Halo multiplayer Beta signup on Monday [Update]
In news that will have Xbox users jumping for joy (again), the multiplayer Beta signup for Halo 3 will be asking for your details on the 4th December. That’s right people, in four days time, you could land yourself with the chance to play Halo 3 before anyone else. Of course, if you’re in Europe, you probably already know what’s coming: it seems the Beta is only for North American residents at this time. To cheer you up, there will be a 60 second ad airing on the 4th also. It will be appearing on American TV first, then on Xbox.com, and then on the Marketplace.
Update: Bungie says that this is in fact not for US only, so no need to panic. Original post inside.
The press release:
“Halo is a pop culture phenomenon! The Halo franchise has changed the face of interactive entertainment and it’s only fitting that we take an innovative approach to how we market and advertise the brand,” said Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft Corp. “This invites a new audience with a rich back story, and continues to galvanize gamers around the world for the launch of Halo 3 in 2007.”
In conjunction with the ad, Microsoft today unveiled further details and an official call to entry for the “Halo 3” beta program. Beginning Monday, Dec. 4, by visiting http://www.halo3.com, gamers in North America will be able to register for the opportunity to be one of the select members to join the unprecedented “Halo 3” public beta program, scheduled to kick off in spring 2007. Today’s announcement confirms the first path of entry for gamers to participate in the beta program and be among the first to experience the most anticipated game of 2007.
The Xbox Live multiplayer public beta, which is a pre-release version of the multiplayer experience of “Halo 3,” is scheduled for availability in spring 2007 exclusively on Xbox 360. This beta also represents an opportunity for gamers to participate in the development of “Halo 3.” Through the resulting feedback, Bungie Studios will be able to further refine and hone the end result of “Halo 3.”
A still from the upcoming ad
Firstly, the good news. The ad will be airing on ESPN Monday Night Football between 5:50 and 6:20 p.m. PST on the 4th of December during a commercial break. It will run for 60 seconds, and will no doubt light up forum boards around the world. The ad will then be shown on Xbox.com that same evening at 8PM PST. That converts to 04.00 GMT and 05.00 CET the next day, on the 5th. It is a one time only event, so won’t be shown again on TV or Xbox.com. Fortunately, it will be put up in full 720p on the Marketplace soon after for those who don’t have American TV and couldn’t get up/stay up in the early hours on Xbox.com.
Secondly, the bad news. It does seem the Beta is for the US only, at the moment. Why Microsoft and/or Bungie chose to do this is anyone’s guess, but it’s bound to upset a lot of people. The Beta starts in the Spring of 2007. Before people start going mad at American people though, please bear in mind it doesn’t state that this is never going to be for anyone outside the US. There is still some hope, so don’t be too disheartened just yet. Whilst it is disappointing, we don’t know the full details at this moment in time.
Update: Bungie denies it being US-only.
If you plan on signing up (be honest: who isn’t? Even I was planning to!), you simply need to head over to Halo3.com, and there is likely to be somewhere that has information on what to do. There is no news on pricing, which some people were initially worried about; MS could easily cash-in on the popularity of Halo, but at the moment it seems they are not doing that.
If you get accepted for the Beta (I don’t know when you find out), make sure you let us know in the forums, because everyone will be hanging off of your every word! Don’t forget to also set your VCRs, alarm clocks, phone reminders or anything else that makes a noise at a certain time to make sure that you don’t miss the ad. Europeans, you will definitely need an alarm clock to wake you up at the ridiculously early time, or wait until the Marketplace content goes Live.
It doesn’t say how long the sign up period is, but I wouldn’t go immediately onto the website at the beginning of Monday morning, as the web page is likely to be down due to the overwhelming excitement felt by many, all rushing on as soon as possible. It’s not a first come first served basis, so there really isn’t a rush. Each Beta tester is going to be carefully selected.
Thanks to fanappy, ExpandedFlame and InsaneBastard (twice!) for submitting four different links! Good job!
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goddamn not again, US only sucks
they are US-centric companies, what does everyone expect?
Fuck that, if thats the case dont sell the fucking console anywhere but in the US, but wait MS wants the fucking money so they sell it worldwide but dont give everyone the same content, FUCK THEM!!!!!!!!!
again, it doesn’t matter. the ad will be on youtube in minutes if not on the bungie site itself.
plus, the beta is going to be some metaphysical trojan horse that i don’t really want to be a part of right now. and i thought it was public beta?
The advert is going to be going onto the market place at 720p “soon after” according to bungie
And so the complaining begins… This isn’t a demo, it is a beta, for them to work out the bugs, so they can have it wherever they want. They tested Halo 2 and alot of other games just to microsoft employees. So is that unfair since I’m not a microsoft employee? Shouldn’t I get to try it out just like microsoft employees?
When it comes to a Microsoft-published game, it’s different to be an MS employee.
Living in the USA doesn’t make you special.
call me crazy but i’d go so far to say that the US is the primary market for Halo 3.
Scorpio, do you seriously think they’re letting us beta test simply because we’re living in the US?..lol
i just hope this is a NORTH AMERICAN release indeed. i don’t want to be left out in the cold here in Canada (bad pun intended….)
i hate the halo franchise so much.
FANBOIS. every last one of ya. this promotion, this video on monday night, this beta, all of it, is a load of horse****.
HALO SUCKS.
PLAY COUNTERSTRIKE. BATTLEFIELD. UNREAL. QUAKE. PLANETSIDE. ANY OF THE HUNDREDS OF FPS THAT WERE AVAILABLE ON PC YEARS BEFORE THIS CRAP GAME.
No.
Yeah, Frekk is right, Nah. Halo will do.
OH CAMOOOONN!!!!!
they said at 5th year anvers of halo that theres gonna be GREAT NEWS and BIG NEWS..and it was the beta..and now what.. EUROPEANS GET SCREWD AGAIN!!!
so lets see what us got:
-Movies/TV shows marketplace
-another beta some weird game
-RS Vegas before Europeans
-Halo3 BETA
..i mean.. they are screwing europe a BIG time
so everybody start sending some BAD feedback to bungie..i mean..cmoon!!! this is bullshit!!
just add the fucking beta demo to marketplace for 1-2 days and THEN take it away..but this shit is not real..
adminedit: email address removed, we do not propagate spam
“PLAY COUNTERSTRIKE”
are u serius?? thats just a biggest nerd game there is..
shutup fricken halo one of the easiest games out there is where all nerd play
fuck europe sucks dick united states rules
how bout your “president” ehh??
went to war cause god told him..and i tought people at UK were nutty..hahahah
I live in the US. But I have to agree with you on that one. He’s an uberdeuche.
WOO!! I got mentioned! thanks..
Im american, but sadly live in Europe..
maybe I could get in since my billing address and account is american?
what do you guys think?
already asked that about MS and bungie..they said big NO…cause there could be ways to cheat..
i thought i submitted this too but i guess i was late.
I’d already published by the time you had submitted, sorry!
whaaat? is it really comming out 2007???
Thank you god.
USA ! USA ! USA !
“goddamn not again, US only sucks”
I feel your pain…..Well not really….I live in the US lol :p
Oh, I CANNOT wait till Bungie announces that Halo 3 will be released in Europe (probably not Germany though) before the USA, oh it’s going to be SWEET!
What’s Halo ? Some kind of sextoy ?
yeah..u should go to near game store and ask if u can show how to put halo in ur ass..
no you retard it’s the best mass multiplayer that ever existed for the xbox and soon the xbox 360. i wish it was out for ps2 and ps3 then i could actualy play it with out having to go to a friends house to play it.
i got a mention
why screw the europeans surely since the PS3 is being launched here when that is released they would want to coax ppl 2 the 360 camp… or maybe M$ just dont care about Sony anymore
From Bungie site “Don’t panic. The Halo 3 Beta will be available in the US, Europe and elsewhere in the world. We’ll keep you updated on the detailed specifics as they come in.”
lol sorry missed this one. great minds eh?!
Well I I’ve got to say is: THIS SUCKS, It’s not that I care the least bit about this game, it’s just the idea SCREWING europe in every possible hole there is!!! :@ I mean COMON! The ps3 comming late here (Which I don’t care about since I’m 360 fanboy but still…) the wii is latest here (which I DO care about) all the games come out late here, we get less content compared to US (and not just a little) We don’t have Vid marketplace, we don’t get beta’s we DONT GET FUCKING ANYTHING!!!
It’s like MS only cares about US, and Japan (since they are making games just for there) WHY, WHY don’t give the EU people at least SOMETHING
Fuck halo3 as I’m not buying it (anymore…)
“Don’t panic. The Halo 3 Beta will be available in the US, Europe and elsewhere in the world. We’ll keep you updated on the detailed specifics as they come in.”
Quote straight from the Bungie website.
We’ve updated the article yeah, thanks
Welcome
but another eagle eyed ^reader^ spotted before I did, then I missed his reply doh!
So did we
from what i was told today is that some of the beta program has been in the process for a few weeks and that you have to sign a contract before they give you the beta about NDA and other stuff like that.
YES! I love bungie again
America….FUCK YEAH !!!
Fighting to save the motherfuckin world yeah!
Okay Halo 3 is on my wishlist again
Very smart of ‘em to do this since they would’ve not made everyone very happy with is
YEEAAAHHH ITS WORLD WIDE!!! WHAAATTT???? OOOKKAAAYYY!! YEEAAAHHHH!!!!
Oh quit your whining. We been waiting here in the us for Japanese games to release for years that never do. Call Ubisoft and tell them you want your own beta or build your own gaming box and take over the world ;)The Xbox and the wii are the first consoles that I know of to launch anything in the US first. Just be glad the game will be tested before you buy it unlike COD 2 was..lol
ive got family over in america so my cousins gonna sign up for the beta tester and send the airmail the file over on a memory card
GOD SAVE AMERICAN RELATIVES!!!!!!
You think the file will fit on a 64mb card? Be very prepared to be VERY dissapointed.
i think he meant thumb drive.
Screw halo I’m waiting for hello kitty island adventures.
Clearly your parents are also waiting for you to emerge from the closet as well then.
Iv been looking all around on bungie.net about the halo3 beta test signup but i cant seem to find has anyone found it please reply as soon as possible