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| Halo 2.5 for Real? Microsoft's Korean Website posts "Halo 2 X-Pack (Expansion Pack)." by Douglass C. Perry March 19, 2005 - Nearly five months after its release, the rumors behind Bungie's Halo 2's supposed add-on pack, the fabled Halo 2.5, got another breath of life today. Leave it to the Official Korean Xbox Website to churn up those undying rumors. And, thanks to the living news organism called the Internet, game-happy Net fiends found this site's release schedule, featuring the updated release dates to several Microsoft and third-party games, and a section called "Coming Soon," which includes something special. The site www.xbox.com/ko-KR posted a listing for "Halo 2 X-Pack (Expansion Pack)." The wha? Yes, the "Halo 2 X-Pack (Expansion Pack)." Is it a fake? Is it for real? The strongest possibility is that Bungie is, in fact, in the process of creating new multiplayer maps and skins, and maybe some other fun stuff. Bungie itself has said it will release downloadable content in the future to support the game. They just didn't say it would be in the form of a possible $19.99 disc. The other fact is, it's on an official Microsoft site, which means it has legitimate legs. Another fact is this, neither Microsoft is likely to comment on it right away. The Korean site manager probably didn't read the fine text warning, which said something like, "Whatever you do, DON'T post this!" And then just busily published the news. Bungie addressed the issue in its mailbag: "Next week, we're going to have a major announcement about the details of our new maps. Right now, there are some dates, details and ideas out there that are actually wrong, so please take everything you read between now and then with a grain of salt. We can't talk about how and when the new maps will be released, we'll leave that to the smart folks who actually do all the logistical work for this stuff - marketing and PR, but we can tell you this much - our entire plan is designed to make new content available for everybody, those with Xbox Live and those without Xbox Live. We hope in the end, everyone will be satisfied." Another reason Microsoft is probably bundling maps is due to its current pattern: Trying to charge a few extra bucks for extra special content. If you witnessed Microsoft's pattern this fall, it released collector's editions to both Halo 2 and MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf. Then a few months after, at least for MechAssault 2, it released those two maps for free online. If the add-on pack exists, and its unveiling was a real mistake on the Korean Microsoft page, we'll probably see it this summer, or at latest, fall, as a way to keep sales of the Xbox high, as the Xbox 2 comes into its own and steals the limelight. And then about two months later, we'll start seeing those maps appear online for free. We'll have more on the news that continues to swirl around Halo 2 soon. |
| QUOTE (Swift @ Mar 20 2005, 04:19 PM) |
| WOOT!!! HALO!!!!!! WIT MATH!!!!!!!! |