New Halo 2 Maps Being Made

[Fitzy]

Console gaming will never be the same again, as Microsoft Game Studios has announced a June 28 release date for the highly anticipated Halo® 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. The multiplayer expansion pack, which is the first of its kind for a console title, contains nine new multiplayer maps to push gamers' skills to their limits and will be available in both retail outlets and via Xbox Live™. The retail package also features two new videos: an animated short from the single-player story in New Mombasa and a mini-documentary that includes interviews with the map designers, combat strategies, and fly-throughs of the new maps. The retail pack also allows gamers who prefer offline play via System Link and split-screen to upgrade their Halo 2 experience with new maps. The retail version of the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack carries a suggested retail price of $19.99 (U.S.). More information about Halo 2 is available at http://www.halo2.com/.

Memorize this overhead shot of Containment.

As a special bonus, Xbox Live subscribers will get an early chance to check out four maps from the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack in late April. Two maps, Containment and Warlock, will be presented by Mountain Dew at no cost to Xbox Live subscribers. Two additional maps, Sanctuary and Turf, will be available for purchase via Xbox Live for $5.99 (U.S.). To complete the Map Pack collection, subscribers can download the five remaining maps on June 28 for $11.99 (U.S.).

Defend the ruins of Sanctuary.

Set in a Forerunner environment on Delta Halo, Containment is a massive, icy, outdoor environment suitable for vehicle combat and large team objective games such as Capture the Flag. Warlock, a small to midsized indoor arena set in ancient Forerunner ruins, offers ample opportunities for a variety of game types such as Territories, Slayer, Team Slayer, and more. Located in the streets of Old Mombasa near the wreckage of a downed Covenant Scarab, Turf is a midsized asymmetrical urban combat environment with narrow streets, dark alleyways, and easily defendable buildings. The sunlit remains of an ancient Forerunner temple, Sanctuary is a medium-sized symmetrical environment excellent for Capture the Flag, Assault, Territories, and Slayer games.

Turf will be excellent for—you guessed it—turf wars.

More information on the individual maps and the Multiplayer Map Pack can be found at http://www.bungie.net.

What do the dark shadows of Warlock hold?

Halo 2, the most popular Xbox® game to date, has sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide since its November 2004 release. Launched to critical and consumer acclaim, the game has earned more than a dozen awards, including several for Game of the Year, Best Soundtrack, and Best Shooter.

About Bungie

Bungie Studios was founded in 1991 with two goals: to develop games that combine brilliant technology, beautiful art, intelligent stories, and deep gameplay and then to sell enough of those games to achieve its real goal: total world domination. Over the past 10 years, it has produced games such as the Marathon Trilogy and the first two Myth games, hailed as classics by critics and gamers around the world. Released in 2001, Halo: Combat Evolved has achieved phenomenal success on the Microsoft Xbox videogame system and is also available for the PC. More information on Bungie can be found at http://www.bungie.net/.

[Guest Grapehead]

this sounds interesting, however, I'm not really tired of the current maps yet... it kind of feels too soon to me, but then again, I haven't played as much Halo as I used to. Maybe this will get me playing with 'the guys' again.

[FunkAsPuck]

Too soon? Halo 2 has been out for almost 6 months, its about time there was some variation in the types of map.

I just want to know when Bungie get around to making that ending.

[Big Tuna]

Will these maps will inspire me to play Halo 2 for the first time since December? Probably not.

[Corizzle]

I didn't see this in the XBOX article so.... from IGN.com

All of the maps are scheduled to be free downloads by late summer.