Microsoft Announces Halo 3: Recon

During his Tokyo Game Show keynote, Microsoft's John Schappert revealed an all-new campaign for players of Halo 3. The game, in development at Bungie, has been dubbed Halo 3: Recon and is technically a standalone expansion.

On the official Bungie website, the developer explained, "Bungie has several projects underway within the studio, one of which is a brand new campaign experience for Halo 3 that we teased two weeks ago. Now, at long last, we can lift the shroud of secrecy and shed a little more light on what we've been working on.

"We'll have more to say later, but for now, check out our official announcement trailer which builds upon the teaser and provides new insights into what awaits next Fall." [Note: the Bungie site has this trailer in both Quicktime and Windows Media videos in several file sizes. An HD 5.1 version is also downloadable on Xbox Live marketplace.]

Update: Xbox.com is now providing further information on the game itself. Rather than play as Master Chief, gamers will play as a new hero in the Halo universe. "This new chapter in the Halo saga lets you experience events leading up to the epic story told in Halo 3," Microsoft explains.

The game description continues, "The Halo 3: Recon campaign is an intriguing side story... 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."