LONDON – 9 ^th November, 2012 — Spartans, gear up for battle! 343 Industries today debuted the “Halo 4” Spartan Ops: Episode Two trailer.  Spartan Ops: Episode Two, including an all-new CG cinematic and five new gameplay missions, will be available for download on Xbox LIVE next Monday, Nov. 12 at 11am GMT.

The episode sees a mysterious artifact (recovered from Requiem) take control of vital systems on board the UNSC Infinity, forcing the Spartans of Crimson and Majestic back down to the planet to look for a way to free the ship.

The trailer can be viewed now on Halo Waypoint’s YouTube channel: http://youtu.be/TByBdJAUoD4

A first for the “Halo” franchise, Spartan Ops is a story-driven, episodic co-op adventure that blends immersive storytelling, high-quality cinematics and action-packed gameplay to deliver an unprecedented serialised experience.

Through a weekly series of cinematic episodes, Spartan Ops tells the continuing story of the UNSC Infinity, following the events of “Halo 4.” These episodes center on the UNSC Infinity leaders and crew as well as a new team of Spartans — Fireteam Majestic – as they explore the corners of Requiem in objective-based missions and help uncover the secrets of the mysterious Forerunner world. A massive adventure that builds off the “Halo 4” story, access to Spartan Ops is included with “Halo 4” at no additional charge — effectively delivering two campaign experiences in one game. ¹

The Standard Edition of “Halo 4” is available for £49.99 ERP, and the Limited Edition, which includes an extended 90-minute version of the live-action digital series “ Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” and additional bonus content, is available for £69.99 ERP. Fans can also pick up the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 4” Console Bundle for £269.99 ERP. In addition, the “Halo 4” Original Soundtrack, which broke the record for the highest-charting video game soundtrack ever on the Billboard 200 chart the week of Oct. 29, is available for purchase for £9.99 (CD) / £7.99 (Digital) ERP. A special limited edition and individually numbered three-disc box set, which includes the original soundtrack, a remix album featuring remixes from 14 of the world’s most renowned electronica producers, a 70-minute DVD called “Composing a Universe” and additional exclusive content, is available for purchase for £49.99 ERP at http://www.halo4soundtrack.com.

-     ENDS   -

¹ Spartan Ops also requires Xbox LIVE Gold membership and a Xbox 360 Hard Drive or 8G USB (sold separately).

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About 343 Industries

343 Industries is the publisher and developer of the blockbuster “Halo” series of videogames and, as part of Microsoft Studios, oversees the “Halo” franchise, including novels, comics, licensed collectibles, apparel and more. 343 Industries is home to world-class developers working on the Reclaimer Saga, which commences with the arrival of “Halo 4” on Nove, 2012, exclusively on Xbox 360.

About Xbox 360

Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. With the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 will forever transform social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play — no controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest games as well as the largest on demand library of music, standard and high definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a network of nearly 40 million Xbox LIVE members to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/.

About Xbox LIVE

Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever expanding world of games, movies, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy the largest on demand library on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. Xbox LIVE is now also available on Windows Phone 7 putting the power of connected entertainment in the palm of your hand. Xbox LIVE is the exclusive home of controller free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of nearly 40 million people across 35 countries, Xbox LIVE provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/live.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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