What if some copies have
already been sold through Ebay? What if a downloadable version has been available for some
time now? The truth is Halo 2 will be welcomed tonight with the fanfare its popularity
demands. GTA : San Andreas be aware, the Master Chief is coming. For a chance to catch up on
tonight's Halo 2 related mayhem and a last minute chance to download the man himself to
your desktop, read on.
Long lines of clamoring fans? Check. Thousands of stores open
at midnight? Check. Genetically enhanced super soldiers? Check. The entertainment industry
is bracing for a big night tonight as thousands of fans around the globe finally get their
hands on a copy of Halo 2. Gamers, celebrities, adrenaline junkies and industry paparazzi
worldwide will converge at hundreds of lively launch soirees and thousands of retail outlets
when the game officially goes on sale just after midnight.
In New York, Toys R Us
Times Square will be the epicenter of Halo 2 activities in the United States. Legions of
dedicated fans are expected to line the streets waiting for the chance to be among the first
to own the coveted game. Across every time zone, more than 7,000 retailers are also planning
midnight madness events. A complete list of retail outlets opening at 12:01 a.m. can be
found online by following the download tab above.
The Nov. 9 launch will extend
beyond U.S. borders with retail events and parties in Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore
and Taiwan as well as throughout Latin America and Down Under in Australia and New Zealand.
On Nov. 10, the launch will roll out in movie-premiere-style red carpet celebrations in
Belgium, France and Switzerland, followed by a Nov. 11 release in Austria, Denmark, Finland,
Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and
the United Kingdom. Halo 2 will be available in eight languages (traditional Chinese,
English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish) and will be distributed in
27 countries.
Made exclusively for Xbox, Halo 2 will be sold for USD 49.99. While
supplies last, a limited edition two-DVD set that includes the game and bonus content such
as making of footage, deleted scenes and commentary from the development team will be sold
for USD 54.99. Copies of the game can be purchased at retailers Toys R Us, GameStop,
Electronic Boutique, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Circuit City, to name a few.
The highly
anticipated sequel to the award-winning Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 picks up where the
action in the first game ended. Heavily-armored super-soldier Master Chief, with the help of
a small group of Marines, has destroyed the religious artifact and artificial world known as
Halo, and is making his way back to Earth. There, he and the last surviving Earth forces
will mount a titanic final struggle against the marauding Covenant armada.
Halo 2
will expand on everything that made the original game great, plus add a wealth of
technological and game-play advances. For example, playing on Xbox Live, gamers can engage
with or against friends from around the world in an effort to save
humankind.
Developed exclusively for Xbox by Bungie Studios, part of Microsoft Game
Studios, the original Halo: Combat Evolved has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide and
spawned a legion of devotees who frequently participate in competitions, tournaments and
game nights.
