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Start surfing, how to get into Europe's Halo 3 beta
Fear not European Halo 3 fans of the world, we've got the dirt on how you can go about getting access to some Halo 3 beta loving thing Spring. IGN got word that the first round of beta sign-ups will be through 33 official European Xbox community websites, where each has roughly 100 betas to giveaway in various contests. Sign-ups for the contests are at each community site and is expected to last until January then winners will be notified shortly after. Remember, this is only for European fanboys who want to sign-up for the Halo 3 beta and is the first way (other ways to sign-up for the beta still have yet to be announced) you'll be able to get in. Start surfing the list of community sites and get going on those contests ... wait a second. Where are our 100 betas to give away Microsoft? We do our best to cater to our European readers, heck, I'm even drinking English tea as I blog this. Don't worry though Microsoft, you can still send us those beta codes and we'll forgive you (maybe).
H3 ad remix: It's Halo 3, f*ck yeah ... [update 1]
Wow. We asked for Halo 3 ad remixes earlier today, and we already have our first one. Frankly, this one is going to be hard to top. Set to the theme song from Team America: World Police, it's about as good as it gets. Props to the creator for maintaining all of the dialogue and sound effects, too. Check out the video after the break (lyrics NSFW).
Trailer remixers, stop the Mad(World)ness
Look, we're happy that Gary Jules' version of Mad World has been propelled to popularity through last month's Gears of War teaser ad. It's a kick-ass song. But just because it's a good song does not mean you can throw it over any video game trailer and suddenly turn that trailer into a work of art.A quick YouTube search shows the song being pasted over footage for everything from Counter Strike and Killzone 2 to Final Fantasy X-2 and Assassin's Creed, and that's a few of the videos posted so far this week. The latest effort, a splice over the recent Halo 3 advertisement [thanks BrotherEstrapol], actually matches up pretty well to the music, and changes the austere original into an emo love-fest quite effectively.But enough is enough. This meme has been run into the ground so effectively that we think every gamer with an Internet connection is now fully aware of the emotive potential of matching "Mad World" to video game footage. From now on, instead of wasting space on YouTube with endless remixes, lets just agree that anyone who wants to can mute any YouTube trailer and play the clip of their choice in iTunes. OK?
Halo 3 ad: It's a mad (ring) world
Sure, most of us were satisfied with a badass Halo 3 commercial, but for some, it just lacked the emo panache of the famous Gears of War "Mad World" ad. Well, fear not, true believers, for 360 Fanboy reader, BrotherEstapol, has ripped the Mad World music and slapped it onto the Halo 3 commercial, creating a Frankensteinian delight the likes of which you've never seen. Honestly, the song is so hauntingly memorable that Microsoft could probably use it for every sixty second ad they produce and get away with it. And now for the challenge: it's time for some Halo 3 ad remixes. We already have tons of them for the Gears of War ad, and we wouldn't want the Chief to feel left out. In fact, while you're at it, try sticking Mad World into other 360 ads and see what happens. Maybe it's like Dark Side of the Moon and The Wizard of Oz. If you come up with anything good, send us a link and we'll post it.
Slow down! Speed painting Halo 3 commercial
Not 24 hours have passed since the Halo 3 commercial has been released and already fan art has surfaced. Rahll over at deviantART created the above masterpiece in about an hour and a half after being inspired by last night's Halo 3 commercial airing. This is one of my favorite scenes from the commercial where Master Chief throws down the force field grenade and BLAM! ... it gives me a tingly stomach. So, for all you competitive artistic types, can you do better? I'm a big sucker for Halo inspired artwork, so if you're up to a challenge then get out your Crayolas and create some Halo 3 inspired artwork. And if you do a good job, I just might do a follow up and recap the best fanboy artists, there work and maybe even be some personal blog linkage. [Via Digg]
Join in the X360F Halo 3 ad discussion
Okay, by now, most of you have seen the Halo 3 commercial, you've had time to digest it, roll it around in your head, and come up with theories and conclusions. So, what did we see? First and foremost, this ad feels almost like it was designed as a movie pitch. Now that Fox and Universal have dumped the Halo movie, we wouldn't be surprised if MS starts using this ad to fish for new investors.Now, as the commercial begins we see what looks to be one of the Chief's memories, presumably before he was kidnapped and turned into the superhuman badass he is today. Second, we get to see the real time weapon storage as the Chief magnetizes a rifle to his back (of course, we all know that it's the new MA5C assault rifle, unlike our non-fanboy brethren at Joystiq, who mistakenly call it the MA5B*). Next, we have a forcefield grenade which blocks a tremendous blast. Could this be the mysterious new function of the X button? Finally, the Chief jumps into the fray. A little frame-by-frame reveals that these enemies are all Brutes (one of whom seems to have obtained Tartarus' gravity hammer, the Fist of Rukt) . Most will recall that Halo 2 ended with a covenant civil war between Brutes and Elites. Does this mean that Elites will form a truce with humans to eliminate the Brutes? Unfortunately, we'll have to wait another year to find out. Check out the video and post your conclusions and theories in the comments.*We kid Joystiq, we kid.[Thanks, Corey]
Halo 3 Starry Night commercial
Not a Monday Night Football fan? We got you covered. Here's the Halo 3 'Starry Night' commercial.It doesn't pack the emo-punch of the Gears of War "Mad World" ad, but Starry Night seems to reveal one of Master Chief's childhood memories, suggesting there's a trace of boyish innocence trapped inside the otherwise stoic soldier. There's also a glimpse at what we assume to be the MA5B Assault Rifle, along with a new force field 'nade. We must reiterate that this commercial was created from scratch by Digital Domain. It does use Bungie's Halo 3 models and assets, but does not reflect the actual game. Let the speculation commence ...[Go Eagles!]
Halo 3 commercial JUST aired [update 1]
We've waited for it and it has finally aired. The Halo 3 CG commercial just hit the airwaves in all its 30 second glory (I so thought it was 60 seconds ... wtf?). It starts out with two kids staring up in the sky, looking towards the heavens and soon cuts to Master Chief in all his bad ass glory. Running and gunning ensues ... I'm a tad excited right now ... so I'm not going to ruin everything in the commercial until everyone has seen it by tomorrow. If you were lucky enough to catch it ... then welcome to the year long Halo 3 hype machine. Enjoy the ride.Update 1: Xbox.com just posted the commercial (streamed version only) and it's also on the XBLM. Check it out!
Halo 3 beta is live!
Just a quick note, the Halo 3 beta registration is officially open! So, since there is no need for an early registration anymore, I advise you to quickly flock to the site and bring those servers down to their knees! Or, just wait until the dust settles ... it's your choice.
HDTV Listings for December 4, 2006
What we're watching: We just didn't get enough of The Closer this summer so a special two hour episode tonight is just what the doctor ordered. Monday Night Football is also a must watch, if not for the game between the still-playoff-possible Panthers and Eagles, for the Halo 3 ad that is to air during the event. We haven't confirmed if the ad will be broadcast in HD on ESPN, but it will be available for download in high definition afterward via Xbox Live. Our traditional high-def listings continue below.
Sign up for Halo 3 beta early? [update 1]
Update: Our own Dustin Burg unearthed this article about the Halo 3 beta. According to the article, the site that is up now is not the official beta, but a test site. We still haven't heard anything from Microsoft, but if you've already signed up, there's a chance that you have wasted minutes of your life.Clever web denizens (i.e. some of our readers) have already uncovered the URL for the Halo 3 public beta registration. It looks like people have been having many different experiences with Halo3.com and have tried all kinds of things to get in -- including direct links to the site's flash file. We're hesitant to try it ourselves, though that is primarily driven by the paranoid fear that we will somehow be banned from the beta entirely. We've got messages in to both Microsoft and Bungie for any official word on this matter. If you want to stay on the safe side, don't sign up. We'll let you know what's up as soon as we get word. And, take note, it looks like the beta is currently open to the US and Canada only, though Bungie has promised it will be open worldwide.[Via HBO. Thanks, jc]
Halo 3 website is (sort of) live [update 1]
Update: Many of you have already seen it, but it looks like the link to the registration page has been found. Click here for more info.Halo3.com, the mysterious place where registration for the Halo 3 beta will take place, is now active. Before, it would merely redirect you to Bungie.net, whereas now it features the Halo 3 logo and a message to "Check back 12.04.06." We can't help but notice that today is 12.04.06. Also, we had a little trouble opening the page in Firefox -- it asked us to install Flash, which is already installed ... weird. Still, the site is up, and hopefully it will open for business later today.[Thanks Glenn and Zack]
Sign up for Halo 3 beta today, commercial
Lest you forget, we thought it prudent to remind you that the long awaited half live action, half CGI Halo 3 commercial is set to debut tonight on Monday Night Football. The commercial should air between 5:50 and 6:20pm PST. Right now, we don't know too much about the commercial -- which is typical for Bungie projects -- but of course we have our expectations, and then Bungie has given us a few clues, too. And in case you're too busy making sure your soufflé doesn't fall when the commercial airs -- it's a fact, football fans love soufflé -- it will be available on Marketplace and Xbox.com "soon."Don't forget that this is also the first day you can sign up for the worldwide Halo 3 beta. At least, it's supposed to be. We tried logging into Halo3.com -- where we were told registration would be held -- and were redirected to Bungie.net. Either we have to wait until the commercial airs, or we have to wait for the boys in Washington state to wake up (it's still early on the west coast). Rest assured, we'll let you know the minute it goes live (and we're sure you'll tip us off, right?).
Halo 3 reminder: commercial and public beta today [update 1]
As Bungie announced in the lame strategically timed early-morning web update, Master Chief will appear in a Halo 3 commercial during tonight's Monday Night Football. Today also signals the registration frenzy to try to score a slot in the Halo 3 public beta (a.k.a Pimps at Sea); check the Halo 3 site for details. (The site wasn't yet updated when this post went live, but we expect a "many will enter, few will win" scenario.)The 60-second commercial will air on ESPN sometime between 5:50 and 6:20PM PST in North America. The rest of the world can download the commercial at Xbox.com beginning at 9:00PM PST (04.00 GMT). The ad is a mix of live and computer-animated footage, but it won't include any in-game shots. Only North American gamers are currently eligible for the Halo 3 beta. [Update: Direct from Bungie: "Don't panic. The Halo 3 Beta will be available in the US, Europe and elsewhere in the world." Thanks, Matt and azesino!]
Halo 3 events recapped [update 1]
Over at Bungie.net, Frankie has posted a fact filled Weekly Update, and does a nice recap of whats been happening lately on the Halo 3 front. Frankie confirms some details about the special Halo 3 commercial that is going to be airing Monday, that there will be a FREE Halo 3 theme released Monday, and also that they've been testing "Pimps at Sea" at its alpha stage. Also, about midway down the page Frankie lists some facts about the commercial and drops a little hint that the it is "packed full of clues and stuff". Wha? Clues and stuff ... I can guarantee that there will be 4,000+ articles picking apart this commercial frame by frame come Tuesday morning. Be quick, head over to Bungie.net, fill your brain with knowledge, and wait patiently for manic Monday to come.Update 1: It looks like the Halo 3 theme I mentioned may not be free after all and may not arrive Monday. Hey, it was wishful thinking wasn't it?
Another analyst: Microsoft execs feeling good about Xbox
Now, some psychoanalysis on Microsoft executives would be quite entertaining ("Tell me about these lucid dreams, Peter."), especially when compared to the recent observations made by Colin Sebastian of Lazard Capital Markets. In his earth-shattering report, Mr. Sebastian describes the folks behind the Xbox brand as "upbeat" given the commercial success of Gears of War, the company's considerable launch lead against competitors and consistent growth in Europe. Japan, not so much.The Xbox 360's 2007 lineup (featuring Space Ring 3) and catalogue of HD shows and movies are also expected to have a positive effect on this year's holiday sales. Sebastian believes that fleeting Wii and PS3 stock will prove to be Microsoft's greatest advantage, with desperate parents picking up a 360 and convincing their rotten brats that it was the only console they could find. It's a likely scenario, but if recent sales in Japan have proven anything, it's that the PS2 and DS Lite are far more likely (and cheaper) replacements -- if indeed a replacement is sought at all. How about a nice fruitcake instead?
Pimps at Sea (Halo 3) sighted on Live, yar!
Savvy Live denizens spotted some Bungie employees enjoying Pimps at Sea yesterday. Pimps at Sea is sort of a running joke with Bungie -- they even claimed that was the game they would develop after Halo 2. The Bungie employees showed this text on their Live status:"Playing Pimps at Sea (Alpha).Sailing, Yarr!"It's more than likely that this refers to the alpha of Halo 3's multiplayer component, which 1UP got to sample last month. Still, we honestly hope that Bungie bites the bullet and actually makes Pimp at Sea someday. The idea of high seas pimpage is just too good not to develop. Come on, Bungie, get to it (yarr!). Now that you have true next gen power at your disposal, you can finally realize the dream that is Pimps at Sea![Via Joystiq]
Pimps at Sea players spotted on Xbox Live [update 1]
Several Microsoft employees have been spotted on Xbox Live playing Pimps at Sea (Alpha). When questioned, the players slyly replied, "What's a pimp?"The obvious explanation is that Halo 3 multiplayer testing has begun, under Bungie's oft-used moniker. In fact, 1UP is "totally 100%" sure of it. As for Joystiq, we're a reserved 99.9% sure -- still holding onto some tiny inkling of hope that Pimps at Sea is indeed Bungie's long-rumored Xbox Live Arcade game.Update: added screenshot [via flickr].
Never fear, H3 beta is not US only
Yesterday, Microsoft set us up the bomb that sign up for the Halo 3 beta will begin on Monday. Unfortunately for the many, many Halo fans around the world, the beta was open only to American participants. You can relax, overseas fanboys, it looks like someone at MS made a mistake, as the Halo beta will be open to players worldwide. It's a good thing too, because we enjoy nothing more than some good international fragging. So, give a cheer and let your voices be heard in the comments.[Via HBO]
Halo 3 commercial expectations
We've been flooded with Halo 3 news recently and so we'll make it a personal mission to continue the bombardment. As you know, we have our calendars marked for December 4th already , because that night on Monday Night Football we're going to get to see the premier of the Halo 3 one minute commercial. There already seems to be a hype machine churning for what is essentially just a commercial ... but a commercial everyone is frothing from the mouth to see. So, let's recap the facts. We know that Bungie didn't create the commercial in-house, that the commercial will use actual 3D models from the game, that it is 100% CG (no actual Halo 3 footage for you!), that it will only be shown once on TV, but will be available on Xbox.com and Xbox Live, and that nobody really knows exactly what to expect. With that knowledge, time for some speculation. I'm thinking the commercial is probably going to showcase the prettiness of the Halo universe and give us a glimpse into the storyline that Halo 3 is going to be based upon. Maybe we'll see some new weapons, new vehicles or some new covenant, but no new announcements. We at Xbox 360 Fanboy are going to be hard to displease, because we'll accept any Halo 3 footage, but what about you guys? Are you expecting some really juicy stuff, secrets revealed, or the start of a new ilovebees ARG? Or are you just happy to get to see some CG Halo 3 and all that jazz? Please discussify.
