The Biggest Entertainment Event of 2012 Is Here: "Halo 4" Launches
Worldwide Today
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Master
Chief is back. Poised to become the biggest entertainment launch of
the year so far, "Halo 4" is the first chapter of a brand-new saga
in the genre-defining, $3 billion
franchise that has shaped entertainment history and sold a
staggering 46 million games worldwide. Hailed by NBC News as
"breathtaking, heart-breaking and awe-inspiring,"1 "Halo
4" has garnered universal acclaim as one of the top-rated video
games of 2012, according to Metacritic.2 In a year
jam-packed with record-breaking Hollywood movies and games, "Halo 4" is
expected to break all previous day-one entertainment sales records
in 2012, cementing its status as the must-have blockbuster of the
year.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)
Excitement for the return of the Master Chief has swept the
globe. In London, a massive
illuminated glyph soared over the River Thames, a symbol of the new
threat that has awakened in "Halo 4." The glyph, which measures 50
feet in diameter and weighs 3.2 tons, was illuminated by 113,096
LED lights and represents one of the largest objects ever to be
flown by helicopter as a lighting art performance. On Oct. 30, the European country of Liechtenstein was reimagined into a real-life
replica of the "Halo" universe, marking the first time a brand has
taken over an entire country for an entertainment launch. For one
day only, Xbox 360 transformed some of the country's most iconic
landmarks, including a 13th-century castle and a working mine, to
create a mysterious alternate universe in the heart of Europe — all inspired by "Halo."
Around the world, midnight madness swept more than 10,000 stores
in more than 40 countries, as hundreds of thousands of fans lined
up around city blocks to count down to the game's release. At
marquee launch events in Seattle,
Paris, London, Berlin, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong
Kong, Dubai, Sydney and other major cities, throngs of
fans, celebrities and athletes flocked to be among the first to
play "Halo 4" and participate in other launch activities, such as
meeting the creators of the game, viewing private screenings of the
live-action digital series "Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn," and taking
photos with the Master Chief.
"'Halo 4' marks a rebirth and a new beginning for one of the
most beloved and iconic franchises in the modern history of
entertainment," said Phil Spencer,
corporate vice president of Microsoft Studios. "Over the past
decade, the 'Halo' franchise has become a bona fide pop culture
phenomenon, and 'Halo 4' promises to take the franchise to a new
level and set the stage for the next decade of 'Halo.'"
With the launch of "Halo 4" coinciding with Election Day, Microsoft Corp. is amplifying its
get-out-the-vote campaign, which kicked off earlier this year in
collaboration with Rock the Vote, to encourage "Halo" and Xbox LIVE
fans to exercise their civic duty before jumping into "Halo 4." The
campaign began with voter recruitment efforts at major consumer
events as well as a voter registration program on Xbox LIVE and
expanded to major launch events and more than 100 college campuses
nationwide yesterday.
Developed by Microsoft Studios' 343 Industries exclusively for
the Xbox 360, "Halo 4" is set nearly five years after the events of
"Halo 3" and follows the Master Chief and his faithful artificial
intelligence (AI) companion Cortana as they venture into a
mysterious new world and discover an overpowering ancient evil that
threatens to annihilate mankind. "Halo 4" takes the series in a
bold new direction by delivering its most epic and explorative
campaign yet, alongside a groundbreaking multiplayer offering
unlike anything before it, known as Spartan Ops. This story-driven,
episodic, cooperative adventure blends immersive storytelling,
stunning cinematics and action-packed gameplay to deliver an
unprecedented serialized experience. Through a weekly series of
cinematic episodes, Spartan Ops continues the story beyond the main
campaign by introducing new characters, storylines and gameplay
missions over a 10-week season, akin to a high-quality, interactive
TV show.3
Coupled with breathtaking visuals, heart-pounding audio,
emotionally cinematic performances and a sweeping musical score by
acclaimed composer Neil Davidge of
Massive Attack fame, "Halo 4" delivers a riveting experience that
resonates as powerfully as an epic Hollywood blockbuster. Some of entertainment's
best and brightest have joined the effort to make the launch of
"Halo 4" a landmark pop culture moment, including legendary
Hollywood director David Fincher ("Fight Club," "The Social
Network," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo") and acclaimed visual
effects lead Tim Miller ("The Girl
with the Dragon Tattoo," "Scott
Pilgrim vs. The World"), who produced and directed the
live-action launch trailer for the game, respectively.
The Standard Edition of "Halo 4" is available for US$59.99 ERP4, and the Limited
Edition, which includes an extended 90-minute version of the
live-action digital series "Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn" and
additional bonus content, is available for US$99.99 ERP. Fans can also pick up the Xbox 360
Limited Edition "Halo 4" Console Bundle for US$399.99 ERP and a standalone Xbox 360 Limited
Edition "Halo 4" Wireless Controller for US$59.99 ERP. In addition, the "Halo 4" Original
Soundtrack, which broke the record for the highest-charting video
game soundtrack ever on the Billboard 200 chart the week of
Oct. 295, is available for
purchase for US$13.98 ERP. A special
limited edition and individually numbered three-disc box set, which
includes the original soundtrack, a remix album featuring remixes
from 14 of the world's most renowned electronica producers, a
70-minute DVD called "Composing a Universe" and additional
exclusive content, is available for purchase for US$74.99 ERP starting today at
http://www.halo4soundtrack.com.
About "Halo"
The "Halo" franchise is an award-winning collection of
properties that has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon.
Beginning with the original "Halo: Combat Evolved" (2001), the
critically acclaimed and record-shattering series of games has
since inspired multiple New York Times
bestselling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more.
Published by Microsoft Studios, the "Halo" franchise of games is
exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and
the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network. To date, more than 46
million copies of "Halo" games have been sold worldwide, driving
more than 5 billion hours of gameplay by people connected to Xbox
LIVE.
About 343 Industries
343 Industries is the publisher and developer of the blockbuster
"Halo" series of videogames and, as part of Microsoft Studios,
oversees the "Halo" franchise, including novels, comics, licensed
collectibles, apparel and more. 343 Industries is home to
world-class developers working on the Reclaimer Saga, which
commences with the arrival of "Halo 4" on Nov. 6, 2012, exclusively on Xbox 360.
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system.
Thanks to the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 will forever transform
social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play — no
controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest
games as well as one of the world's largest on-demand libraries of
music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital
games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living
room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a leading social
entertainment network of more than 40 million Xbox LIVE members to
create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at
home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be
found online at http://www.xbox.com.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide
leader in software, services and solutions that help people and
businesses realize their full potential.
1 Source: NBC News: "Halo 4" makes the Halo series
even more epic
2 As of Nov. 1, 2012.
Source:
http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/halo-4/critic-reviews
3 Spartan Ops also requires Xbox LIVE Gold Membership
and an Xbox 360 hard drive or an 8GB USB drive (sold
separately).
4 Estimated retail price. Actual retail prices may
vary.
5 Source: Billboard: Chart Moves: "Halo 4" Sets Record
as Highest-Charting Video Game Soundtrack Ever
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.