Major League Gaming has decided to return to its roots – it’s swapping Halo for Halo 2 in its 2005 tournaments. The reasoning is clearly laid out in this news post on MLGPro.com. For all the pro gamers angry about the loss of skill in gameplay – problem solved.

Rampancy.net has posted the first chapter of its High Ping Bastard’s Guide to Halo 2 – it covers Weapons and Encounter Times. If you’re on a high-ping connection (say, you’re European but like playing Americans, or vice versa), this is worth a read. (The news ain’t good, though… basically, you’re up a creek, no matter what.)

We’ve received a lot of mail about the situation involving Monday’s One One Se7en – I’m sorry to say that Stuntmutt has decided not to create any more strips. He has, however, given me permission to take over at strip-making; with over 300 strips in the archive to cut and paste from, my lack of artistic ability is not much of a handicap. Today’s One One Se7en is my first attempt – here’s hoping that the tradition will continue without much of a bump.

Not exactly Halo news… but it’s near and dear to the hearts of many of our readers. Looks like there WILL be a Bungie-built movie… but it’s not Halo. Trading on Halo’s buzz factor, Bungie’s convinced new studio BraneDamage to create ‘Pimps at Sea: Avast Me Bitches’, and shooting will begin in August. (There’ll be an Xbox2 title released sometime in 2006.) Full details at 1UP.com. Thanks, master chiefie.

Phoenix_9286 posted Page 9 of his Last Stand comic last night – you can find links to all previous comics on this page, now.

Followup on yesterday’s Expansion Pack artwork tidbit – Marc from Halo Universe got word from the press agency that the artwork ISN’T final. (So yes, Tom, in this case ‘FPO’ DOES mean ‘For Placeholding Only’.) Bottom line – we still don’t know what the box will look like. (That WAS a nice pic, though…)

HBO Clan news – lots of it, it seems. c0ld vengeance has decided that he doesn’t have what it takes to be clan overlord for the HBO Helljumpers, and has stepped down, turning over the reins of power to BOLL. (The Helljumpers website has been hacked by the same folks who took over the forum for a short time a couple of weeks ago.) The HBO Lekgolos have become the Lord British Shishkabobs – you gotta love that new logo. (Makes ‘We’ll Eat Your Bones’ take on a whole new meaning…) As far as I know, the Sentinels, the Spartans, and the Forerunners are just fine today.

Query Spree, a pretty slick stat-tracking program for Halo 2 XBL stats, has opened their flash stat signature to a ‘public beta’. Visit this page, follow the instructions. It’s very nice-looking – and Query Spree 1.1.3 will have even more stats to report. For new features in the flash signature, send email to El Bastard.

For all those who think that the love of a game like Halo can never lead to financial success (unless you’re a part of Microsoft)… take heart. Halo Babies has been contracted by Proctor and Gamble; the “buttsock marine” has become the logo of the newest line of Pampers. Check out all the details!

CVG has a story this morning about unlockable content on the upcoming expansion pack – the option to play several levels as a side-scroller. (You won’t be playing as the Master Chief, either – you’ll be playing as Mistriss Chiefette. Imagine taking on the Library with a handbag (a new weapon being created specifically for this purpose)! Go read.

New Calvin and Halo from Blackstar this week – man, did that hit home.

W00T! Subnova is back online, which is awesome news for them – but it also means our Fan Fiction section is back online. Sorry for the downtime!

MLGPro.com put up an article about the Halo 2 expansion pack – it’s a weird read. It jumps back and forth between acceptance of the existing price structure (with solid logic including acknowledgment that the majority of Halo 2 owners don’t have Live, and the reminder that if you choose to buy the maps rather than wait to get them free, you’ve ACCEPTED their cost) and annoyance/regret that the maps aren’t free NOW (because, you know, if you’re a competitive player, you’re FORCED to buy them when they come out – waiting for them is not really an option). There’s also a bizarre claim that since Bungie clearly sucks at playing the game (as evidenced by their Halo Humpday Challenge record), they “can’t possibly know the complete dynamics of any map they make.” (That one made my head spin.) Anyway, go read. Thanks, 3Suns.

The Codex Episode 7 has been released – ‘The Siege of Halo Base’ features the shotgun action of Jack Foster. It’s action-packed, and nicely filmed. Currently in QuickTime only, but DivX and WMP9 should be posted later today.

Bronzemage sends us a link to a forum working on a Halo mod for the space-sim Freelancer. This general Freelancer mod site has more info, as well. I poked around a little bit, but didn’t find any existing artwork – yet. Check it out if you want to help!

Oliver Stopienski, from Halo Orbit, points out that they’ve got an image that’s supposed to be the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack cover; this is the same artwork that Bungie used for its news post about the expansion pack, so who knows? It might even be true. (It’s too small a picture to rule out a simple photoshop job, and there’s no mention (that I can understand) of the image’s providence in the Halo Orbit news item.) Update: Marc, of Halo Universe, confirms that this image comes from Microsoft’s German PR firm – seems like a good bet that it’s accurate! (No offense meant to the Halo Orbit folks – my skepticism comes from multiple fakes in the past – not from them, but on the internet in general.)

SkyLine asked us to point out Wild Card Production’s pair of Halo montages – lots of sniping. Hosting’s offsite, so what the heck. Wi1D CarD Montage 2 is 45.6 mb, MPEG 1 format (4:33 long). Wi1D CarD Montage 3 is 3:15 long, MPEG1 format, 32.5 mb.

Black Six points out a Halo 2 Sweepstakes at Gamestop – sign up to win a special edition Xbox, along with both Halo Xbox games. You must be a resident of the US, and a legal adult in your state of residence. You’ve got until April 13 to sign up!

mr smiley points out another hefty art update at Halo Babies. The Elite and The Assassin and Angel of Prayer were my two favorites, but check ’em all out!

Hehe – SuperSunny has figured out a way to bring the Halo 2 glow effect (light reflecting off the ground) to Halo CE. The innovation doesn’t stop! Thanks, MasterGrief.