Microsoft announces Halo 3 Recon

By Tom Bramwell Published 9 October, 2008

Campaign and MP maps, autumn 09.

Microsoft has announced Halo 3 Recon with the tagline "new hero, new campaign, prepare to drop fall 2009". The game will include new multiplayer maps and Forge content in addition to, clearly, new single-player content.

According to Xbox.com, it's a "standalone expansion" that "lets you experience events leading up to the epic story told in Halo 3 through the eyes of a new hero in the Halo universe".

"The Halo 3: Recon campaign is an intriguing side story that takes place during the terrifying events leading up to the Master Chief's return to New Mombasa in Halo 3," the announcement says.

"Experience the fate of Earth from the brand-new perspective of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), adding a unique outlook and new gameplay elements to the events that unfold in the trilogy’s finale. While the feel of this new chapter greatly resembles that of previous Halo experiences, Halo 3: Recon will require you to employ more elements of stealth and cunning than ever before."

Revealed during John Schappert's TGS keynote, Recon was trailed by the second part of what Ellie has labelled "the Madeleine trailer", by which she means the Keep It Clean vid.

The new trailer, which you can watch now on Eurogamer TV, saw shots of buildings, a meteor storm of some sort, dust clouds, "Lumumba 2594" written in the bottom-right of the screen, and then a ship hovering over debris, out of which someone emerged and scoped out a few brutes nearby.

There's no word yet on how much the game will cost or how it will be distributed, but we'll be talking to Bungie today, so we'll let you know whatever we found out.

Schappert also said that Xbox Live gamers have now spent over a billion hours playing Halo games. Here's to the next billion.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (48) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Charlie_Miso #1 3 years ago

    lol

  • ScottyXTUK #2 3 years ago

    Well said Charlie, you clearly have geat debating skills.

    So is this standalone, sorry haven't had time to read all the article. If so I will pick this up.

  • CreepinJesus #3 3 years ago

    Bungie are clearly milking Halo for all its worth...

  • The-Bodybuilder #4 3 years ago

    Yep, they sure are. They make me sick.
    Why can't they be more like EA? Or Nintendo? (especially. They never milk franchises. I'm still waiting for the pokemon blue sequel) Or Sony? Or Ubisoft? Or any other publisher?

    They've released 3 parts to one game over the lifespan of 2 consoles, you twat.

  • CreepinJesus #5 3 years ago

    lol :)

    Thing is, all those teams have loads of different games, and more often than not, EA are just the publishers. Bungie are just living up to the 'one-trick pony' name that people started spreading a few months back.
    Edited by 1 at 09/10/08 @ 08:37

  • login_name #6 3 years ago

    It would have been far more interesting to play from the Covenant's perspective.

  • peteb #7 3 years ago

    @login_name

    Thats kind of been done already, didn't go down so well.

    I think playing from an actual human's perspective is more interesting really. I mean, how is it going to work without a fancy shield etc?

    I can imagine a futuristic CoD4 style game here.
    Edited by 1 at 09/10/08 @ 08:41

  • Bulbatron #8 3 years ago

    I enjoyed the Arbiter sections from Halo 2.

  • Dizzy #9 3 years ago

    >It would have been far more interesting to play from the Covenant's perspective.

    That will be the next expansion.

    >I can imagine a futuristic CoD4 style game here.

    That will probably be how it plays. Bungie has seen the success of CoD so it makes some sense that they want to cover both gameplay styles. The unstoppable, quite tactical MC style play and the fast and furiously deadly CoD style. Looking forward to facing the Covenant with a different type of character with a different gameplay style. No more charging in guns blazing ;)
    Edited by 1 at 09/10/08 @ 09:24

  • andywilkie35 #10 3 years ago

    I hated the Arbiter sections in Halo 2

    Because its called Recon, I reckon it'll play the same as Ghost Recon. Never got on with the games myself so will have to see how this turns out....

    If its got co-op then that'll be a big plus

  • Widge #11 3 years ago

    I have no idea why people hated the Arbiter sections. Is it because you don't play as Master Chef? And in doing so its some sort of massive crime because you paid your good money to play as the big green spaceman?

    I thought it added an interesting perspective change to the game. The Covenant changed from some generic "must kill humans" from the first game into something with a dynamic, a bit of depth and a purpose.

  • Gearskin #12 3 years ago

    I was playing Halo 3 last night. Halo 3 > Everything.

  • ThePissartist #13 3 years ago

    "Halo 3 > Everything."

    Halo 3 < COD4

  • paulf #14 3 years ago

    'Bungie are just living up to the 'one-trick pony' name that people started spreading a few months back. '

    it's a really good trick though and I look forward to this game

  • stepneg #15 3 years ago

    @CreepinJesus

    "Bungie are clearly milking Halo for all its worth... "



    LOL, comment of the week right there

  • Xerx3s #16 3 years ago

    "Bungie are clearly milking Halo for all its worth... "

    Nintendo has made well over 200 mario games in 27 years. On average, they released over 7 mario games each year.

    Puts 3 games out in 7 years and 3 in the coming years into perspective I'd say. There are plenty of other examples.
    Edited by 1 at 09/10/08 @ 10:03

  • MBar #17 3 years ago

    *trouser accident*

  • anomagnus #18 3 years ago

    i'm a huge halo fan, but this just isn't working for me

    sorry bungie, you did a fantastic job creating the halo brand around the master chief, and now yo've taken him away, i'm just not as keen.

    i'll still get it, but i want the master chief

  • miiiguel #19 3 years ago

    CoD 4 is very good and entertaining, but it is *very* scripted. Halo 3 > Everything (shooter wise).

  • Xerx3s #20 3 years ago

    Couldn't care less for the MC. Thought that the arbiter was a much better character i.e.

  • BadBoyBonner #21 3 years ago

    Crosses fingers for 60fps with antialiasing - prolonged exposure to CoD4 makes anything less seem appalling.

    EDIT - I too loved the Arbiter story and levels - guess it polarised the fans.
    Edited by 1 at 09/10/08 @ 10:43

  • brooza #22 3 years ago

    Bollocks, stealth

  • OllyJ #23 3 years ago

    Why does everyone love Master chief, it's just a camera with a gun!!

  • TheNinkyNonk #24 3 years ago

    Can't wait :)

  • binky #25 3 years ago

    Hope its not TOO stealthy!

  • TheNinkyNonk #26 3 years ago

    Is bungie developing it?

  • zoidberg #27 3 years ago

    This sounds stupid. A waste of resources and dev-time. They should've made something MORE original, in keeping with the Halo universe.

  • statusjones #28 3 years ago

    so does this mean everyone finally gets the recon armour they're so desparate for?

  • Batfink #29 3 years ago

    Don't forget Bungie is running multiple dev teams folks!

  • DrDamn #30 3 years ago

    @BadBoyBonner
    They didn't manage a solid 30fps with Halo 3 so I doubt 60fps is that realistic. There is a lot more to the Halo 3 engine (in terms of AI and physics etc.) compared to CoD4 though.

    Actually quite interested in this when I thought I wouldn't be. I like the mention of a more considered, stealthy approach. I have a vague feeling squad tactics will come into the equation - which I think would be a bad thing.

  • Gearskin #31 3 years ago

    @ ThePissartist

    AHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

    How? Like, seriously.

    On rails FPS with zero replayability. Standard multiplayer, which is hardly any different or dynamic than the original game released years ago.

    Vs

    Epic campaign with endless replayability. Coop play. Ever changing multiplayer playlists. Huge community features.

    Hmmm.

  • BobsUncle #32 3 years ago

    "a meteor storm of some sort,"

    @EG

    You doushbags, those 'meteors' are ODST drop pods, you even see the guy get out of it for fucks sake!

  • louyfitz #33 3 years ago

    hmmmm, looks quite good. Not sure about playing as a shock trooper, surely there are more interesting prospectives to play from?

    I would have liked an MMO or a driving/flying based combat type thing, but this sure does look good.


    Will have to get my 360 fixed and buy a nice TV, 42" LCD should do the job.

  • BobsUncle #34 3 years ago

    @Gearskin

    He meant, Halo 3 MP < CoD4 MP.

    MP CoD4 is much more fun that Halo 3, unless of course you like jumping idiots that you have to pummel with hundreds of rounds only to have them run up to you and punch your face in.

    Maybe this version will dispense of the shield so people actually die when you shoot them.

  • Gearskin #35 3 years ago

    More tactical than 1 shot kills, in an arcade shooter, though. COD4 is like Quake 3, only every weapon deals the instant death. The gameplay never changes. It runs at the same frantic pace as every other COD.

  • RedSparrows #36 3 years ago

    'MP CoD4 is much more fun that Halo 3, unless of course you like jumping idiots that you have to pummel with hundreds of rounds only to have them run up to you and punch your face in. '

    That only happens to you if you suck. It's not like you don't put a stupid amount of bullets into a Juggernaut on CoD4, only to have him nail you. Again, because *I* suck ;p

  • anephric #37 3 years ago

    ^ It happens when you play consistently against Yanks who dominate H3 playlists and always seem to get host :p Even with nasty latency, I can still kick ass in CoD4 against people on the other side of the planet. It's MUCH harder to do so in bullet sponge MP games like Gears and H3.

  • Yossarian #38 3 years ago

    lol 'Bullet sponge'. Learn how to use good weapons well, noobs.

  • Gearskin #39 3 years ago

    @ farticusmaximus

    The game is so fast, and all weapons so effective, that it seems like a case of "too many cooks." There's little reason to play as you've described, as you can deal just as much death with a lone pistol. BANG! +10!

    Halo 3 has a natual, unpredicatable flow to it. Things happen in multiplayer that you may never expect.
    Edited by 1 at 09/10/08 @ 15:19

  • BobsUncle #40 3 years ago

    Bullet Sponge is the perfect description for H3.

    Personally, I feel cheated in H3/GoW when I'm shooting someone. The number of bullets it takes to kill is just frustrating. You get the extreme other end of the spectrum in in GRAW where EVERY weapon can kill with one well placed shot, then you get CoD4 somewhere in the middle.

    I don't think Halo is tactical at all. Knowing you're a walking/jumping tank does not make players tend to sneak around in a tactical fashion. The most tactical thing you can do in H3 is crouch with the sniper rifle!

  • BobsUncle #41 3 years ago

    @Gearskin

    If you run into a room clutching an M16 in your sweaty hands and find yourself up against some guy with a pistol, and you aren't the one that comes out alive, well, I'm afraid you've done something terribly, terribly wrong.

  • RedSparrows #42 3 years ago

    I don't think Halo is tactical at all. Knowing you're a walking/jumping tank does not make players tend to sneak around in a tactical fashion. The most tactical thing you can do in H3 is crouch with the sniper rifle!

    Absolute rubbish. Do that on any map, especially a small one, and you die. Fast. Just like CoD4.

    If you're using the BR (for example) and you lose if you get the drop on someone, because they 'take so many bullets', then you're doing something wrong. You can kill someone in 1 second flat if you know what to do. Without any melee.

    As for tactics, I'd suggest the sheer variety of tools on hand in Halo 3 allows for a far broader range of situations and methods to well, kill the other person.

    ANYWAY NO MOAR COD4/HALO 3 arguments, they suck dick.
    Edited by 2 at 09/10/08 @ 16:55

  • ronuds #43 3 years ago

    To say Halo has no tactics means that you're probably not doing very well at the game. If you run into a battle willy-nilly without a care you will get pwned pretty quickly...at least, if anyone on the other team is decent. There are times for attack and defense in Halo and you have to be smart enough and have a good enough team when to do which.

    You're saying that some jackass running around with a shotgun or newb tube in COD4 is using any tactics? Because I notice that about half the players do exactly that and don't mind having a 1:1 K/D ratio.

    Just because you're harder to kill in Halo, doesn't mean you can throw caution to the wind. Plus, you can still be drilled with a sniper or laser and die in one shot.

  • BobsUncle #44 3 years ago

    "You can kill someone in 1 second flat if you know what to do."

    Shoot at their head I guess? :-)

    "As for tactics, I'd suggest the sheer variety of tools on hand in Halo 3 allows for a far broader range of situations and methods to well, kill the other person."

    I assume you mean the bubble shield and flare and other equipment. I'd argue that the perks system in CoD allows just as much flexibility, i.e. you can drop grenades when you die, lie on the floor with your pistol out, jam the scanner etc. And both games probably have roughly the same number of weapons. The point system in CoD is nifty though, even Bungie said so.

    "ANYWAY NO MOAR COD4/HALO 3 arguments"
    +1
    GRAW is the best anyway. ;-)

  • anephric #45 3 years ago

    The problem I have with H3 is that as I've said, it's US dominated (as most Live games are, fair enough) and that it favours US hosts nine times out of ten (for example, when playing ranked TS this week, my all-British team did not get host ONCE in 15 matches. Nearly always, this was against US players). I appreciate Bungie's given me the option of Preferring Good Connection and waiting ten minutes between matches.

    CoD4 is certainly guilty of this too, but because of the mechanics of the game (and better latency compensation, or whatever) I can play through latency and still get muchos kills, even against cheap juggernauting gentlemen. It's much harder to do this in H3 and Gears, precisely because of the bullet sponging in addition to the latency/host advantage. No amount of saying "you don't know what you're doing, noob" overrides playing through 200ms of latency and dying after only (seemingly) two BR hits.
    Edited by 1 at 09/10/08 @ 18:00

  • Gearskin #46 3 years ago

    @ farticusmaximus

    I loved COD online when it was released, and I loved the first expansion even more. Ever since then, the COD games have been scaled back in scope. COD4 ditched a lot of the early variety, in favour of perks etc. But it hardly changes anything. People are killed almost instantly with any weapon. A pimped M16 to the face does as much damage as a basic pistol to the face, and the auto aim helps no end.

    I've been watching videos of COD5, from TGS, and the multiplayer on that is identical yet again!

    Halo improved with every new game, and 3 finds a near perfect balance. We're just over 1 year down, with 2... what... billion hours of multiplayer logged since launch? Yet the game remains suprising to this day. That's something that can't be said of any other shooter, in my opinion.

    There's a reason the game walked away with so many 10/10 scores. Multiplayer is just one of them.

  • davisorle #47 3 years ago

    Shit.. Why the hell stealthy? What i loved in halo specially while skipping difficulty lvls was to force myself using as less possible stealth but pure aiming blah blah skills. Was also what was a good way to prepair urself for tight situations in xbox Live and rape all the nubs no matter what... Stealthy aint good. It's alright to use it when u feel like it. But non stealthy makes it more fun to play halo.

    Amen to Legendary co-op since the first episode! Loved it

    @The Bodybuilder

    LMao to ur post . Thumbs up lol

  • BobsUncle #48 3 years ago

    "A pimped M16 to the face does as much damage as a basic pistol to the face"

    So you're upset that being shot in the face with any weapon will kill you? You do realise that's true don't you? The difference is that the pistol will be less accurate at range and not have any penetrating power. So chest shots won't kill, and you can't shoot through walls like the M16 can.