Halo: Reach dated for September

Halo: Reach will launch in North America and Europe on September 14, 2010 and in Japan on September 15, Bungie and Microsoft have announced today.

The recently closed multiplayer beta saw more than 16 million hours of playtime around the world with more than 1.1 billion player kills and over 2.7 million players logged in.

“‘Halo: Reach’ is the culmination of a decade of ‘Halo,’ a franchise that has become a global entertainment and pop-culture touchstone,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios at Microsoft Corp. “Just as ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’ catalyzed the success of the original Xbox to define a decade of entertainment, ‘Halo: Reach’ will push the boundaries for what’s possible in video games and help make 2010 the biggest year in Xbox history.”

Reach for Halo this September.

Biggest Blockbuster Game of the Year “Halo: Reach” Launches Sept. 14, 2010
More than 2.7 million players make history with record-shattering demand for the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta

The most anticipated game of the year is making its worldwide debut this September. “Halo: Reach,” the blockbuster prequel to the best-selling video game franchise and hailed as the No. 1 game series of all time,1 will leave its mark on the entertainment landscape when it launches worldwide, starting Sept. 14, 2010, and in Japan on Sept. 15.

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed studio Bungie, “Halo: Reach” drops players back into the iconic universe they love so they can experience the birth of the “Halo” legend. During the past 10 years, the “Halo” franchise has inspired multiple New York Times best-selling novels, comic books, action figures, apparel and more, and it has sold more than 34 million games worldwide to date.

“‘Halo: Reach’ is the culmination of a decade of ‘Halo,’ a franchise that has become a global entertainment and pop-culture touchstone,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios at Microsoft Corp. “Just as ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’ catalyzed the success of the original Xbox to define a decade of entertainment, ‘Halo: Reach’ will push the boundaries for what’s possible in video games and help make 2010 the biggest year in Xbox history.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that ‘Halo: Reach’ will be one of the biggest games and hottest entertainment products of the year,” said Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop. “Pre-orders for ‘Halo: Reach’ have been off the charts, with fans snapping up the limited and legendary editions since they were introduced just a month ago. Overall, it’s a real testament to the passion of the ‘Halo’ fan base.”