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Halo Waypoint live with Dashboard preview program, includes Avatar Awards
It's not quite Wonka's chocolate factory, but the Xbox 360 Dashboard update preview participants are getting a taste of some delectable bonuses regardless. Earlier today, those lucky folks were granted their promised early access to the Halo Waypoint beta. Lo and behold, 11 Avatar Awards arrived alongside the addition (five for each gender's Avatar, one for both), unlocking based on various Achievements from Halo 3: ODST, ranging from Recon helmets to ODST t-shirts. Microsoft has provided little in the way of details on the addition, so feel free to let us know if you see anything particularly strange or interesting. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Xbox Live update preview program now rolling out
Xbox 360's resident spokesman Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb wants you to know that the Xbox Live update preview program is now officially a go, with the first wave of registered participants getting automatically prompted to update upon sign-in (you should also receive an email, but apparently they're behind on the notifications). More people are said to be getting the update "in the coming days," so don't lose hope yet -- not that waiting for Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm integration, and 1080p instant-on streaming should cause ultimate despair, but we digress. The only thing you don't get is the Halo Waypoint preview, which doesn't join the preview fun until next week. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Dashboard update preview to include Halo Waypoint
Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced that Halo Waypoint -- the upcoming Xbox Live locus of all things Halo -- will be included in the 360 Dashboard update preview program. Those lucky enough to get into the preview should be notified this week, and Major Nelson tells Joystiq that Halo Waypoint should be rolling out on the preview sometime next week. Microsoft recently revealed more details surrounding the service, most notably how the "career system," which will track in-game accomplishments from all the Halo games available on the Xbox 360. The destination's launch is scheduled for November 5, so preview participants should get a significant chunk of time with before it goes public. Don't worry if you don't make it into the preview, we'll be sure to share our hands-on impressions next week. %Gallery-75874%
Halo Waypoint detailed, captured on video
This way to the Waypoint gallery With the Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard update preview kicking off today, Microsoft dropped some more details on Halo Waypoint, the Dashboard playpen for the Master Chief enthusiasts among you. The preview video – found after the break – walks you through some of the destination's functionality, notably the "career system" which will track "in-game accomplishments across multiple Halo games." Unsurprisingly, that career will be limited to the Xbox 360-released Halo games: Halo 3, Halo Wars, Halo 3: ODST, and "all Game Add-on content for those titles." Oh, you beat Halo 2 in under 30 minutes? We'll just have to take your word for it. Halo Waypoint is being developed collaboratively by Microsoft's internal Halo studio, 343 Industries, and Certain Affinity, the Austin-based developer (with some former Bungie staffers) behind Age of Booty. Waypoint will be available November 5 for both Xbox Live Gold and Silver members; however, come November 26 those Silver members will have to pony up for Live if they want to keep their Waypoint access. That's a solid three weeks to determine if the exclusive Waypoint offerings – like the Nov. 7. preview of the "Halo Legends" anime anthology – are worth it. We imagine it will be for the hardcore Halo fan ... but we'd assume they've already got a Gold account. %Gallery-75874%
ODST reaches 2.5 million sales; Haloverse expansions detailed
After yesterday's full-fledged assault on mainstream gaming news coverage, we were refreshed to read this great USA Today report on the current state of the Halo franchise. Sure, it further promotes the tired opinion that Bungie's ever-popular shooter is set to overtake the Star Wars franchise in the cultural marketplace. However, it backs up that assertion with startling figures: According to the report, Halo 3: ODST has sold 2.5 million units in the past two weeks, bringing the total sales for the entire franchise up to a cool 27 million. Additionally, USA Today further supports its thesis by compiling a list of the future franchise spin-offs, including -- *deep breath* -- Halo: Reach, the Halo: Blood Line comic series, Halo Legends, Halo Waypoint, the Halo: Evolutions novel (and another heretofore unnamed book trilogy), and more McFarlane toys. Some may accuse this franchise of succumbing to over-saturation -- we think it crossed that bridge around the time it got its own Mountain Dew.
Halo Legends footage, Waypoint previewed on GTTV tonight
Halo.Bungie.Org has revealed that tonight's episode of Spike TV's Gametrailers TV will host previews of several upcoming Halo projects. The show, which airs tonight at (check your local listings), will feature a preview of Halo 3: ODST. While that's not terribly exciting, given how close it is to release, the show will also be hosting footage from the first episode of the Halo Legends anime project. In addition, GTTV will be previewing Microsoft's upcoming Halo destination, Halo Waypoint.If you love all things Halo, be sure to tune in. Alternately, you could always wait until the footage lands on the internet sometime tomorrow. Sleep, or Halo? We know, it's a tough question.
Make your way to Halo Waypoint on November 5
Wait, another Halo game? Nah -- if you've read our earlier report on it, you'll know that Halo Waypoint is actually a new section of Xbox Live dedicated entirely to Doritos Dash of Destruction the Halo universe. It was supposed to be coming this fall and, hey, it is ... on November 5, as this here official tweet confirms.What awaits you at the Waypoint? The better question would be "what doesn't await you there?" Microsoft has promised that we can expect all manner of exclusive Halo content, including videos, trailers and podcasts, plus "a career system and player rankings tied to both in-game and out-of-game accomplishments related to Halo." It will also host updated looks at the forthcoming Halo Legends anime compilation. No Waypoint! Yes Waypoint.[Thanks, EchoX860!]
Halo Legends director introduced to franchise by his wife
If you totally fall in love with Halo Legends when the anime series drops on the Halo Waypoint next year, you'd do well to remember that you have Shinji Aramaki's wife to thank. The creative director told Famitsu that his spouse was the one who brought him into the world of Master Chief."I've always been a fan of video games, and my wife told me that Halo 3 is the best game on the 360," Aramaki said. "I just sort of got addicted after that. It's a very intricate world. It's hard to do such an epic story in movie form these days, but it's easy to get into it as a game."1UP's got a bunch of other details on what you can expect from Halo Legends, from the interview, if you're so inclined.
'Gearbox is NOT working on a Halo title for Microsoft'
Hey guys and gals, have you been keeping up with this Gearbox/Halo thing? Yesterday, we heard Gearbox president Randy Pitchford kind of stumble over himself in response to the rumored Halo game. Today, it's a different story, with the Halo Waypoint Twitter account declaring, "For the record, Gearbox is NOT working on a Halo title for Microsoft."Before you start going crazy with cries of, "But, it's Twitter!" and "It's probably a fake!" realize that we've confirmed with Microsoft's Major Nelson that it is, in fact, a legitimate account. Is that the end of that, then?
Comic-Con 2009: Microsoft's Frankie talks Halo Waypoint
Pictured: enthusiasts living the Halo lifestyle And by "talks," we mean "briefly mentions." Yesterday during the Halo Comic-Con panel, which was almost entirely focused on the upcoming anime series, Halo Legends, consummate Halo shepherd Frank O'Connor spoke about Waypoint and what it means. "Halo Waypoint is something you can experience on your couch, then early next year, on DVD and digital formats. It will be the digital hub for all things Halo, [to] look at your Halo career, and enjoy your Halo lifestyle."Halo lifestyle? What does that even mean? An Xbox Live version of Home, where you're outfitting your own Master Chief's digital den with photos and Covenant couches? We'll have to wait and see.
'Halo Waypoint' Xbox Live destination launches this fall
Let's face it, you love Halo. You've read all the books, plastered your wall with posters, played with the action figures, drank that awful Game Fuel, built Master Chief out of papier-maché (but not the stupid Arbiter) and, of course, played all the games. Now, as you sit there surrounded by tiny, plastic Spartans, contemplating your next foray into Cortana fanfiction, you might be thinking, "Man, I wish there was somewhere where I could get all the latest information on Halo, the best franchise ever."You're in luck, average Halo fan, because Microsoft is setting up a special destination on Xbox Live just for you. Dubbed the Halo Waypoint, the Xbox Live hot spot will launch this fall, featuring "content ranging from podcasts, trailers and screenshots, to exclusive video footage you won't find anywhere else," according to the press release. As if that weren't enough, Halo Waypoint will also have "a career system and player rankings tied to both in-game and out-of-game accomplishments related to Halo." And if that's not enough, it will also host early previews of the upcoming Halo Legends anime series as well as behind-the-scenes features.No no, don't pinch yourself, this is real.
