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With the impending release of Halo 3 around the corner and talk of Halo the movie getting back on track, super producer Peter Jackson let slip on some of the cast short listed for the dream project.

Victoria Beckham has been approached to play the part of Cortana but clearly stated she would only take on the role if her husband played Master Chief. Unfortunately David failed an audition on the basis he couldn’t spell FPS.

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The role of MC remains a mystery with Producer Jackson dispelling rumours of George Clooney playing the leading part without, however, ruling out The Hoff himself.

Danny Devito, guttered after being declined the main role of an oompa loompa, has agreed to be cloned to play the part of all grunts. Ironically the clone ageing process will be expedited in much the same way as the Master Chief was drugged up in the Spartan project. Although it’s believed all clones will be issued extremely tight chastity belts and limited to a small vocabulary starting with “grenade!”.

Mr T is a certainty to play Sgt Johnson and had the following to say when asked if he had secured the part:

[i]“I pity the fool who messes with this son of a bitch”.[/i]

Samuel L Jackson narrowly missed out on the role after over dramatising his audition dialogue:

[i]“I’ve had it with these MOFU Flood on this MOFU Hula Hoop!!”[/i]

Peter Jackson is currently negotiating a deal with Wilson, the Volley Ball, to play the part of 343 Guilty Spark. Wilson is currently in rehab and anger management classes after struggling to cope with the success of [i]Castaway[/i]. When asked how he felt about donning the Guilty Spark costume he frantically bounced around and yelled:

[i]“I look like a f$*king smurf!!!”[/i]

Jackson is confident Wilson will bounce back in time for shooting.
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In perhaps the most controversial casting move, Jar Jar Binks will play the Prophet of Truth and hopes to make up for ruining Star Wars Episode 1.

[i]“Meesa sowy for boo-boo. Meesa make up, youssa see”[/i]

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When asked about the challenge of selecting the best candidate for the flood, head of casting had the following to say:

[i]“The flood are really just deformed entities made up of different flakey body parts, so it was actually an obvious selection: Michael Jackson!”[/i]

The Brute chieftain will be played by Meatloaf on the condition he doesn’t sing a song based on a cliché that goes for 20+ minutes.

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The Arbiter has also been confirmed as John Travolta who will use some signature killer moves from Saturday Night Fever in key combat sequences. Peter Jackson is also toying with the prospect of inserting random audio clips of juvenile Americans screaming “sword whore!” during such sequences as well as delayed lip-synching techniques to emulate lag. These effects will only be screened in the United States.

[i]“I figured the Americans ruined the game for us and have no concept of the lag we experience so why not return the favour?”.[/i]

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Surprisingly, the minor role of Miranda Keyes is still under a grey cloud with Angelina Jolie, Scarlet Johansson and Jessica Alba currently short listed. Jackson was still torn between the three:

[i]“Although Miranda’s role is only expected to cover about 3-5 minutes, the audition process is extremely, extremely rigorous and I’ve had to ask all three ladies back several times as I'm still not convinced as to who would be most suitable. I also haven’t decided whether or not a sex scene would be appropriate for Miranda”.
[/i]
Halo the movie was initially expected to launch simultaneously with Halo 3 the video game but is now expected to launch around the same time as Duke Nukem Forever.

[color=cadetblue][size=7]The above article is complete and utter bullshit. A parody of sorts. All references to any celebrity or organisation are done simply in jest.[/size][/color]

Xbox 360 Elite revealed
Premium Xbox 360 console includes 120GB hard drive, HDMI port, new line of accessories and elegant black finish

SYDNEY 28 March 2007 – Microsoft today unveiled the much anticipated Xbox 360TM Elite console complete with a sleek black finish, larger hard drive and HDMI port and cables for the ultimate high-definition* gaming experience. The new premium console, for those who demand superior high-definition gaming and entertainment in their living room, joins the Xbox 360 and Core consoles to offer consumers three choices this winter. The Elite console complements the existing Xbox 360 hardware portfolio to fully cater for the wide range of consumer wants and budgets.

Ideal for the enthusiast, the Xbox 360 Elite video game and entertainment system will include a 120GB hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console, wireless controller and Xbox LIVE® headset.

The Xbox 360 Elite console has enough space for a library of Xbox LIVE Arcade games and thousands of songs, as well as downloadable high-definition TV shows and movies available soon on Xbox LIVE Marketplace.** The new 120GB hard drive also will be sold as a stand-alone accessory to give current Xbox 360 console owners greater choice and flexibility in their games and entertainment experience.

Additional Xbox 360 Elite accessories, such as the black Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit and the Xbox 360 rechargeable battery, will also be available separately.

David McLean, Regional Director Xbox Australia and New Zealand, says, “Since Xbox 360 launched a year ago, we’ve been listening to customer feedback and, as a result, we’re very excited to now add the premium Xbox 360 Elite to the top end of the Xbox range. With a large storage capacity for games, music, and high-definition TV shows and movies, the new 120 GB hard drive will help to satisfy our customers’ appetite for on-demand, HD entertainment experiences offered through Xbox LIVE Marketplace, both now and in the near-future.”

Distinguished by its black finish and signature metallic detailing, the Xbox 360 Elite console will be available in Australia in limited supply from this winter, and consumers are advised to pre-order their console in order to avoid disappointment.

The Xbox 360 Elite video game and entertainment system will come packed with components and accessories for the ultimate high-definition entertainment experience:

- Xbox 360 Elite console. The console is equipped with a premium black finish and three powerful core processors capable of producing stunning HD entertainment (up to 1080p), 16:9 cinematic aspect ratio, anti-aliasing for smooth textures, full surround sound, HDMI output and DVD playback with upscaling capabilities right out of the box.
- Xbox 360 120GB hard drive. The 120GB detachable hard drive allows gamers to save their games and store television shows, movies, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos and other content available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.*** The hard drive will also be sold separately so existing Xbox 360 console owners have the choice to upgrade.
- Xbox 360 Wireless Controller (black). This ergonomic, high-performance wireless controller, now in black, features the Xbox® Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of 30 hours on two AA batteries.
- Xbox 360 headset (black). Now available in black, the headset lets gamers strategise or trade taunts while playing games and send voice messages to friends on Xbox LIVE.
- Xbox 360 HDMI cable. New to Xbox 360, HDMI allows consumers to get HD video (up to 1080p) and multichannel surround sound, all from one cable.
Xbox LIVE Silver Membership. With this, gamers can chat with friends online, collect achievements and gamerscores, send and receive voice and text messages, and access Xbox LIVE Marketplace content such as game demos, HD movies and TV, as well as the best in downloadable games from Xbox LIVE Arcade.
- One-month complimentary subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold. An Xbox LIVE Gold Membership completes your online entertainment experience.**** Those who subscribe to this premium service can engage in competitive online multiplayer matches, tailor their matchmaking via feedback and accomplishments, chat with more than one person at a time, and take advantage of unique privileges in the Xbox LIVE Marketplace and Xbox LIVE Arcade.

The following accessories for the Xbox 360 Elite console will only be sold separately:

- Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit. Complete with a charging cable and a black rechargeable battery pack, the Xbox 360 Play & Charge kit allows gamers to recharge their Xbox 360 Wireless Controller without interrupting their gameplay.
- Xbox 360 rechargeable battery (black). The rechargeable battery pack provides more than 25 hours of gameplay per charge.

*Some older high definition TVs do not support 60Hz and will only run your Xbox 360 in standard definition format. Please check the PAL format of your TV with your TV manufacturer.
** TV and movie downloads are currently available only in the U.S.
*** Always remember! Recordings and programs may be protected by copyright. Microsoft does not authorise, support or condone the use of our products for unauthorised copying. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publicly perform or modify recordings unless authorised by the copyright owner or allowed by law.
**** At the conclusion of the complimentary one-month subscription, subscription charges apply for Xbox Live Gold membership.

Posted image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

XboxZone : Join Maggots vs Glitches in April on the Xbox Live Calendar

XboxZone and Xbox would like you all to join us in some Maggots vs Glitches Xbox Live Calendar events during the month of April.

Maggots vs Glitches has a long standing tradition in the Australian Xbox Live community - it has been a regular Tuesday night fixture for a number of years. Essentially it is a night of social gaming where it's all about the talking, drinking, eating and fun and not about the stats or competition. We play for fun and not for glory Smile

Each week a game is chosen and those with the game are welcome to sign up and play.

(click the links below for more information and to sign up to play on these nights):

NB: These event threads will be posted and the links below updated closer to (about a week before) each event and games are hosting on a 24Mbit/1Mbit ADSL2+ connection for lag free play.

Date: Tuesday 3rd April @ 8:30PM-11:30PM AEST
Name: XboxZone Maggots vs Glitches: Call of Duty 3

Date: Tuesday 10th April @ 8:30PM-11:30PM AEST
Name: XboxZone Maggots vs Glitches : Perfect Dark Zero

Date: Tuesday 17th April @ 8:30PM-11:30PM AEST
Name: XboxZone Maggots vs Glitches: Rainbow 6 Vegas

Date: Tuesday 24th April @ 8:30PM-11:30PM AEST
Name: Xboxzone Maggots vs Glitches : Gears of War

Activision Guitar Hero II Preview Night

Written By Jooney

Activision recently held a preview night for the upcoming Guitar Hero II, Red Octane's much anticipated party-starter for the Xbox 360, that's been blazing away on Sony's Playstation 2 system for months now. I was lucky enough to score an invite and attend on behalf of XboxZone. Who could pass up a chance to check out one of the most anticipated titles on the Xbox 360 so far this year? The fact that there was pizza and beer there was just a delightful bonus.

Guitar Hero II's (GH2) importance to the Xbox 360 game schedule cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately for Microsoft, the party-starter market is something that the competition has had in their pockets for far too long now. Sony have moved serious units with games such as Singstar, and Guitar Hero. Local multiplayer gaming is the domain for Nintendo, with series such as the Mario Party and Mario Sports titles, not to mention Nintendo Wii titles such as Wii Sports and Rayman Raving Rabbids. For Microsoft, having a Fuzion Frenzy every now and then isn't going to help matters too much.

The good new is that these dark times for Microsoft are over, as GH2 for the Xbox 360 is simply going to rock. Old fans of the series need not worry, as the Xbox 360 version is faithfully re-created. New fans get to experience features that are exclusive to the Xbox 360 version of the game.

Starting with the most important aspect, the controller. The plastic guitar is back. This time around, it is slightly larger, and just feels to be of a better build quality than its predecessor. The main buttons are still in the same locations; five coloured button at the top; a notch at the bottom for strumming; and a pedal for distortion effects. Being designed for the Xbox 360, there is also a couple of additional buttons, such as the Guide button for quick access to the Xbox 360 Dashboard.

Graphically speaking, GH2 is bright and bold; practical, not fancy. There are some nice smoke and laser effects, just to bring that extra authentic rock show feeling. When displayed on a HD set, GH2 looks predictably pretty.

All the tracks from the PS2 version of the game make a return, with Xbox 360 owners also given new tracks that are exclusive to the system. GH2 will have you playing a good quality mix of rock standards. From classics (Guns 'n' Roses Sweet Child O' Mine), Grunge Anthems (Nirvana's Heart-Shaped Box), Pop-Rock (Foo Fighter's Monkey Wrench) to even Aussie rock (Wolfmother's Woman), there is something here for any rock lover. Songs are organised into level of difficulty, so if you haven't picked up a guitar before in your life, then don't worry. The Setlist will start you on nice 'n' easy Arm Warmers, and then take you on a journey. Before you know it, you will be impressing your friends with Face Melters, which are disturbingly difficult.

The game's mutliplayer features remain intact, with 2 player versus and co-operative mode. Versus mode will see two wannabe Slash's battle it out to see who can get the top score. Co-operative mode allows you and a buddy to tackle a song together.

According to the Activision rep at the event, fans of the game can expect to see some downloadable content of the game, with picture packs and themes in the pipeline. Unfortunately, he could not comment on the possibility of new tracks being available for download through Xbox Live; but one would think that this should be a certainty, given how gamers have lapped up downloadable content for other games.

All-in-all, GH2 is going to be a welcome addition to any Xbox 360 gamers collection, and is sure to become the main attraction the next time the lads (and ladies) are over. GH2 will come with a Game + Controller bundle that will retail for RRP$160, with an expected early April release date.

Title: Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Developer: Capcom
Distributor: Activision
Players: 1-16
Release: Out Now

By Glen J {Q Dog Sah}

Up until recently, new Intellectual Property in video games has become a bit of a dying breed. In an industry that is becoming dependant on the continued success of yearly sequels (I’m looking in your direction EA) it is refreshing to see that the next generation of games have included a whole swag of new characters, stories and ideas rather then just the same games with an extra number added to the end. Capcom have lead the way in this regard in the past few years, refusing to rely solely on their established franchises and continuing to create new, and often stunning games. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition continues this trend for the company, and is available exclusively on the Xbox 360.

Lost Planet is not your typical third-person shooter. You see, it’s cold. Really cold. In fact, it is so cold that merely stepping outside without adequate protection sees you being frozen into a human-sized icy pole within seconds. It’s a very interesting setting for a game and allows for some unique gameplay mechanics that help set this apart from other shooters. You see, as you lead your character Wayne (not a very hero-esque name I know) around this frozen wasteland, you need to do everything in your power to stay warm and alive. So whilst you still have plenty of bad guys to worry about and objectives to complete, your number one enemy is always the bitter, bitter cold.

So, how exactly does the cold affect the way the game plays? Wayne is equipped with an environmental suit that keeps him warm, but only for a limited amount of time. Once it runs out of thermal energy, you pretty much only have seconds to live. As such, you have a big gauge on screen that measures the amount of thermal energy you have. Seeing that meter count down to zero is certainly a compelling reason to keep moving. Your environmental suit also has the ability to heal you when you take damage in battle, trading thermal energy for health. Take too much damage and it will bleed your thermal energy to alarming low levels in moments. Needless to say, thermal energy is certainly a valuable commodity in Lost Planet.

There really is only two ways to replenish your thermal energy. There are waypoints spread throughout each level that act as checkpoints for when you die and also top-up your thermal energy reserves. Finding each of these is pretty much vital to your success. The second way of staying warm comes from killing. That’s right, the main bad guys in Lost Planet, the Akrid - a race hell bent on destroying you and everything you hold dear are also the only way of staying alive in that frozen desert. The Akrid are a strange, insect-like race that is as varied in appearance as it is scary. You’ll encounter small, moth like Akrid that usually swarm together through to massive Snow-Worms (think Dune 2 but in snow) and the all-powerful Green Eye, plus every imaginable size in between. Each type of Akrid will release a certain amount of thermal energy that you can harvest upon their death. There in lies the beauty of Lost Planet: the tension that is created by your conflicting interests. Sometimes the last thing you want to do when you’re low on ammo or in a bad situation is take on a hoard of Akrid, but you are continually driven on by the need for precious thermal energy to stay alive. It is one of the driving forces of this game that really helps to keep things moving along. To sum it up by paraphrasing the Shawshank Redemption, in Lost Planet you can either get busy killing or get busy dying.

Thermal Energy aside, there is much more to the gameplay in Lost Planet then just being driven on by the need to stay warm. Another fairly unique feature of Lost Planet is the addition of the grapple. As the name suggests, the grapple allows you to pull yourself up to otherwise unreachable ledges and over otherwise impassable obstacles. The grapple also acts as a safety measure as you will automatically grapple on to a ledge that you have just fallen off to save you from falling to your death. Trust me, this little beauty has saved my life more times then I can count. Grappling quickly becomes second nature as you find yourself jumping around each level, searching for additional weapons, secrets and another excellent addition to the game, Vital Suits.

Vital Suits are the final defining feature of Lost Planet. They are essentially mechs that you can pilot to either deal out some serious fire power, or allow you to move across the rugged terrain that little but easier. The weapons on most VS’s are interchangeable, so if you have the time you can swap that laser on one side for an additional machine gun if you prefer. Certain VS’s allow you to hover for short periods, drill through certain materials and one even transforms into a snow-speeder type vehicle for some quick travel. The Vital Suits are, ironically, extremely vital in some of the larger boss battles as well. Without the additional firepower offered by a VS, it would be next to impossible to defeat some of the harder bosses without running out of thermal energy. Having said that, you can also pick up one of the massive weapons from a VS and tote it around yourself in a pinch, making yourself an easy target in the process due to reduced movement.

The pacing in Lost Planet is executed masterfully. While the story doesn’t make a lot of sense and really does become confusing as you get deeper into the game, the action itself ramps up at a steady pace and can really become hectic before you realise what has happened. The early levels rarely challenge except for the incredible boss battles. As long as you can keep your thermal energy topped up, you should be able to get through them without too many issues. As you get further into the game, the action becomes more intense until you find yourself in some fairly large-scale battles between several different factions. It appears that the Akrid aren’t the only thing you have to worry about in this game… Having said that, I rarely found the difficulty to be much of an issue. Checkpoints are generous and plentiful. Some might complain that Lost Planet is in fact too easy, but only masochistic people who relish frustratingly hard games would think this. (hey, we all know at least one gamer like this)

Whilst the above gameplay additions make Lost Planet feel fresh and different, it still isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Those used to fast-paced shooters will find the aiming system incredibly hard to get used to. Instead of having your crosshair fixed to the middle of the screen as per most 1st and 3rd person shooters, Lost Planet employs a bounding box that requires you to move the crosshair 90 degrees to the left or right before your character actually turns. As such, turning and aiming feels incredibly slow and unresponsive. The number of times I found myself being hit whilst I tried to turn to shoot an enemy became incredibly frustrating. You can choose to use the left and right bumpers to make quick 90-degree turns, but this is incredibly unintuitive. I guess the most frustrating part is that this aiming system doesn’t seem to improve the game in anyway and as such leaves me scratching my head as to why it was included over a more traditional aiming system as seen in 99% of shooters on consoles today.

Visually, Lost Planet is incredibly pleasing to the eye. Its nice to see that developers have gotten used to the Xbox 360 hardware and are really beginning to make it sing. The frozen wastes of Lost Planet look glorious and just ooze atmosphere. Gone is the bizarre shiny-ness of the early 360 releases, now replaced by gritty realism and breathtaking level design. The Akrid themselves are beautiful to behold in their ugliness, and will having you reaching for the brown undies if the atmosphere is right. A special mention also needs to go to the incredible explosions, probably the best seen on the system to date. I frequently found myself using more grenades then strictly necessary just because they were such a pleasure to watch explode. Marvellous.

Apart from the single player campaign, Lost Planet also offers multiplayer for up to 16 individuals over XBL. There is no split-screen or co-op available; it’s purely an online affair. There are four modes available to wet your multiplayer appetites, two of which are common, one fairly common and the other fairly unique to Lost Planet. The two common modes are Elimination and Team Elimination, which are essentially just deathmatch and team deathmatch with different names. Post Grab is similar in idea to domination type games as seen in the Battlefield series, with each team vying for control of a series of strategic points strewn across the map. Finally, Fugitive Hunt is the more original offering for multiplayer, and is essentially a glorified game of hide and seek, with one player the fugitive and all others a team out to get him/her. All in all, multiplayer is a good bit of fun, but feels more like a add-on to the single player campaign rather then something that is worthy of purchase based on its merits alone. Original modes and gameplay aside, there are plenty of shooters available on XBL today that simply do this better. Having said that, Lost Planet is certainly one of the prettier shooters available on XBL, as graphical quality isn’t sacrificed when playing online.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is a very welcome addition to the Xbox 360 line-up. It is certainly not going to be a game for everybody, but for those who enjoy a good action/adventure game with some cool guns thrown in for good measure could do a lot worse. It introduces plenty of new and interesting gameplay mechanics that, while taking a while to get used to, certainly help make Lost Plant feel fresh and original. XBL play is a welcome addition and can provide hours of fun, provided you can find enough friends to play with online. The campaign will keep you interested for many hours, and is opened ended enough to make replaying it a viable option. Lost Planet won’t be regarded by many as being the best game ever released on the system, but it’s certainly a worthy purchase and will keep you interested until the next wave of blockbuster releases hits Microsoft’s flagship console.

XboxZone Score: 8.5/10

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Celebrities game for Make-A-Wish

Customised Xbox 360 consoles signed by Russell Crowe, Peter Jackson, Shane Warne and The Wiggles go under the hammer for charity.

To celebrate the Xbox 360 console’s first birthday in Australia, customised consoles signed by some of Australia’s biggest celebrity names such as Russell Crowe, Peter Jackson and Shane Warne are about to go under the virtual hammer on internet auction site eBay to raise cash for the Make-A-Wish foundation.

The campaign, called Konsoles for Kids, kicks off this week with the first round of consoles up for grabs on eBay from March 23. The star studded array of Xbox 360 consoles will be auctioned off on a weekly basis with some of the first available including Oscar winner Russell Crowe and racing legends Mark Skaife and Craig Lowndes.

The consoles will be air-brushed with a portrait image of the celebrity by renowned artist Wayne Harrison. The lucky winners of each auction will receive the customised console, which will also be signed by the celebrity.

The block-buster line-up participating celebrities include:

Award winning movie maker Peter Jackson
Oscar winner Russell Crowe
Legendary kids entertainers The Wiggles, featuring the all-new Yellow Wiggle
Sporting greats Shane Warne, Sonny Bill Williams and Andrew Johns
Motorsport legends Mark Skaife and Craig Lowndes
Australia’s favourite face Megan Gale
WBA Super-Middleweight world champion Anthony Mundine
Bungie studios, the makers of upcoming Xbox 360 blockbuster game Halo 3

In addition to the money that is raised on eBay, Microsoft Australia has pledged to donate $1000 to Make-A-Wish for every customised Xbox 360 console that goes under the virtual hammer.

David McLean, Regional Director, Xbox Australia and New Zealand, is hoping the celebrity pull of the Konsoles for Kids campaign will have gamers clambering for their piece of the Xbox 360 birthday action. “We are ecstatic to be able to support a great charity like Make-A-Wish and, at the same time, celebrating the fruits of our very successful year in Australia.”

“We have no idea how high the bidding will go for each console, but we are aiming to raise $30,000 from the campaign and I am pretty confident that all the consoles will generate a fair amount. Our pledge to donate $1000 for every console auctioned will alone raise some much needed funds for Make-A-Wish.”

Sandy Brattstrom, CEO of Make-A-Wish says “Make-A-Wish Foundation of Australia is proud to be associated with Xbox. The money raised will go a long way towards making many more spectacular wishes come true for children with life threatening illnesses.”

To get involved and place your bid, go to www.xbox.com.au/charityauction.

The third coming of the “Halo 3” legend
Three editions of one of 2007’s most anticipated games are coming this spring; first details of bonus content and collectibles revealed

SYDNEY 20 March 2007 – Microsoft® Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the release of three editions of one of this year’s most anticipated video games “Halo® 3.” Gamers will be able to choose between three versions of “Halo 3”: Standard, Limited, and the ultimate collector’s item - the Legendary Edition.

The Legendary Edition ($199.95 RRP) will be released in limited quantities and arrive in a highly collectible Spartan helmet case that no hardcore “Halo” fan should be without. Included in the Legendary Edition will be two bonus discs packed full of extra content.

The first disc will provide exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage and videos and includes a high-definition* “Making of ‘Halo 3’” documentary that showcases the Bungie team and its effort to create the most anticipated title in the industry’s history.
And never before seen on a video game, the disc will also include an AV calibration tool. Custom designed by the graphics and audio team for “Halo 3”, this tool will make the most of fans’ high definition home theatres, for the ultimate “Halo 3” and Xbox 360™ audio and video performance.

The second bonus disc, an exclusive to the Legendary Edition, will include completely re-mastered cinematic material from “Halo®: Combat Evolved” and “Halo® 2,” complete with developer commentaries, to provide a refresher course on the thrilling “Halo” story so far. This disc will also include a feature documenting a day in the life at Bungie and exclusive content from the creative minds of machinima artists Red vs. Blue and This Spartan Life.

Fans who purchase the Legendary Edition will also receive an illuminating collection of original “Halo 3” storyboard art from artist Lee Wilson, depicting key moments and pivotal scenes from Halo’s epic cinematic production.

The Limited Edition ($119.95 RRP) will also include a bounty of extras. Within a sleek metal collector’s case, gamers will receive the first bonus disc found in the Legendary Edition, as well as a special “Halo” fiction/art book. A must-have for “Halo” collectors and a source of invaluable and exclusive information, the piece is an elaborate and compelling guide to the species and factions that inhabit the worlds of the “Halo” universe. It includes never-before-seen art and story that expands and illustrates the depth of the “Halo” fiction.

And for those who crave nothing more than the highly anticipated third chapter to one of the greatest gaming trilogies of all time, the Standard Edition ($99.95) will include the “Halo 3” game.

“Halo 3” represents the third chapter in the “Halo” trilogy – an international award-winning action series that has grown into a global entertainment phenomenon, selling more than 14.7 million units worldwide, logging over 800 million hours of multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE® and spawning action figures, books, a Marvel comic book series, apparel and more.

*Some older high definition TVs do not support 60Hz and will only run your Xbox 360 in standard definition format. Please check the PAL format of your TV with your TV manufacturer.

Xbox 360 delivers amazing value “Gears of War” bundle
The best selling Xbox 360 game is recruiting new players to the next-generation of gaming

SYDNEY 12 March 2007 – After conquering existing Xbox 360TM console owners last year, “Gears of War” has trained its sights on new gamers with the announcement of the Xbox 360 “Gears of War” console bundle. From this Thursday, Australian gamers will be able to experience high definition* entertainment the way it’s meant to be with the Xbox 360 Pro Console and the incredible blockbuster action of “Gears of War”, all for a very affordable $699.95 RRP.

Since launch in November, “Gears of War” has sold over three million copies worldwide to rank as the highest selling Xbox 360 game to date. It has swept the Game of the Year round-ups at many major gaming publications and triumphed at numerous industry awards nights.

Confirming its reputation as the definitive next-generation game, “Gears of War” scooped three major accolades at the recent Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia Awards including Xbox 360 Game of the Year, Ultimate Game of the Year and the Gamespot Editors Choice Award. It also won in eight categories at the Interactive Achievement Awards, hosted by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, including Console Game of the Year and Overall Game of the Year.

The new “Gears of War” bundle contains the Xbox 360 Pro console and the award-winning “Gears of War” game. Gamers will save over $50 off the recommended retail price when the bundle releases on 15 March for $699.95 RRP at all major retailers.

Nick Segger, Xbox Group Marketing Manager, says, “The ‘Gears of War’ bundle represents exceptional value for money. The Xbox 360 console comes with a complimentary one-month Xbox Live® Gold account so you can experience the action-packed intensity of ‘Gears of War’ straight out of the box. New Xbox 360 gamers will be able to discover why it has become one of the fastest selling games of all time.”

The Xbox 360 “Gears of War” pack features:

• Xbox 360 Console: Includes the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, Hard Drive, Wireless Controller, Media Remote, Component HD AV cable and an Ethernet Connectivity Cable.
• “Gears of War”: “Gears of War” from Epic Games and Microsoft® Game Studios is a third-person tactical action/horror game available exclusively on Xbox 360. The intense, genre-defining game thrusts players into humankind’s epic battle for survival against a nightmarish race of creatures known as the Locust Horde.
• Xbox Live: Complimentary Silver membership to the only unified online console community, where games and entertainment come alive through voice chat, game demo downloads, movie trailers and more. Gold membership enables online multiplayer gaming with millions of other players around the globe.**

*Some older high definition TVs do not support 60Hz and will only run your Xbox 360 in standard definition format. Please check the PAL format of your TV with your TV manufacturer.
** Subscription charges apply for Xbox Live Gold membership