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Bungie Has Droped The Microsoft Partnership .. Its Now Official

Well NOW its official the Microsoft / Bungie partnership is no more. I hope to see some great games come out of the New Bungie Studios in the coming years.

Microsoft Corp. today announced a plan for Bungie Studios, the developers of the Halo franchise, to embark on a path to become an independent company. Microsoft will retain an equity interest in Bungie at the same time continuing its long standing publishing agreement between Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie for the Microsoft owned “Halo” intellectual property as well as other future properties developed by Bungie.

The critically acclaimed Xbox 360 exclusive “Halo 3” achieved $300 million in global sales in its first week. Released in Europe on Wednesday, Sept. 26, “Halo 3” is the fastest-selling video game ever and already one of the most successful entertainment properties in history.

“Our collaboration with Bungie has resulted in ‘Halo’ becoming an enduring mainstream hit,” said Shane Kim, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios. “While we are supporting Bungie’s desire to return to its independent roots, we will continue to invest in our ‘Halo’ entertainment property with Bungie and other partners, such as Peter Jackson, on a new interactive series set in the ‘Halo’ universe. We look forward to great success with Bungie as our long-term relationship continues to evolve through ‘Halo’-related titles and new IP created by Bungie.”

“This exciting evolution of our relationship with Microsoft will enable us to expand both creatively and organizationally in our mission to create world-class games,” said Harold Ryan, studio head for Bungie. “We will continue to develop with our primary focus on Microsoft’s platforms; we greatly value our mutually prosperous relationship with our publisher, Microsoft Game Studios, and we look forward to continuing that affiliation through ‘Halo’ and beyond.”

Rumor: Bungie IS Dropping Microsoft Like a Hot Potato

Move along there is nothing to see here, Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! Says the Microsoft Rumor security Force.

While the majority of Internet denizens are stating that this could never happen and that it’s not true, we’ve heard the opposite. From a source close to Bungie, Game Informer has learned this rumor has some merit. It looks like with Halo 3, Bungie really is finishing the fight.

Game Informer checked with its own sources and reports that Bungie and Microsoft separated on October 1, 2007. According to the magazine, Bungie did not wish to be tied down to indefinitely making Halo games. As a result, shareholders of Bungie bought the studio name back from Microsoft for “an unstated, but significant amount of money.”

Microsoft will retain all rights to the Halo franchise, assuring that the Master Chief will never grace competitors’ systems, and will also hold “the right of first refusal on future games,” meaning that Halo 3 probably won’t be the last Xbox 360 exclusive title from Bungie Studios.

Xbox 360 World in Conflict Delayed

The forthcoming Xbox 360 version of Massive Entertainment’s World in Conflict won’t see a release anytime soon. Originally slated for a fall 2007 release, publisher Sierra said today the title will come to Microsoft’s console some time in 2008.

2 New Xbox 360 Bundles For Christmas?

Two new Xbox 360 bundles look like they will be showing up for Christmas this year. The new bundles are already showing up on BestBuy.com and should be the same for all retailers across the board.

The “Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite Bundle” will contain the Xbox 360 Elite console along with two games, Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Best Buy is listing the price for this bundle as $449.99, the same price that the Xbox 360 Elite currently retails for alone.

The second bundle is similar to the first bundle, but contains an Xbox 360 Premium instead of an Elite along with two games, Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. This bundle will retail for $349.99, that’s what the Xbox 360 Premium retails for currently without a bundle.

**Update** Well It looks like BestBuy has taken this down. What this says about the bundles we will see

**Update 2** Doing more searching and the bundles are still showing up around the net. The Model number for the Elite is 52V-00004 and the Pro is 52T-00057 Check this link out for Google confirmation on the bundle.

Halo 3 Pulls Down Over $170 Million in the First 24 Hours

Microsoft today announced that the Xbox 360 exclusive game “Halo 3” has officially become the biggest entertainment launch in history, garnering an estimated $170 million in sales in the United States alone in the first 24 hours. The Xbox 360 title beat previous records set by blockbuster theatrical releases like “Spider-man 3” and novels such as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

Within the first 20 hours alone, we’ve seen more than a million Xbox LIVE members come online to play Halo 3 – that makes September 25 the most active Xbox LIVE gaming day in history.”

More than 10,000 retailers hosted Midnight Madness events to celebrate the launch of this third installment in the billion-dollar franchise. In New York, Seattle, Miami and Los Angeles, Microsoft and retail partners hosted marquee launch events that featured contests and appearances by local celebrities and professional athletes who are fanatical about the “Halo” franchise, including Ludacris and Zac Efron and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.

More than 1.7 million copies of “Halo 3” were preordered in the United States before a single store opened its doors at midnight, Sept. 25, making this the fasting pre-selling game in history, surpassing the previous record-setting pre-sales of “Halo 2.” Well beyond just a U.S. phenomenon, the launch of “Halo 3” was a worldwide celebration that released in 37 countries and available in 17 languages.

No Waiting at 7-Eleven For Halo 3

With every electronic store in the nation doing some kind of midnight madness event for Halo 3, if you don’t have it preordered yet you might find it hard to get your hands on a copy.

I will be at my local 7-Eleven right down the street, just standing around playing Pac-Man and eating some nachos and a hotdog drinking a Slurpee out of my Halo3 cup. Then at 12:00 am I will walk up to the counter buy my Halo 3 and a pack of Red Bull and be at home playing long before most even get inside the local “Video Game Store”.

Just to let you know most 7-Eleven stores will be selling Halo3 over the counter at midnight on the 25^th. Talking to our local store, less than a block away, a statement was made by a store employee that they do not expect a line at all since they did not sell more then 20 preorders.

How many copies they have on the 25^th at each store for sale I don’t know, but I do know of about 4 7-Elevens I can get to long before I could get to a normal “Video Game Store”.

So Check your Local 7-Eleven you might just hit the Jackpot.

**Update**

I have checked with my local store and cost is 59.99 + tax they have over 100 coming in for sale and preorder to open sales at 12:01am I would suggest calling to double check your local store.

New Forza Content On XBL

Microsoft today announced 10 brand new racers and muscle cars in a downloadable car pack for “Forza Motorsport 2,” which will be available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace this weekend.

First up the 2007 SEAT Leon Cupra will be available as a FREE download to bolster the already extensive collection of “Forza” racers and for 400 Microsoft points, Forza fans can own the track taking laps in 10 great vehicles including a race ready turbo diesel (the Audi R10) and a low performance class inline 4 that’s an absolute tuner’s dream (the Honda Civic Si Coupe). Show your muscle with an American classic, the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T or turn it up another notch behind the wheel of the 415 horsepower, 8,400 rpm 2007 Porsche GT3 RS.

A full list of the available cars is below:

• 2007 SEAT Leon Cupra (FREE DOWNLOAD)
• 2006 Audi R10 (#8 Audi Sport Team Joest) Prototype
• 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi
• 2006 Dodge Challenger Concept
• 2006 Honda Civic Si Coupe
• 2007 Honda Civic Type-R
• 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400
• 2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept
• 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997)
• 2007 Saturn Sky Red Line
• 2007 SEAT Leon Supercup

Bungie WILL NOT Pull Out The Ban Stick For People Playing Halo 3 Early

Oops .. A British retailer Argos has begun selling copies of Bungie’s Halo 3, a full week before the title’s official release date, reports MCV. Well don’t feel too jealous as according to unconfirmed internet reports they’re about to get a hefty Xbox Live ban.

The gaming industry website has received photo evidence of receipts from consumers who have bought the game from the chain. The Argos website states that anyone who pre-orders the game will be able to collect it from stores on ‘Wed 19 September – Thu 20 September.’

According to an assortment of reports Microsoft will ban anyone found playing Halo3 before the official release date next week - even if you’re offline when they play it. Your Xbox will magically know you’ve been playing it or not. You would not want to face the same judgment as this gamer.

**Update**

The few consumers who managed to get their hands on a copy of Halo 3 a week early today can rejoice – because Microsoft has confirmed to MCV that it has no plans to ban them from Xbox Live.

Halo 3 Believe Tv Ads

Halo 3 + NASCAR + Target + Hype = Dover 400 Nextel Cup Race?

Microsoft has decided that the endless advertising of Halo 3 with Burger King, 7 Eleven, Mountain Dew, Pontiac and the never-ending TV and internet ads was not getting us hyped up enough to buy Halo 3. Microsoft has now moved to NASCAR, since you know most gamers watch NASCAR racing and would care about a, distinctly designed Halo 3 paint scheme on a car. The Target / Halo 3 cars paint job does look kick ass but come on, NASCAR + Halo 3 = More Games Sold?

Target, Microsoft and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today that the No. 40 car will feature an exclusive “Halo 3″-themed paint scheme during the Dover 400 Nextel Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 23. As fans throughout the world line up for the blockbuster Xbox 360 title, CGRFS driver David Stremme will showcase a distinctly designed paint scheme in advance of the game’s much anticipated release on Tuesday, Sept. 25.

“I’m honored and excited to be running the ‘Halo 3′ car at Dover and can’t wait to show off this awesome paint scheme,” said Stremme. “It’s going to be a special experience when the car rolls off the truck for the first time at Dover - as a Halo fan, I’m thrilled.”

In addition to the special paint scheme in the Nextel Cup race on Sunday, Target and Microsoft are giving select drivers the chance to play “Halo 3,” one of the most anticipated video games of all time, before it releases to the public.

“Target is proud to partner with Microsoft to bring some ‘Halo 3′ excitement to Dover race fans before the much anticipated release date,” said Target Senior Buyer, Troy Peterson. “We expect this to be one of our largest gaming releases ever.”

“Halo 3,” the final chapter in the groundbreaking “Halo” trilogy, is set to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25. Created by legendary developer Bungie Studios and exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, “Halo 3″ will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in the epic battle of Master Chief(TM) to save humankind.

In November 2004, the world’s view of video games changed forever with the release of “Halo 2,” which generated a record-setting $125 million (U.S.) in sales within the first 24 hours and changed the way people think about interactive entertainment. Three years later, it remains the most-played game on Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE(R) online gaming and entertainment network, with nearly 1 billion hours of online gaming logged to date.