Halo 3 will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in Master Chief's epic battle to save humankind. Halo 3 will be available to audiences around the world starting Sept. 25 and will release in Europe on Sept. 26.

"Halo 3 is much more than a video game release; it's the biggest entertainment event of the year," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business. "On Sept. 25, we intend to deliver a finale that will go down in entertainment history and leave people around the world with an experience that will be shared and enjoyed for years to come."

Fueling the early buzz around Halo 3, Microsoft unveiled the multiplayer beta on the eve of its release at a star-studded event in Hollywood. Beginning tomorrow, May 16, Microsoft Game Studios will kick off the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, which provides audiences worldwide with an exclusive, early look at some of the multiplayer elements of Halo 3 on Xbox LIVE?. Adding to the excitement, Microsoft is also announcing a special edition Zune digital media player inspired by the hugely successful Halo franchise. On shelves next month, the Zune-Halo 3 edition comes loaded with a collection of Halo content, including videos, soundtracks, trailers, ads and artwork.

In November 2004, the world's view of video games changed forever with the release of Halo 2, which generated a record-setting $125 million in sales within the first 24 hours and changed the way people think about interactive entertainment. Three years later, it remains the most-played game on Microsoft's Xbox LIVE online gaming and entertainment network, with nearly 1 billion hours of online gaming logged to date.

The unveiling of the Halo 3 launch date comes on the eve of the release of the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, which will debut to audiences worldwide via Xbox LIVE on May 16 at 5 a.m. PDT and run through June 6 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.* The Halo 3 multiplayer beta will provide audiences worldwide with an exclusive early look at some of the multiplayer elements of Halo 3 on Xbox LIVE. Gamers who are interested in experiencing the multiplayer beta of Halo 3 can still participate through the purchase of the critically acclaimed, Xbox 360-exclusive title Crackdown,? which was launched in February. Starting May 16, the specially marked copies of Crackdown will act as a key for gamers to participate in the Halo 3 multiplayer beta. In addition to giving gamers their first opportunity to get their hands on the new levels, weapons, vehicles and game types, the multiplayer beta will also provide valuable data that Bungie will use in continued development.

The Halo franchise has expanded beyond video games into The New York Times? best-selling books, graphic novels, collectible merchandise and now a new, special edition Zune digital media player. Encased in collectible packaging, the Zune-Halo 3 edition digital media player comes pre-loaded with artwork, trailers and music from all three Halo games, as well as an exclusive new episode of ?Red vs. Blue? from the fan-adored machinima creator Rooster Teeth Productions LLC. The Zune-Halo 3 edition (estimated retail price $249) will be available exclusively at GameStop starting June 15.

Features :

• Next-gen advantage: Taking full advantage of the power of Xbox 360, Halo 3 expands on everything that has made the Halo franchise great, adding a wealth of technical and gameplay advancements.
• Evolution of design: Next-generation high-definition visuals, enhanced A.I., an advanced real-time lighting engine, and new weapons, characters, and challenges are just a few examples of Halo 3's evolution of design and technology.
• Unparalleled experience: Ultimately, these improvements provide gamers with an unparalleled experience and, in the end, tell an even more compelling and engrossing story.
• Online multiplayer: Working in concert with Xbox Live on Xbox 360, Halo 3 builds upon the unique social multiplayer experience and innovative, evolving online gameplay of Halo 2.

Halo 3 will be available to audiences around the world starting Sept. 25 and will release in Europe on Sept. 26.