The Covenant control Earth. The Flood is unleashed. With the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, Master Chief is the only one that can save the human race. The entire epic story arc has led up to this moment. Master Chief, the last of his kind, is a warrior born for combat, bred for war… and humanity’s only hope.

After stowing away on a Forerunner spacecraft, Master Chief, a genetically altered, cybernetically enhanced Spartan supersoldier, must race back to Earth to stop the Covenant once and for all and save mankind. With his artificial intelligence companion Cortana in the grip of the Flood’s intelligent embodiment, Gravemind, Master Chief and his allies are vastly outnumbered. But the stakes are too high to do anything but face them head on.

In “Halo 3,” the third installment of this legendary epic, the war has come to a climax - the Flood continue to grow in numbers and strength, the armies of Earth are scattered and decimated, and the Covenant threaten to activate the Halo, effectively destroying all life in the galaxy. Master Chief’s mission: to stop the Covenant, destroy the impending Flood threat and ultimately save mankind

More than 10,000 retail stores in the U.S. alone will be opening their doors at midnight on September 25 to usher in one of the biggest days in entertainment history, and fans will be invited to participate in activities at local retailers to countdown to "Halo 3's" launch.

Major regional events will also be held in select locations including New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle and Miami, and those consumers who participate will not only be a part of history in the making, but can also score free merchandise and get a chance to play "Halo 3" with local celebrities in on-site Game with Fame sessions.

Specific event details include:

New York

Where: Best Buy, 529 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10017

Located in the heart of 5th Ave. and only a few blocks from Times Square, the Best Buy store on the corner of 5th and 44th Ave. will be the first to provide consumers in the U.S. with their copies of "Halo 3.” The event, which will begin early afternoon on Monday and can be seen on televisions nationwide via live broadcasts from both Spike TV and G4, will feature day-long activities. People are encouraged to demonstrate their fanaticism for Halo through costumes, distance traveled, best signs and more. Additionally, fans in line may get to play "Halo 3" prior to launch against on-site celebrities from early Monday afternoon through midnight. Every hour, a new personality will enter the fray with the fans. At midnight, attendees can expect a spectacle unlike any other. A number of Bungie team members and local professional athletes will be on hand to participate in the launch festivities.

Los Angeles

Where: GameStop, 1000 Universal Studios Blvd, Universal City, CA 91608

From the entertainment capital of the world, GameStop's flagship store at Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles will host the Halo 3 West Coast launch. The event begins Monday evening and will lead up to the first sale of the game at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, September 25, and will feature a celebrity autograph session, Halo trivia contest and a special appearance by the man of the hour, Master Chief, as well as a number of Bungie team members. Fans in line will also have a chance to be one of the lucky few who can battle it out against a celebrity on "Halo 3" prior to the launch. The event can be seen on televisions nationwide via live broadcasts from both Spike TV and G4.

Seattle

Best Buy, 457 120th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98005

What: Seattle fans are invited to join the celebrations at Bellevue's Best Buy, which will open its doors at 12:01 am on September 25 to sell the highly anticipated and final chapter in the "Halo" trilogy. To commemorate the release of "Halo 3" in the game's hometown, fans will be able to celebrate the occasion with product giveaways. People in line may also get a chance to play against Bungie team members and local professional athletes.

Miami

Where: Circuit City, 8575 Northwest 13th Terrace, Miami, FL 33126

Hosted by Circuit City, Miami's Midnight Madness event of choice will feature product giveaways and contests starting at 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. Current Miami Dolphins stars, Chris Chambers and Joey Porter will be on hand signing autographs as well as challenging fans in "Halo 3" inside Circuit City. Additionally, a number of Bungie team members will be on hand to participate in the launch festivities.

Attendees at the regional events will also have an opportunity to receive the following giveaways as part of the festivities:

• Halo Action Clix from WizKids
• Collectible trading cards from Topps
• Halo Ghosts of Onyx by Eric Nylund from Tor
• Frag Fest t-shirts from Mighty Fine
• Accessories and hats from Changes
• Messenger bags from Enmon Accessories
• Console sling bag and hardware organizers from BD&A
• Halo Graphic Novels published by Marvel
• 2008 Halo calendars from Trends International
• Halo Uprising Comic (issue one) from Marvel
• Halo soundtracks from Sumthing Else Music
• Weapon replicas from Master Replicas
• Zune Halo 3 edition
• Limited-edition figurines from the diorama created for the "Halo 3" ad campaign
• And many other great pieces of merchandise

Features :

• “Halo 3” raises the bar on the next-generation gameplay experience with non-stop action, an incredible story, massive battles, and visually stunning worlds.
• Epic and compelling storytelling on a scale never before seen in interactive entertainment with new weapons, characters and challenges. You can experience Master Chief’s greatest battle as he transcends greatness and becomes a legend.
• Working in concert with Xbox LIVE on Xbox 360, “Halo 3” builds upon the unique social multiplayer experience of “Halo 2” and promises to enhance the innovative and evolving online gameplay of “Halo 2” on Xbox LIVE.
• Presented in stunning HD, see the well-known “Halo” universe as it’s never been seen before. State of the art HDR (High Dynamic Range) lighting makes every scene look and feel like the real thing, from terrifying gloom to dazzling sunshine, adding more detail to every weapon, more texture to every character, and more realism to every battle.
• Countless foes, each with their own distinct personality, strategy and fighting style, make for better encounters and more replay value, which will culminate in larger scale combat than ever before witnessed on the “Halo” battlefield.
• Staying true to the original games, “Halo 3” will support four player split-screen and system link gameplay, letting gamers battle it out both online via Xbox LIVE or with a group of friends right in their own living rooms.
• Made famous as a key component of the renowned “Halo 2” multiplayer experience, Bungie.net will continue to innovate how gamers track their progress, as they view their rankings and stats in real-time.
• Duck as a rocket sizzles over head. Take action as the footsteps of a Covenant adversary echo in the distance. Every sound in “Halo 3” is fully positional Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, bringing the world of “Halo” to an even more vivid level of realism.

Legendary Edition:

• Remastered cinematic material from “Halo: Combat Evolved” and “Halo 2” with developer commentary
• “A day in the life at Bungie” featurette
• High definition “Making of ‘Halo 3’” documentary
• Featurettes on game design, development, and more
• Early game concepts and their evolution over the course of “Halo 3’s” development
• Audio-video calibration tool custom designed by the “Halo 3” graphics and audio team
• Exclusive content from the creative minds of Machinima artists Red vs. Blue and This Spartan Life
• Illuminating “Halo 3” storyboard art book from artist Lee Wilson

Limited Edition:

• High definition “Making of ‘Halo 3’” documentary
• Featurettes on game design, development, and more
• Early game concepts and their evolution over the course of “Halo 3’s” development
• Audio-video calibration tool custom designed by the “Halo 3” graphics and audio team
• Elaborate and compelling “Halo” fiction and art book