Today Bungie and Activision announced an exclusive, worldwide partnership that will see the long-time Microsoft only Halo developer Bungie’s new IP being published across multiple platforms throughout the next 10 years. Of course, Microsoft still owns the rights to Halo and Bungie is still an independent studio, but the deal signifies a new long-term commitment that will see Bungie titles reach all major platforms.

While no big details of the particular IP were given, aside from being noted as Bungie’s “next big action game universe”, we’re sure we’ll get more info on the project relatively soon. Check out the full press release below for all of the details and let us know what you think about this significant development in the comments section below.
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After last week’s exploration into all things 2D, we’re switching dimensions to gather YOUR ideas on the gaming franchises that can most benefit from the inevitable implementation of 3D technology. Sure, it’s a broad stroke, but you loyal (and creative) Axe Heads have already managed to come up with some pretty spiffy ideas as to how 3D gaming can ultimately change the way we play. We’re kicking things off with a Member BattleCry from PeezSquared who avoids running in circles as he gets straight to the point in the well crafted MBC all about 3D and the FPS genre. Put on your funny looking glasses and check it out after the jump!
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‘Lo Axeheads and welcome to End of the Weak; a two-day paradise in a five-day sea of misery. This past week I caught a fan-made trailer for the original Tron and it got me thinking about the art of trailers and how far that medium has come. And that in-turn got me to thinking about the slew of fan-made and otherwise non-official trailers floating around the tubes for some our fav video game series. So, today I bring you a humble collection of some the most epic and utterly fail of such trailers to be found in the twenty-eight known galaxies.
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Hey gang, how goes it? DK here with today’s Member BattleCry pertaining to this week’s topic which is all about your favorite console exclusives. After yesterday’s look at God of War, it’s time to do a 360 and change consoles over to the Microsoft side. Axe Head SoldierFirstClass brings up the Halo franchise and describes what is so great about it from a personal perspective. Hit the jump to check it out and be sure to chime in with your comments below!
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It’s winter again and that can only mean one thing…the Bungie Winter Pentathlon! Somehow in between games of skeeball, hacky sack and of course Halo, Bungie has found time to divulge a bit of information about this year’s forthcoming blockbuster Halo: Reach.

In a recent blog post, Bungie outlined its plans to today break away from its first week back from a two week holiday hiatus and “rage against the dying of the light, play an absurd pile of games, and keep on feeding our already fattened faces with soft drinks, beer, and a wealth of ridiculously rich and totally delicious snack food.” Sounds fun. So what’s it to you? Well, amidst the hacky sack and Pictionary death matches, Bungie was nice enough to give the eager gaming public a morsel of info identified only as the “Hall Reach Super Secret Game Mode.”

From the post:

“Some number of players will square off against some number of other players in what will undoubtedly be a rousing and highly competitive game of something we’re not talking about yet,” Bungie wrote on its official site. “Points awarded for doing all kinds of untold stuff!”

What is this super secret game mode? I guess we are left to chew over the idea until Bungie is kind enough to fill us in, and when they do. you can be certain that the ‘Axe will have all of the sweet Spartan-flavored details. For now, we guess you should practice up on your Pictionary.

Source

Steady the bow and open fire, its time for another edition of EpicBattleCry! In the first Skirmish of the new year, we examine the rumors of an NFL Trainer title and matching peripheral for the Wii, find out if Guilty Gear is headed to PS3 & 360, ponder the leaked info of a new Dragon Age expansion, and discuss Capcom’s announcement that three titles are being delayed further into 2010.

With the turn of a new decade upon us, we take a look back and ponder what the most influential games and franchises of the past ten years were. Next up, we look ahead into the coming year and run down our top-five picks for the most anticipated titles of 2010.

The Battle Cry of the Week goes to Udon Entertainment’s new Mega Man artbook collection, digital comics on the PSP, the seven-part YouTube review of The Phantom Menace that’s better than the film, and the year that saw direct communication between developers and gamers take hold.

Stay sharp.

NOTE: Artwork by patrickbrown.

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With 2009 coming to a close and 10 years of awesome gaming behind us, we thought it was an excellent time to look back on what made the past decade a special one in gaming. Of course, new hardware, industry growth, and and overall shift to acceptance of gaming as a viable platform have helped define the decade that was, but for us gamers, it’s THE GAMES that we’ll look back on and remember the most. On the next episode of EpicBattleCry, we’ll be discussing a rather interesting topic…What was the most influential game/franchise of the past decade?

We wanna hear from you boys and girls to round up some input. I started a thread inside the EBA forums to discuss the matter and will soon give you some of my personal thoughts on which title might be good for the discussion. Now remember…we’re not asking for “Best” game of the decade…We wanna know which title/franchise INFLUENCED gaming the most. This could mean that the game/franchise helped redefine a genre, move gaming towards the mainstream, or otherwise had the most impact on the industry. In other words, gaming might be TOTALLY DIFFERENT if this title/franchise didn’t exist.

Also, feel free to cast your vote in the poll on the EpicBattleAxe.com home page. We’ll keep it live for a few days to gather some good input and let you all see what other people think as well.

Of course, you’ll hear what we conclude on the next episode of EpicBattleCry, which is scheduled to go live this coming Monday, January 4, 2010.

Alright gang, thanks in advance for you input…Now let us know what you think…ttys!

PRESS RELEASE

Halo Waypoint, the new virtual home for all things Halo, launches today on Xbox LIVE, and will be the exclusive destination for full-episode previews of “Halo Legends” beginning Saturday, Nov. 7. Available for Halo fans worldwide following a successful preview period, Halo Waypoint brings all the richness of the Halo universe together in one place. Halo Waypoint features daily updates of fresh, exciting content such as developer interviews, trailers and screenshots, exclusive video footage, community activities and the latest Halo news.

In addition, Halo Waypoint includes an innovative career system that tracks players’ accomplishments across multiple Halo games and gives them new ways to show off their heroic gameplay feats. By downloading and “enlisting” in Halo Waypoint, players will be rewarded with a variety of Bungie-created Halo 3: ODST Avatar Awardables for attaining specific Achievements in the game. Rewards vary from stylish T-shirts to full sets of ODST armor. The experience is retroactive, so if players have already unlocked the requisite Achievements, the awards will be ready for them once they enlist in Halo Waypoint.

Players can unlock Achievements to gain access to Halo 3: ODST Avatar Awardables.
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Fans of Halo are generally pretty adamant about one thing…Kicking your ass if you say you don’t like Halo. Well, as many of them can tell you, Bungie has developed a new XBL portal site called Halo Waypoint that serves as a meeting place for said outrageously loyal fans and, well, a waypoint to all of your stats and career progression within the Halo universe. Bungie is pretty proud of this nifty new addition and so they made a fancy video to spread the word. Interested? Hop in your Warthog and check it out after the jump.
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Widely described as Microsoft’s ‘Killer App’ the Halo franchise is one of the biggest entertainment properties in history and one of the fastest selling video games ever. With over 1 billion Halo games played worldwide, the fans known as ‘Halo Nation’ are hungry for insight and information about the world of Halo.

Created in full collaboration with Microsoft Game Studios and guardians of all things Halo, 343 Industries, the Halo Encyclopedia is the first official reference book to give fans a comprehensive guide to the Halo Universe. From the characters to the history, the weapons to the locations, Halo Encyclopedia reveals everything you need to know from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo: Wars and the latest installment Halo 3: ODST.

With brand new artworks for the cover and Frank O’Connor’s foreword, this 352 page guide covers the following key chapters:

• Timeline
• Humans
• Spartans
• The Covenant
• The Flood
• The Forerunners
• The Human-Covenant War
• Science and Technology
• Transport
• Locations
• Weapons

The Halo Encyclopedia, priced around $30, will release October 19 in the US and November 2 in Europe.