Halo: Reach

LONDON – 9 September 2010 – Like any historical landmark, when you look back at the launch of Halo: Reach, what will you remember? If it’s being first in line to receive the game from two real-life Spartans, then you need to be at London’s Westfield Shopping Centre on the evening of Monday 13th September, where Noble Team’s very own Carter and Jun will make a special appearance. This will lead nationwide midnight openings brought to you by Xbox 360 and GAME in recognition of this blockbuster release.

Furthermore, six lucky people will not only be the first to receive their copies of Halo: Reach at midnight but will then get to pose with the Spartans by the enormous Halo: Reach murals currently being painted along the side of Westfield’s Eat Street. Winners will also receive limited edition Halo: Reach merchandise and everyone who attends will be in with the chance to win GAME gift vouchers.

“Halo is the biggest video game series in history and as a pop culture icon it’s been called the ‘Star Wars’ for the joypad generation,” says Stephen McGill, Director of Xbox and Entertainment, UK & Ireland. “Halo: Reach, developed exclusively for Xbox 360, is the blockbuster prequel to the franchise - truly Halo 4 in all but name.”

“We’re delighted be welcoming Noble Team to our Westfield store for the official launch of Halo: Reach and can’t wait to see all the Halo fans, it’s going to be a great night. Even if you can’t get to Westfield, the majority of our stores will also be open at midnight to make sure that customers can get their hands on the game as soon as possible.”, says Neil Ashurst, Head of UK PR, GAME and gamestation.

Halo: Reach tells the heroic story of Noble Team, a group of Spartans, who, through great sacrifice and courage, save countless lives in the face of impossible odds. The planet Reach is humanity’s last line of defence between the encroaching Covenant and their ultimate goal, the destruction of Earth. If it falls, humanity will be perched on the brink of destruction.

Adds Xbox’s Stephen McGill: “More than 2.7 million players participated in the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta in May. Reach is set to catapult the Halo franchise forward as the next must have game, representing the culmination of Bungie’s ten years of experience crafting groundbreaking Halo games that have raised expectations for what can be achieved in a videogame.”

Halo: Reach is available in standard edition (£49.99), Limited Edition (£59.99) and Legendary Edition (£99.99). Fans can pre-order in store and turn up on the night to collect their copy, or order online at www.game.co.uk/halo and www.gamestation.co.uk/halo. For those who cannot make it to London, GAME and gamestation are holding more than 400 midnight openings across the country – contact your local store to see if they are taking part.

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About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. This November, with 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 the largest on-demand library of music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment centre of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with the leading social network of 25 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 “Halo”

The “Halo” franchise is an award-winning collection of properties that have 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 best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more.

Published by Microsoft Game 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 34 million copies of “Halo” games have been sold worldwide, driving more than 2 billion hours of gameplay by people connected to Xbox LIVE.

1 Xbox LIVE Gold Membership required for online multiplayer gameplay.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy the largest on-demand library on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. Xbox LIVE is also the exclusive home of controller-free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of 25 million people across 26 countries, expanding to 35 this fall, Xbox LIVE, together with Xbox 360, provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, wherever you are. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/live.

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.

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