Microsoft has now taken full ownership of the Halo first person shooter game franchise, now that Bungie has completed its work on 2010"s Halo Reach and is now working on its new game for Activision. This week Microsoft is holding its first annual Halo Fest for attendees of Seattle"s PAX Prime 2011 event and as part of Halo Fest Microsoft has revealed some more info about the future of the franchise.
Major Nelson"s web site has the details of the new Halo news which include the reveal of several new multiplayer maps that will be included in Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary, the upcoming graphical update of Bungie"s first Halo game that will be released later this year. One is Installation 04, which has been reimagined for Halo Anniversary"s Firefight mode. This made will also let players have up to three AI buddies fight alongside you against the waves of enemy. The original game"s Prisoner map and Timberland, which was made for the PC port of the game, will also be included in Halo Anniversary. Halo Anniversary will also have support for stereoscopic 3D televisions when it comes out.
Microsoft isn"t done with updating Halo Reach. Its internal development team, 343 Industries, is preparing a title update that will be released later this year that will, among other things, add the Magnum pistol in the original Halo game to Reach"s multiplayer modes. Finally, Microsoft"s upcoming Xbox 360 racing simulator Forza Motorsport 4 will allow players to check out the Halo 4 version of the classic Warthog vehicle in the game"s Autovista mode. Unfortunately, you won"t be able to race the Warthog in the game.