Microsoft has just announced two additional paths to enter the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, one of which confirms news we previously reported about gaining entry through the purchase of the upcoming action title Crackdown.
Microsoft has set up the "Rule of Three," which icludes the original registration process via www.halo3.com, the Crackdown method and now people who meet these two criteria – hopefuls must play Halo 2 for 3 hours consecutively over Xbox LIVE, starting Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, at 12:01 a.m. EST. and then be among the first 13,333 to register at http://www.halo3.com.
The "Rule of Three" program is currently planned for gamers in the 50 United States (includes District of Columbia) age 17 years and older who have access to an Xbox 360 Pro console or an Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive, a valid Xbox Live Gold subscription and the "Halo 2" game.
More info about the "Rule of Three" program will be available in the coming weeks on www.halo3.com.
For gamers who want to go the Crackdown route, the game hits store shelves in the U.S. on Feb. 20, Asian territories on Feb. 22 and European markets on Feb. 23.
The Halo 3 multiplayer beta, which is a pre-release version of the multiplayer experience of Halo 3, is scheduled for availability in spring 2007 exclusively on Xbox 360. The beta also represents an opportunity for gamers to participate in the testing and refinement of the multiplayer gameplay of Halo 3, the most anticipated game of 2007. Through the resulting feedback, Bungie Studios will be able to further hone the end result of "Halo 3."
When Crackdown hits retail, marked boxes of Crackdown will include an invite to participate in the coveted Halo 3 multiplayer beta program when it becomes available. When the Halo 3 multiplayer beta surfaces in spring 2007, owners of Crackdown with access to an Xbox 360 Pro console or an Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive and a valid Xbox Live Gold subscription simply need to load their copy of Crackdown into Xbox 360 and use the disc as a key to download the beta from Xbox Live Marketplace and join the battle in Halo 3 multiplayer.
In December, Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios completed the first of three ways for North American gamers to participate in the Halo 3 multiplayer beta, by registering at http://www.halo3.com. Gamers who were selected from this initial opportunity will be contacted in January.