If you’ve been playing in the Beta since the 11th, you’ll have to install an update today to keep playing. If you don’t, you might get a message that says the H3 Beta is “unavailable or expired”.

You should be prompted to download an update. If it doesn’t happen, quit Halo 3 and/or restart your 360 until you get the prompt.

Just a warning– you will NOT be able to watch any of your old saved films after you do this update, but you will NOT be able to continue playing in the Beta until you do install the update. So if you’ve got any movies that you’re especially fond of, watch them now, then update.

Today, May 16th, marks the beginning of the Public Halo 3 Multiplayer beta. In keeping with their penchant for theatrics, Bungie has announced the official release date for Halo 3.

The magic date is: September 25th, 2007!

This comes as a shocker to many Halo fans among us, who naturally assumed that Halo 3 would release in November or December, like it’s predecessors. A late September release means we’ll all be playing Halo 3 a whole lot sooner than expected! So get crackin’ on that Beta and let’s all ready up for September 25th!

It’s confirmed: Halo 3 will be released on September 25.

From Xbox.com:

Los Angeles, California—In a year when Hollywood is launching its biggest blockbusters ever, a video game is set to conquer them all. Halo® 3, the final chapter in the groundbreaking Halo trilogy, is set to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide beginning Tuesday, September 25.

Created by legendary developer Bungie Studios and exclusive to Xbox 360â„¢, Halo 3 sets a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging players worldwide in Master Chief’s epic battle to save humankind. Halo 3 will be available to audiences around the world starting September 25 and will release in Europe on September 26.

Entertainment Event of the Year
“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 September 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 Halo 3 multiplayer beta on the eve of its release at a star-studded event in Hollywood. Beginning May 16, Microsoft Game Studios kicks off the multiplayer beta, which provides audiences worldwide with an exclusive, early look at some of the multiplayer elements of Halo 3 on Xbox LIVE®.

New Halo Zune Player
Adding to the excitement, Microsoft also announced a special edition Zuneâ„¢ digital media player, inspired by the hugely successful Halo franchise.

The special-edition Zune is loaded with Halo content.

On shelves in June, the Zune – Halo 3 Edition comes loaded with a collection of Halo content, including videos, soundtracks, trailers, ads, and artwork.

In November 2004, 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 Xbox LIVE, with nearly one billion hours of online gaming logged to date.
Multiplayer Beta

The unveiling of the Halo 3 launch date comes on the eve of the release of the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, which debuts to audiences worldwide via Xbox LIVE on May 16 at 5:00 A.M. PDT and runs through June 6 at 11:59 P.M. PDT.*

To experience the multiplayer beta of Halo 3, purchase the critically acclaimed, Xbox 360-exclusive title Crackdownâ„¢ , which was launched in February. The specially marked copies of Crackdown acts as a key to participate in the beta. In addition to giving you the first opportunity to get your 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.

Halo Franchise
The Halo franchise has expanded beyond video games into The New York Times’ best-selling books, graphic novels, collectible merchandise, and now the 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.

*To play the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, you need an Xbox 360 console equipped with a hard drive as well as an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership.
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At least, that’s what I think.

Bungie.net has an extensive guide to the Halo 3 Beta; if you’re participating, check it out. It covers matchmaking, controls, networking, customization, and a whole range of other topics.

If you’re not playing, check it out anyway– it’s a good bet that a lot of this information will still be just as applicable this coming September when the full game is out.

The day before the Halo 3 Multiplayer Public Beta throws open its doors to the masses, Bungie pulled out the heavy guns.

Mark this date on your calendars, folks:

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Because that is the day that Halo 3 will be released.

Thanks for the heads-up to Louis Wu in #hbo.

UPDATE: Bungie.net has a top story on the release date now, posted by Luke Smith. Thanks for the heads-up to insaneidiot at IBO.

Devin and goat do what they do best. Find glitches in HALO games and video document them before anyone else. The video above shows some stuff they’ve discovered in the HALO 3 beta. Some neat jumps in there. Practical? Maybe. Looks like jay and sy got in on the action as well.
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currently playing: Catan, HALO 3 beta, Guitar Hero II
anticipating: Shadowrun, HALO 2 (PC), HALO 3, Quake Wars (in that order)
rest in peace: GoW, CoD3

Shadowrun rocks!

daremo and Bullet walked into my office today asking if I noticed that hushedcasket.com was mentioned in a HALO 3 article at USAToday.com. Sure enough, we are listed under “Gamer Opinions” on the HALO 3 beta article. Pretty cool. Thanks to Mike Snider at USAToday.com for picking up our feed. Thanks to daremo for being an uber geek that reads USAToday’s Tech section every day.

Over the past year we’ve seen more and more mainstream websites pick up hushedcasket.com stories. Of course, Midnight has gotten a lot of attention from the NY Times, Wired, Boing Boing, and more for his military efforts. Our gaming content has been picked up by some top gaming-related website likes Kotaku, Digg, XBOX360fanboy, EvilAvatar, and more. Just last week, (the back of the head of some) THX’ers were seen on a story on Joystiq.com.

Good work to those of you that are creators of original copy and content. Thanks for your words and creativity.

Shoutout to THX.com on USAToday.com: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2007-05-14-halo3-beta_N.htm

By the way, the Evil Avatar story is causing a bit of controversy in the media right now. What he said got printed in newspapers around the globe. Gamerscore blog has coverage.
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currently playing: Catan, HALO 3 beta, Guitar Hero II
anticipating: Shadowrun, HALO 2 (PC), HALO 3, Quake Wars (in that order)
rest in peace: GoW, CoD3
Shadowrun rocks!