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Halo: Reach

Play Halo all night with Lexus, win MS Points

Lexus is partnering with online gaming service Xbox Live to promote its new 2011 Lexus CT 200h hybrid hatchback by giving away Microsoft Points to lucky gamers. To be eligible to win, users must log on to the Xbox Live service, download the free Lexus All-Nighter Gamer Picture, and then just play Halo: Reach on the night of Saturday, December 18. According to Lexus, the longer you play, the better your odds of winning will be. Of course, that means that people who play all night long will have the best chance of snagging a prize.

Every hour between 6 … Read more

September another rough month for game industry

The video game industry is still having a tough time shaking off the recession, NPD revealed in its September industry report.

According to the market researcher, overall U.S. game-related sales for the month reached $1.22 billion, representing an 8 percent decline compared with the $1.32 billion the industry generated in September 2009.

Hardware sales were down a whopping 19 percent from $427 million in September 2009 to $383 million last month. Physical game sales dropped by 6 percent from $649 million in September 2009 to $614 million last month.

NPD found that game accessories was the only … Read more

Crave giveaway: Halo Reach Legendary Edition

The other day the folks at Microsoft sent over a rather large, heavy box. Lo and behold, inside we found the Halo Reach Legendary Edition for the Xbox 360. And guess what? We're giving it away to one lucky person.

Microsoft says that this ultimate collector's item is "packed with content" from the Halo universe and features a 10-inch-tall commemorative statue of Noble Team created by the expert artisans at McFarlane Toys. How cool is that?

Normally, Halo Reach Legendary Edition would cost you a whopping $150, but we're giving one away gratis. So, how … Read more

Bungie nabs 15,000 Halo: Reach cheaters

In late August, Microsoft permanently banned a number of people who procured illegitimate copies of Halo: Reach and ill-advisedly played them on Xbox Live. Now, the Washington developer has slammed 15,000 players for exploiting the game's credit system.

According to a Bungie employee post on Bungie.net, the developer has reset credit tallies for 15,000 players who have "egregiously" exploited a credit rip-off. The post reads, "Specifically, we targeted an exploit that allowed players to complete a Challenge 20+ times via itentional [sic] network manipulation (i.e., disconnects)."

Bungie did not specify any … Read more

Digital City 97: NFL FanVision hits the field and hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Tab

This week we check out the new NFL FanVision device, which Scott demoed live from this week's Jets game. It's a slightly dated looking handheld screen that gives you access to instant replays, other game highlights, and more, all while you're sitting in the stadium.

Following that, we discuss our recent hands-on demo with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, along with the exciting news that Google Docs editing is coming to both Android and iOS within weeks.

We also act out the latest testy Steve Jobs e-mail exchange with an equally tone-deaf college student, and finally show some some amazing video we shot that very morning, of a daredevil window washer, working on a high ledge without any kind of safety harness.

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Halo: Reach tallies $200 million on launch day

Halo: Reach generated $200 million in global sales on launch day, Microsoft Game Studios Vice President Phil Spencer announced at the Tokyo Game Show today. Reuters first reported on the news.

Spencer said Halo: Reach, which launched on Tuesday for the Xbox 360, generated more revenue in a single day than any game or movie so far in 2010 in the U.S. The game ranges in price from $60 for the standard edition on up to $150 for the "legendary" edition. Microsoft did not say how many units were sold.

Big launch days are nothing new to … Read more

Halo: Reach Spartan in a rocketpack lands in London

Yes, it's a promotional video by a major corporation that's trying to make it viral, but it's also totally awesome. To promote Halo: Reach (like it needs help), Microsoft outfitted a stunt man like a Spartan from the game and then landed him via rocketpack in London's Trafalgar Square among other Spartans.

I'd like them to pull this stunt a few more times, specifically in Seattle. I've been to many very geeky events, but I've never seen a rocketpack in action, and I think it's about time I had.

Scenes from the NYC Halo: Reach launch

The first big release of the holiday 2010 video game season is here, in the form of Halo: Reach, the latest installment in the best-selling Halo franchise. As 2007's Halo 3 sold more than 8 million copies, it's no wonder Microsoft is pulling out all the stops for this year's version.

After checking out the elaborate metal briefcase press kit and collectible-filled special edition boxes of the game, we dropped by the official New York launch event, held at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square (the venue formerly known as the Nokia Theater).

Check out the gallery below to see the fans in line (when we were there, the line snaked around three sides of a city block), plus several life-size Halo statues on display.

… Read more