person science fiction shooter game developed by Bungie that was released for the Xbox 360 console. It is the sequel to Halo 2 and finished up the current story arc that the previous two games have followed. It released on September 25 in North America, the 26th in Europe and will be released on the 27th for Japan. It has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

Release
Bungie has announced that the release date for the final game is September 25, 2007 in North America and Australia as advertised on a number of websites - while Europe will receive the game on September 26, 2007, one day later. The Asian release date will be September 27. Bungie has officially announced that manufacturing of the final game build has begun at undisclosed locations.

An internal build, the Halo 3 alpha build, codenamed "Pimps At Sea", was released in April 2007 for Microsoft employees. A public beta test, the Halo 3 Beta, was rolled out in Spring 2007 and was scheduled for online play at midnight (U.S. West Coast Pacific-Time) on May 16th, 2007 - June 10, 2007, although there were certain technical difficulties in its distribution. After that, Bungie collected all the feedback from the beta and sought to improve their multiplayer through it, with the final game coming out four months after the end of the beta. On August 10, 2007 another Halo 3 build, Halo 3 Epsilon, was released to Microsoft employees, featuring Forge and multiplayer aspects. It went gold on August 29, 2007.

Bungie has also announced three versions of Halo 3: the Halo 3: Standard Edition, a Limited Collector's Edition, and the very limited Legendary Edition.

* Additional content on DVD

Reviews were recently released from a number of high profile gaming websites: Gamespot- 9.5 IGN- 9.5 TeamXbox- 9.7 1up- 10.0 Gametrailers- 9.8 ComputerVideogames- 9.7 OXM Australia- 10.0 Famitsu-10,9,9,9 GamespotKorea- 9.7

Plot
'''Warning! Major spoilers - continue at your own risk!'''

Halo 3 does not begin right where Halo 2 left off. Instead, the comic mini-series, Halo: Uprising, will bridge the story gap between the ending of Halo 2, and the beginning of Halo 3.

When the game begins, Master Chief is back on Earth, where the Covenant loyalists (Brutes, Drones, and Jackals), led by the Prophet of Truth, have laid waste to most of the planet. Covenant ships are hovering over an excavation site a few miles from the ruins of New Mombasa and have uncovered a large artifact in this site (seen in the E3 2006 trailer).

The Master Chief, along with Sergeant Major Johnson and the Arbiter, make their way through the jungle towards an UNSC outpost. During this time, the Master Chief seems to experience disturbing broken transmissions from Cortana. Shortly after they reach their destination, the Covenant mounts an attack on the facility. After a brief struggle, in which the outpost is lost, Master Chief receives orders from Commander Keyes and Lord Hood to clear a way into the African city of Voi, and destroy all anti-air Covenant defenses in preparation for an all-out assault on Truth and the artifact. After the Master Chief and the Arbiter destroy the defenses, Truth activates the artifact and creates an enormous slipspace portal, into which all the Covenant ships retreat. As the humans weigh their options, a Covenant ship controlled by the Flood arrives by slipspace and crash lands nearby, and the parasite quickly spreads throughout the city.

The Master Chief and the Arbiter attempt to fight off the Flood. They are aided by the arrival of the Elite fleet, which proceeds to glass areas that have been infected. Keyes, Master Chief, the Arbiter, and the Elite fleet decide to follow Truth. They leave Earth via the slipspace portal and find themselves near an immense artificial structure, which is soon revealed to be the Ark. They find that the Ark is in fact positioned outside of the Milky Way galaxy, just beyond the Halo rings' effective firing range. 343 Guilty Spark arrives by an Elite dropship and promises to help the Master Chief in any way he can, since he has no more pre-programmed duties now that his ring has been destroyed. Guided by Guilty Spark, the Chief and the Arbiter push their way to the control room of the Ark, where they barely manage to stop The Prophet of Truth from activating the rings. Commander Keyes dies as she tries to prevent Truth from using Sergeant Johnson to activate the rings.

In the meantime, a flood-infested High Charity arrives by slipspace jump. After executing The Prophet of Truth, the Arbiter and the Master Chief discover that a replacement ring has been constructed by the Ark to replace the one destroyed by Master Chief. The Chief decides to activate the ring so as to destroy any chance the Flood has from spreading even further. However, the Chief and the Arbiter first take a detour through High Charity to recover Cortana, who was still under the grasp of Gravemind. After rescuing the AI, they destroy the Covenant home world as they make their escape, which seemingly kills Gravemind.

When they arrive on the newly built Halo, they quickly discover that Gravemind is still alive, and attempting to reconstruct himself on the new Halo. The Chief, Arbiter, and Sergeant Johnson quickly make their way to the control room, where they attempt to fire Halo. Guilty Spark realizes that this will destroy his new ring because it is not fully ready yet, and kills Sergeant Johnson as he tries to activate the ring. Master Chief destroys Guilty Spark, activates the ring, and barely manages to escape with the Arbiter on The Dawn, a UNSC ship.

Back on Earth (March 3, 2553), a memorial service is held for fallen UNSC personnel. A memorial has been constructed from part of a spaceship, atop a hillside which Lord Hood orders will "remain barren". Affixed to the memorial are flowers, photos, and messages. Among the images seen on the memorial are that of Miranda Keyes and A. J. Johnson. After the service, Hood tells the Arbiter that although he can never forgive him and the Elites, he is grateful he was "with him 'till the end". It is implied that John did not survive to make it back to Earth. Following this, the Arbiter departs, bound for the Elite homeworld above a Covenant cruiser.

After the credit roll, footage is shown of the Master Chief and Cortana onboard a section of The Dawn, which had apparently torn off during the slipspace jump; the pair are drifting through space. Cortana tells John she will drop a distress beacon, but that it could be years before they are found. The Chief makes it to a cryotube, and as he is climbing in Cortana comments "I'll miss you". He replies "Wake me, when you need me".

If the game is completed on the Legendary difficulty, the section of The Dawn Cortana and the Chief are aboard is seen drifting towards a planet after an unknown expanse of time.

This ending draws an interesting parallel with the opening scene of Marathon, leading some to jump to conclusions and say that Halo 3 is in fact a direct prequel to Marathon. However, this is false; Bungie has on several occasions stated that Marathon and Halo do not occur in the same universe.

Halo 3 Levels
The levels shown in the Halo 3 Official Game Guide are:
 * 1) Sierra 117
 * 2) Crow's Nest
 * 3) Tsavo Highway
 * 4) The Storm
 * 5) Floodgate
 * 6) The Ark
 * 7) The Covenant
 * 8) Cortana
 * 9) Halo

Halo 3 Walkthrough
A Halo 3 Walkthrough/Guide will be released alongside the actual game. The walkthough/guide will be released for purchase on September 25th.

Controls
Because of differences between the XBOX original and XBOX 360 controller, and the addition of the new "equipment", there are a few differences on controls.
 * Right bumper: Click-Reload, Hold-Pick up weapon, exchange equipment, get in/out of vehicle, activate.
 * Left bumper: Click-switch grenades, reload(if duel wielding) Hold-duel wield(when available).
 * Right trigger: Fire weapon
 * Left trigger: Throw grenade, shoot(if duel wielding)
 * Left thumbstick: Move(Forward, Back, Strafe Left, Strafe Right)
 * Left thumbstick(click): Crouch
 * Right thumbstick: Look/Aim(Up, Down,Left, Right)
 * Right thumbstick(click): Activate scope/zoom
 * D-pad: Scroll through menu, up-team talk channel (Multiplayer), up-toggle monitor/spartan mode (Forge), toggle flashlight(Campaign)
 * A button: Jump/Select
 * B button: Melee/Back, pick support weapon up if in stationary mode.
 * X button: Deploy/Activate equipment
 * Y button: Switch weapons

You may also change controls to Halo Classic, as the control scheme as in Halo and Halo 2. Many other layouts will return such as the Southpaw and etc.

General Changes

 * Decorators, such as grass and weeds, will move when too close to a grenade explosion or rocket explosion. They will also be affected by the weather, such as wind. Some of these decorators are said to be completely destructible. When you die in the water, your body floats downstream and the audio sounds as if you really are underwater.
 * Matchmaking will feature more customizations akin to the pre-game options from Halo. As revealed in a Weekly Update, these customizations include a feature for manipulating gravity.
 * There is a more detailed way of changing your button layout.
 * A "Replay Feature" was explained in the EGM issue. The Feature re-creates the entire battle using pure game data as opposed to video files.
 * The left thumbstick can now toggle crouch.
 * The game includes an innovative "gamma toggling" option.
 * The Brute Shot now carries 6 grenades per magazine, rather than 4.
 * Confirmed in the Bungie Weekly Update for 7/13/07, the Saved Films feature can be used in the campaign as well as multiplayer.
 * 4 player online Co-op has been confirmed. However, only 2 players can play on one console at a time (so the other two will need to play through system link or through Xbox Live).  Also, unlike the previous installments, each player (including the 3rd and 4th) will be separate elite characters by the names of N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham with their own story and background.
 * The Elite's HUD is no longer a mere recolor of the SPARTAN's. The color is changed from a light blue (SPARTAN) to a light green; in addition, the shield gauge is more curved, and there are circles instead of a rounded square around the choosen grenade.
 * The shotgun light on the iron sights looks to have been changed from green back to blue (the light is right above the ammo gauge). It also has a scope.
 * Bungie revealed that the game would have a new "materials system" so advanced that "you could see light reflect off the ground and onto his armor", which will be able to "[show] the difference between his armor and the rubber undersuit". The site also includes that "It's so detailed that if you bring the camera close to the Master Chief's visor, you see everything in front of him reflected in it, right down to the ammo counter in his rifle" . In addition, there would be new advanced texturing to reflect permanent, persistent damage.
 * Secondary weapons are now visible; for example larger weapons will be on the back, and smaller weapons will be on the character's leg (Beta).
 * Weapons can now be reloaded individually when dual wielding. The right bumper will correspond with the right weapon and the left bumper will correspond with the left weapon. When not dual wielding, the right bumper will reload and the left bumper will switch grenade types. The X button will be used for equipment, as revealed in Bungie's update.
 * Halo 3's HUD is different depending on the character being used: for Spartans, the HUD is curved and has the outline of the visor, while an Elite's is rounded and fitted to an Elite's face.
 * Flood infection is now visible and many more flood combat forms (including a brute form) can be encountered.
 * The beeping sound made when your shields are low has become much quieter and less distracting.
 * Covenant Scarab tanks are now much more common and controlled by AI as opposed to a script in the game, they can be destroyed by targeting the legs and boarding them to destroy the fusion core on board.
 * The shield bar is at the top/middle of the screen as opposed to the lower-left corner or upper-right corner.
 * The motion tracker has a wider range-25 meters, as opposed to 15 in previous games. It is likely that this design choice was to reflect the greater scale of Halo 3's battles.
 * From Bungie.net's weekly update (9/14/2007). You will be able to take Hi-Res Screenshots from the playback feature and keep them in your own album and profile on Xbox Live.  You can even use this for your Gamertag! To prevent spoilers when this is used in campaign mode, a SPOILER gif will be placed over this in more public areas, but not in indivdual profiles.
 * It has been confirmed that Brutes will have shields in Halo 3.
 * Despite statements that most grunts and hunters sided with elites, none actually aid you in combat.

Multiplayer

 * The Man Cannon is an addition capable of catapulting a player across a multiplayer map. It seems to have replaced the teleporter for Halo 3.
 * Energy Shield doors have been added to some multiplayer levels, which allow players to pass through, but cannot be shot through. Spike grenades can stick to these walls.
 * A new "Veto" system has been placed into the Halo 3 Matchmaking. Before the game starts for any game, players can choose whether to veto them out. If half of the player's votes are cast to veto, the game will assign a new map for the gametype.
 * You now can customize the helmet and armor on multiplayer, but each of these permutations must be unlocked before they can be used.
 * Bungie have confirmed that there will be no Clan support in Halo 3. However, there may be an Xbox Live Dashboard update that supports clans.
 * The matchmaking system from Halo 2 will be revamped. The system will be based on two different ranks, skill and experience, in order to make the system more fair and to reflect the effect of experience on players' profiles.
 * Call signs will be used instead of small HUD emblems to identify allies. Example: your ID is E77, and a team mate looks in your direction an arrow saying "E77" will appear over your head; in the Beta, if pointed at, your gamertag will appear.
 * It has been recently confirmed by Bungie in one of their recent updates that female voice will be in the final multiplayer game but the male voice will be the default. "3) Yes. You may select gender for voice, the default is male."
 * In a recent update, Bungie has stated that the Mjolnir Armor variants will not play an important role in campaign, and that it is just for aestetic appeal in multiplayer. However, that does not mean they won't make any appearances in other corners of the Halo universe.

Online & 4 Player Co-Op
The previous installment of the Halo series had implemented a 2-player Online Co-Op play (As seen in the "Switch to Co-Op" option in the Pregame Lobby). But was taken out of the final version due to balance and connection issues. Originally Bungie confirmed Co-Op play on a system with two player split screen. They later confirmed a 4 player Co-Op option over Xbox Live or System Link. Unlike previous Co-Op renditions this time each player takes on an individual canon approach. The first player will be the John-117, the second will be the Arbiter, the third will be N’tho ‘Sraom, with the fourth being Usze ‘Taham.

This will encourage replaying the game more and enjoying the game differently. Each player has the same abilities, with only their starting weapons differing: for example, if the Chief starts with a Battle Rifle, the Elites will start with a Carbine.

N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham are characters added for the 3- and 4-player Co-Op. The two new Elites, joining the Arbiter and Master Chief, both have real bios and appropriate fiction, but they will not be appearing in the cinematics and so on. They are designed to be believable and useful allies, without affecting the fictional arc in a negative way – and they do not appear in the game as AI controlled opponents during one or two player games.

Forge
Forge is an "object editor" that can be used to edit multiplayer maps. It was originally called a map editor until Bungie showed what one could do with it. In Forge, you can edit objects, spawnpoints, weapons and properties of objects on the map. And, when playing a map on forge, players may take control as a monitor and will obtain the ability to spawn weapons and vehicles in-game, as well as move/adjust them too.

Saved Films
Saved Films allow a player to view any game, campaign or multiplayer, from any angle. It uses game data to re-create the games, which makes file sizes very small. (5 MB for a 15 minute mulitplayer match) These films can also be shared with Bungie.net.

Achievements
Halo 3 has 49 achievements worth a total of 1000 Gamerscore.

Equipment
Campaign
 * Bubble Shield
 * Power Drainer
 * Trip Mine
 * Portable Gravity Lift
 * Radar Jammer
 * Flare
 * Regenerator
 * Portable Shield Generator
 * Invincibility
 * Automatic Turrets
 * Invisibility

Power Ups

 * Custom Power Up
 * Agility
 * Active Camouflage
 * Overshield

Weapons
These are the confirmed weapons known to be in the game (all are subject to change):

Covenant

 * Type-25 "Plasma Pistol" Directed Energy Pistol (Dual Wieldable)
 * Type-25 "Plasma Rifle" Directed Energy Rifle (Dual Wieldable)
 * Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword
 * Type-33 "Fuel Rod Cannon" Light Anti-Armor Weapon
 * Type-33 "Needler" Guided Munitions Launcher
 * Type-50 "Beam Rifle" Sniper Rifle System
 * Type-51 Carbine
 * Type-1 Antipersonnel "Plasma" Grenade (Grenade)
 * Type-52 Automatic Plasma Cannon (Support)
 * Type-26 "Shade" ASG (Stationary)
 * Brute Sandbox
 * Type-25 "Spiker" Carbine (Dual Wieldable)
 * Type-52 "Mauler" Pistol (Dual Wieldable)
 * Type-25 "Brute Shot" Grenade Launcher
 * Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer
 * Type-2 "Spike" Antipersonnel Fragmentation Grenade (Grenade)
 * Type-3 "Firebomb" Antipersonnel/Antimateriel Incendiary Grenade (Grenade)

Forerunner

 * Sentinel Beam

UNSC

 * M6G Personal Defense Weapon System (Dual Wieldable)
 * M7/Caseless Sub-Machine Gun (Dual Wieldable)
 * M90A Close Assault Weapon System
 * MA5C Individual Combat Weapon System
 * SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle
 * BR55HB SR Battle Rifle
 * M41 Rocket Launcher
 * Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galileian Nonlinear Rifle
 * M9 HE-DP Fragmentation Grenade (Grenade)
 * LAU-65D/SGM-151 Missile Pod (Support)
 * M7057/Defoliant Projector (Support)
 * AIE-486H Machine Gun (Support)

Covenant

 * Ghost
 * Banshee
 * Wraith
 * Brute Sandbox
 * Type-25 'Chopper' Rapid Assault Vehicle
 * Prowler

Non-Usable

 * CCS-class Battlecruiser
 * Assault Carrier
 * Phantom Dropship
 * Scarab
 * Seraph Fighter-Interceptor

Speculation

 * Rapture

UNSC

 * Elephant
 * Hornet Gunship
 * M12 Warthog LRV
 * M12G1 Warthog LAAV
 * M274 Mongoose ULATV
 * M808 Scorpion MBT (Unknown model. Possibly B, or C model)
 * M831 TT Warthog

Non-Usable

 * Albatross Heavy Dropship
 * D77H-TCI Pelican Dropship
 * C709 Longsword Fighter-Interceptor
 * Unnamed UNSC Battlecruiser
 * (FFG-201)
 * (FFG-201)

Campaign Plot
See: http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Halo_3#Plot

The Ark


The Covenant has uncovered a massive and ancient Forerunner artifact under New Mombasa (The mountain in the background is indeed Kilimanjaro ) and Cortana is still trapped in the clutches of the Gravemind.

The Ark is mentioned in Halo 2 as a place where all the Halo rings could be fired at once.

It has also been speculated by some that the Ark might be able to withstand the force of all the Halos being activated, saving those within. Presumably, the Forerunners from whom all current sentinent life sprung forth, were saved by being in the Ark. Aside from that speculation, the name can be taken as another form of evidence. It may be a reference to Noah's Ark, which saved a handful of people while the earth was wiped clean. If this is the case, then that explains how the rings could have been activated before and yet life survives. It also explains how the Flood survived. Perhaps some were inside the Ark. And finally it makes sense that you would be able to activate all the Halo's from the Ark, that way you wouldn't die in the process.

While the structure in the trailer is thought to be The Ark, it has only been officially confirmed as a Forerunner structure. However, substantial evidence points to it being the Ark:

At the end of Halo 2, the Arbiter tells us that he is going after the Ark and in the trailer and at Gamespot.com it tells us that the Arbiter is in the first mission of the game fighting along side the John-117 which we know that the John-117 is on Earth.


 * Miranda Keyes is referring to the Forerunner artifact as "the Ark" in the recently shown Level Tsavo Highway
 * In the Halo Graphic Novel one Elite says "We need to clear this area before we can secure access to The Ark" -- Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa.
 * It is also seen in this small sketch from the DVD.
 * In Halo 2, in the Level Outskirts, Cortana says that the Covenant "weren't expecting  us to be here."  Us refers to Humanity of course, which means that they had come to earth for something else, very likely the Ark so they could begin the Great Journey.

Also, in Bungie's FAQ, they said that although they wouldn't tell what the structure is, Halo fans may recognize it. The structure looks somewhat similar to a structure seen in the Halo 2 multiplayer map Ascension, the circular structures on the exterior of Alpha Halo (visible in the opening menu of Halo 1), or Delta Halo's Control Room. It also looks like the dock that the Forerunner ship at the end of Halo 2 was stationed in, or the platform in the Halo's Library that is home to the installation's Index. Bungie may also be referring to the Jjaro station in Marathon Infinity (an artifact used to contain a being within a sun). Also, in Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, the Dyson Portal is described very similarly to the structure, albeit much   smaller.

In Halo 3, it was confirmed that the supposed Ark was just a cartographer building. The real Ark is Installation 00.

Major Characters
UNSC
 * Master Chief Petty Officer SPARTAN John-117
 * Cortana
 * Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson
 * Commander Miranda Keyes
 * Fleet Admiral Sir Terrence Hood
 * Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker

Covenant Separatists
 * The Arbiter
 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum

Covenant Loyalists
 * Prophet of Truth

Flood
 * Gravemind

Forerunner
 * 343 Guilty Spark
 * Sentinel

Minor Characters
Co-Op Characters
 * N’tho ‘Sraom
 * Usze ‘Taham

UNSC
 * UNSC Marine Infantryman
 * Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds
 * UNSC Marine Orbital Drop Shock Troopers
 * Office of Naval Intelligence Personnel
 * UNSC Citizens

Covenant Separatists
 * Elites (Sangheili)
 * Hunters (Lekgolo)
 * Grunts (Unggoy)

Covenant Loyalists
 * Prophets (San 'Shyuum)
 * Brutes (Jiralhanae)
 * Jackals (Kig-yar)
 * Drones (Yanme'e)
 * Grunts (Unggoy)
 * Hunters (Lekgolo)

Flood
 * Infection Form
 * Combat Form
 * Carrier Form
 * Pure Form
 * ‎Ranged Form
 * Stalker Form
 * Tank Form

Xbox Live
According to Bungie in EGM, Halo 3 will be taking Xbox Live to the next level. If you create a gametype, you can specify how many types of shields you have and what vehicles are on the map. You can advertise your gametype and if it gets good ratings it may become a matchmade game. If you have the vision camera you will be able to video chat with your friends, and there are now two ranking systems, one of which is based on actual military ranks instead of numbers. This number is your total amount of games and your rank increases the more you play any matchmaking gametype (including unranked). The ranked gametypes are apparently still ranked by numbers.

Maps



 * Construct
 * Epitaph
 * Guardian
 * High Ground
 * Isolation
 * Last Resort
 * Narrows
 * Sandtrap
 * Snowbound
 * The Pit
 * Valhalla

Gametypes

 * Assault
 * Capture the flag
 * King of the Hill
 * Oddball
 * Juggernaut
 * Slayer
 * Territories
 * VIP
 * Infection

Players can also set up custom games. Custom game settings from the Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta give us an idea of what can be defined in custom gametypes.

Custom options
In Halo 3, there are a number of options that can be changed.


 * Damage resistance
 * Shield multiplier
 * Shield recharge rate
 * Immune to headshots
 * Grenade counts
 * Infinite ammo
 * Weapon pickup disabled
 * Player speed
 * (25%, 50%, 75%, 90%, 100%, 110%, 125%, 150%, 200%, 300%)
 * Player gravity
 * (50%, 100%, 200%)
 * Vehicle use (passenger only)
 * Motion tracker range
 * (10m, 25m, 75m, 100m, 150m)
 * Indestructible vehicles (on, off)

Player Customization
Originally discovered in the Halo 3 Beta code by hackers, high levels of player customization have now been confirmed by GamePro's June issue.
 * "Halo 3's online mode offers new armor permutations that allow players to customize their persona's from head to toe." it has also been confirmed that you can unlock armor permutations via campaign and online.


 * ''IGN AU: "How do they actually find it? Is it linked to multiplayer or single player?"


 * ''Lars Bakken: "It's linked to the entire game, and the way it's unlocked is through milestones that you hit, with achievements. It's linked to a point total basically, in your achievements."


 * ''IGN AU: "Through single player and multiplayer."


 * Lars Bakken: "Yep, for both, it's combined."

Spartan

 * MJOLNIR Armor - Mark VI
 * EVA Armor - Extra Vehicular Activity armor
 * CQB Armor - Close Quarters Battle armor
 * MJOLNIR Armour - Mark V (Same armor from Halo: Combat Evolved)
 * EOD Armor - Explosive Ordnance Disposal armor
 * Unknown Armor - Ninja Variant
 * Third Unknown Armor - ODST Variant
 * Fourth Unknown Armor - Scout Variant
 * Fifth Unknown Armor - Security Variant
 * Sixth Unknown Armor - Hayabusa Variant
 * Seventh Unknown Armor - ??? Variant

Elite

 * Elite Combat Armor - Standard Elite armor.
 * Elite Assault Armor - Similar to Ranger Elite armor. Worn by Usze 'Taham.
 * Elite Flight Armor - The Elite Flight armor. Worn by pilots.
 * Elite Commando Armor - Similar to Elite Assault Armor, but more smoothed. Worn by special commando forces.
 * Elite Ascetic Armor - Similar to Elite Assault Armor, but with fan like protusions. Worn by the Ascetics.

Soundtrack
Apparently, Microsoft is hosting a Halo Soundtrack Competition for entrants into the Halo 3 soundtrack by third party bands (reminiscent of Breaking Benjamin's "Blow Me Away" from Halo 2). One of their applicants, Director, has created a song titled "Director vs. Halo 3", which can be found here

Viral Marketing
On June 11th, 2007, at 10:26AM PDT, a viral marketing campaign for Halo 3 started, called "Iris".

Announcement Trailer
At E3 2006, Bungie released their announcement trailer. It required long hours and hard work from many, many Bungie staffers, and utilizes real-game assets, fiction and locations from parts of the "real" game." It shows John-117 walking through some wreckage of the New Mombasa space elevator with Cortana appearing at several intervals to give her lines.  He then arrives at a cliff where the Covenant forces are hovering over a Forerunner structure (believed to be the Ark).  The trailer ends with the Forerunner structure opening and firing a beam of light.

The Trailer fueled speculation about what was going to happen in the game, particularly Cortana's last line in the trailer: "This is the way the world ends," which references the first of the Cortana Letters. The line itself refers to T. S. Eliot's The Hollow Men, which ends:


 * This is the way the world ends
 * Not with a bang but a whimper.

Cortana's emphasis on "this" implies she is rejecting the poem, and that the world will end with a bang. Likely referring to the Halo's being activated.

Starry Night Trailer
Starry Night Trailer was released on December 4, 2006 with its format designed for TV Ads. It shows two kids staring at the stars talking about whether there are aliens before switching to a dazed Master Chief recovering from some form of blast. Once he gets back on his feet, he uses a Bubble Shield to defend himself from an incoming Wraith plasma mortar and then charges forward, eventually jumping over a cliff into a swarm of Covenant Loyalists.

E3 2007 Trailer
The final trailer for Halo 3 was released during E3 2007. Unlike the others, this trailer focused on showing various gameplay and movie clips. While the trailer did little to further knowledge about the Halo 3, it confirmed many speculations about the game, the least of which was that the Arbiter and the Master Chief will fight alongside one another in the game at some point.

Believe
Believe is a Microsoft marketing campaign for Halo 3.

It features the word "Believe" as a tagline, and appears to be honoring the legacy of SPARTAN-117, citing himself as a hero of the United Nations Space Command Defense Force whose brave actions inspired other servicemen during the Human-Covenant War. It has also been cited that it has been linked to the popular messageboard Neogaf.

Arms Race
Arms Race is a trilogy of short films designed to promote Halo 3 as well as test the potential for a live-action Halo Movie.

Other Products

 * Mountain Dew Game Fuel is a new version of Mountain Dew soda which was released on August 13th, 2007 and will be available for 12 weeks.
 * Bungie has worked with Jasman Toys and they will be showcasing the new Halo Laser Tag Replica Guns.
 * Tod McFarlane's line of Halo 3 Action Figures.
 * There will a Halo 3 edition of the Xbox 360. It was released on September 16th, and will have other things in the box like a wired Halo 3 headset.
 * The Halo 3 Zune is a Zune in a Halo Trilogy-theme. It features Halo content in many media formats. Included in the Zune, are trailers, music, and artwork, from the critically acclaimed Halo series.
 * Halo 3 scale replica weapons. These are just ornaments and are not toys.
 * Burger King announced a Halo 3 Promotion from a Microsoft press release on August 9th, 2007 including limited edition FRYPODS and 42 oz drink cups.

Trivia

 * In one screenshot, the word "Puma" can be seen on the tires of the Warthog, this is possible homage to the popular online Machinima series Red vs Blue, which uses the Halo game engine. "Puma" came from Episode 2, where Red Team was discussing what to name their new LRV (a warthog), and "puma" came up as a suggestion.
 * In screenshots in the campaign mode and the Halo Trailer, there is Master Chief armed with the new MA5C Assault Rifle, and in the middle of the gun, there is the Marathon symbol, Click here for Image.
 * For Christmas 2006, Microsoft & Bungie gave the U.S. soldiers in Iraq a chance to play the Halo 3 multiplayer public pre-alpha.
 * Halo 3's release date is two more 7s. September 25 is 9+2+5. 9-2=7. 5+2=7. 9+2=11+5=16. Then, 1+6=7. Also September 25, 2+5=7.
 * On Cops & Robbers commercial for the 360 at the XBL Marketplace one of the license plates says HA LO307 aka Halo 3 07.
 * From Bungie.net weekly update (9/14/2007). If you are a Nascar fan, then watch the Dover Nextel Cup on Sunday the 23rd.  Car Number 40 driven by David Stremme has been decked out for Halo 3.  He is, allegedly, a big Halo fan.
 * From Bungie.net weekly update (9/14/2007). For the Halo Project, they have in fact built a fully functional Warthog.
 * Hollywood Arts announced an auction for a voice cameo in Halo 3 on Febuary 6, 2007. The auction was held from Febuary 17, 2007 to Febuary 24, 2007. The auction was won by the members of Rooster Teeth Productions, the makers of Red vs Blue.

Internal

 * Halo 3 Announcement Trailer
 * Halo 3 Credits
 * 60sec ESPN Commerical Starry Night
 * ViDoc: Et Tu Brute - a 7 min documentry about the Brutes ViDoc: Et Tu Brute
 * ViDoc: Is Quisnam Protero Damno
 * ViDoc: Cinema Paradiso
 * Halo 3 Beta
 * Mountain Dew Game Fuel - Halo 3 themed Mountain Dew
 * Halo 3 Zune - A limited edition Microsoft Zune.
 * Halo 3 Achievements
 * Halo 3: The Cradle of Life
 * Halo 3 Official Strategy Guide
 * Halo 3: Original Soundtrack
 * Burger King

External

 * Brand New leaked hornet video
 * Halo 3 Skulls Guides - Skull guides with pictures
 * Bungie's Announcement
 * | IMDB Entry on Halo 3
 * Halo 3 Easter Eggs
 * Halo 3 Website - Main Halo 3 Website
 * Halo 3 at MSN.com
 * Halo 3 News
 * Halo 3 Walkthrough
 * Halo 3 Countdown

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