The most anticipated gaming event of the year is here. Starting today, millions of gamers around the world will embark on a mission of courage, sacrifice and valour in “Halo: Reach,” the prequel to the iconic “Halo” trilogy that became a global entertainment phenomenon and defined a generation of gamers over the last decade.

The “Halo” franchise has been dubbed “a pop culture phenomenon” by Variety magazine and hailed as the No 1 game series of all time by the Guinness Book of World Records.

“When it comes to the size and scope of a franchise and especially the dedication of the fans, no game is bigger than ‘Halo,’” said Yvette van Rooyen, Xbox Product & Marketing Manager in South Africa. “With ‘Halo: Reach,’ we’re delivering on our promise to redefine blockbuster entertainment experiences and ultimately help make this year the biggest ever in Xbox history.”

Tens of thousands of retailers around the world are opened their doors at midnight exclusively to sell copies of “Halo: Reach,” as well as “Halo: Reach” Xbox 360 consoles and accessories. Special marquee launch events are taking place in major cities around the world. A jetpacking Spartan descended on Trafalgar Square yesterday to celebrate the launch of Halo: Reach where over 400 stores in the UK opened at midnight for Halo fans to grab an early copy.

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

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, which finally hits South African shores later this year. As evidence of the game’s highly anticipated release, more than 2.7 million players participated in the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta in May, making it the largest console video game beta test on record and more than triple the size of the historic “Halo 3” beta.

The “Halo” franchise started with the original “Halo: Combat Evolved” (2001), and has spawned multiple best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more. To date, more than 34 million copies of “Halo” games have been sold worldwide, driving more than 3.3 billion hours of gameplay by people connected to Xbox LIVE.

Im looking forward to try it out, and my copy is already in the mail… Will keep you posted!

Wanna play XBOX 360 and stay in touch with your mates on instant messenger? Coming soon..

Xbox360�s greatest hit, crowned with the best Xbox360 game of its time, Halo II is still on gamers� mind. Now there is another sequel in the series named Halo III from Bungie, to rule the world. Halo III will enter Beta stage on May 16th, 2007 and the final version will appear sometimes this Fall. The game publisher has launched the new video footage of the game that shows the vigorous seven feet tall soldier Master Chief, heavily loaded with ammunitions cracking the hand grenade by his side using the new Bubble Shield device that protects him from nearby detonations.

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The recent Consumer Electronics show Sony’s booth only had one playable game, which did not live up to the hype of PS3. Microsoft showcased several new titles as well as new firmware enhancements that will continue to make it hard for the PS3 to make up any ground. Microsoft has sold over 10 million consoles internationally and lead the race against Sony and Nintendo.
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An 18-year-old North Carolina man, suspected of stealing two PlayStation 3 consoles, was shot dead by police executing a search warrant at his residence.

Peyton Strickland was gunned down in his house by deputies as he answered the door, the Wilmington Star News reports.

He was unarmed, according to witnesses. University of North Carolina police had investigated the alleged robbery, and asked the Hanover County Sheriff’s Department to assist in serving the warrant. It was a sheriff’s deputy, not a university officer, who killed the young man. The trigger-happy deputy also shot dead Strickland’s dog for good measure.

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