Microsoft Announces Halo 3: Recon, To Debut Late 2009

Author: by Simon Carless, Tokyo

During its Tokyo Game Show keynote, Microsoft announced Halo 3: Recon, a new Bungie-developed "standalone expansion" which uses Halo 3 as a basis for an all-new campaign and multiplayer experience due out in Fall 2009. The studio's official site Bungie.net has added brief information and the cinematic trailer for the game, which debuted during John Schappert's keynote on TGS' business day. As the message explains, "Bungie has several projects underway within the studio, one of which is a brand new campaign experience for Halo 3 that we teased two weeks ago. Now, at long last, we can lift the shroud of secrecy and shed a little more light on what we've been working on." "We'll have more to say later, but for now, check out our official announcement trailer which builds upon the teaser and provides new insights into what awaits next Fall," it adds. The trailer depicts a crash-landed pod containing what Schappert confirmed as an ODST Marine, the title's protagonist. The "Superintendent" smiley-face icon, used by Bungie in myriad teaser materials, apparently attached to an AI monitoring the war-torn city, was also featured in the trailer. No in-game footage was shown of the title, which Gamasutra confirmed with Bungie's Luke Smith after the keynote is being developed internally at the now-independent Halo creator.