• 343 Industries Releases Latest Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Preview, 'Lecture'


    343 Industries has released a brand new preview of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, entitled 'Lecture'. This preview is the latest in a string of previews giving fans a taste of what's to come with the full Forward Unto Dawn web series later this year.

    In the video, General Black gives a lecture to his students at Corbulo Academy...

    In 2526, the Insurrectionists believe that the people of one planet owe nothing to the people of another planet or even Earth—a philosophy which is violently contested by the UNSC. General Black, the leader of Corbulo Academy of Military Science, makes sure his students understand why.

    Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn debuts on October 5th on Halo Waypoint! Follow FPS General on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on future previews and behind the scenes features.

     

  • 343 Industries Debuts Some Brand New Halo 4 Footage


    Geoff Keighley and the GTTV crew recently dropped by 343 Industries to take a look at Halo 4 and film an entire episode dedicated to the upcoming first-person shooter.

    The episode, which you can stream above, includes interviews with some of the team at 343 Industries as well as a massive amount of new gameplay. For fans eagerly awaiting Halo 4's release in November, this is a must watch!

    Halo 4 is set to release on November 6th and tells the story of the next chapter in Master Chief's life. The first Halo game developed entirely without Bungie Studios, Halo 4 has a lot to live up to and everything to prove. So far, however, the game looks great and we have every confidence that 343 Industries has a gem on their hands.

    Be the judge yourself, however, and check out the latest episode of GTTV above!

  • Take A Joyride With Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn's Latest Preview


    343 Industries has released the latest preview for their upcoming live-action web series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, entitled 'Joyride'. It may be self explanatory, but the latest installment of the Forward Unto Dawn preview features a Spartan Cadet's (very much unauthorized) joyride on a Warthog.

    Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn is due to debut on October 5th, 2012 and will span events from the start of the Human-Covenant War and leading up through the goings-on of Halo 4. This will be a five-part, live action web series debuting on Machinima Prime and Halo Waypoint.

    Check out the latest preview above and make sure to drop by our Halo 4 hub to see what else is happening in the world of Halo 4.

  • 343 Industries Goes Behind the Scenes on Halo 4 With First ViDoc


    343 Industries has released the first episode of a multi-part behind-the-scenes video documentary, showing off a ton of Halo 4 footage and sharing some insight into the development of the next great chapter in Master Chief's life.

    The video clocks in at 10:43, a little long for a 'typical' ViDoc but we're confident that Halo fans will be dying for more by the time the first episode is all done. 

    Featured in the ViDoc above is commentary from 343 Industries' Kiki Wolfkill, Christopher Schlerf, Josh Holmes, Lindsay Lockhart and more of the team working on Halo 4 as we speak. We get behind the scenes looks at motion capture, some brand new footage of the game and, most importantly, a great level of insight on what went into designing this new chapter in Halo canon.

    Check it out above and drop by http://halo.xbox.com/ for more information on Halo 4!

  • Spartan Cadets Talk Enlistment in Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn's Latest Short


    Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn is set to debut in October, but 343 Industries has been releasing a series of short clips giving fans a preview of what they can expect on October 5th.

    It's definitely starting to look like the four-part web series is going to add a layer of depth to Halo never before seen, fleshing out the game world and giving life to the Spartan soldiers we've come to take for granted. In today's short, entitled 'Cryo', two cadets get ready for their first-hand training with cryo-sleep.

    At the Corbulo Academy of Military Science, cadets receive first-hand training with cryo-sleep, a technology necessary for deep-space travel to other worlds. But for one cadet, trying to get normal sleep the night before his first experience with cryo proves difficult when his head is filled with stories from his very creative room-mate.

    Forward Unto Dawn tells the story of the beginning of the Human-Covenant war, when Master Chief inspired a young cadet who would ultimately go on to become a leader aboard the UNSC Infinity.

    Check out Cryo, the latest short, above and make sure you stay tuned to FPS General on Facebook and Twitter to keep yourself connected. 

  • Halo 4's Latest Live-Action Short Introduces 'Forward Unto Dawn's UNSC Cadets


    Halo 4's Forward Unto Dawn live-action series is a little over a month away from debuting, but 343 Industries wants us to get familiar with some of the characters that we'll come to know when the four-part web series debuts in October.

    In the video above, we see a handful of young men enlisting for duty in the ranks of United Nations Space Command. The future isn't so different from the present, it seems. These men sit down in their barber shop style chairs to get their hair cut to regulation and the fear is plain in their eyes. Not all of these men will live to grow their hair back out after the war is finished.

    Ultimately, the men get outfitted with Spartan armor, doubtless hoping that it will help them make it through.

    Forward Unto Dawn debuts on October 5th - be sure to stay tuned as we'll be bringing you updates on Halo 4 and the Forward Unto Dawn web series!

  • Take a Look at 343 Industries Latest Halo 4 Developer Diary, 'Prelude'

    Halo 4's latest developer diary isn't what you would expect from 343 Industries, but it's no less interesting for that fact. The video, entitled 'Prelude', takes a very cinematic approach to showing some behind the scenes looks inside the heart of Halo 4 headquarters.

    The diary opens with some shots of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where 343 Industries is located, and then moves inside the building itself. We see developers preparing themselves for the task of creating the next great Halo story, something that can't have been easy to approach.

    Bungie Studios was beloved for their work in the iconic Halo series, and they will forever be remembered as pioneers in the first-person shooter genre. In an era where console games just weren't able to stack up to their more-powerful PC counterparts, Bungie Studios and Microsoft came along with something called Halo and a game console known as the Xbox, completely changing the way we looked at console gaming.

    Can 343 Industries live up that legacy that came before them?

    From the developer diary above, it sure looks like they are trying their level best. The game has looked impressive in screenshots, videos, behind the scenes features and interviews so we have high hopes that 343 Industries will release a worthy entry into Halo canon.

    Check out the developer diary above, released during Gamescom 2012.

  • Brand New Halo 4 Spartan Concept Art Released at Gamescom

    Microsoft and 343 Industries have released some brand new concept art from Halo 4 at Gamescom in Germany. The concept art shows off how different specializations will look, including Engineer, Operator, Pathfinder and more!

    If you're not aware, Specializations in Halo 4 are a brand new feature that really changes up the way Halo multiplayer works. During the course of your career as a Spartan, Specializations will be offered to you. After ranking up through the full 50 level setup, you can choose a Specialization that includes ten more rank levels.

    The specializations will include:

    • Engineer
    • Operator
    • Pathfinder
    • Pioneer
    • Rogue
    • Stalker
    • Tracker
    • Wetwork

    Each specialization will ultimately unlock a custom set of armor, a weapon skin, emblems and much more. Click 'Keep Reading' to check out some concept art of these armor sets!

  • Let The Soothing Sounds of Halo 4's UNSC Weapons Lull You To Sleep

    343 Industries has released a great new video over on Halo Waypoint, discussing the sound design that went into the UNSC weapons in Halo 4.

    Rather than simply recycling old sound effects like other current first-person shooters, 343 Industries opted to rebuild the sound from the ground up, providing a truly fresh experience in Halo 4's weaponry. In the video above, you can check out the excellent sound design in person. There's no behind-the-scenes insight or anything, just straight up sonic goodness for audiophiles around the world.

    If you are looking for some behind the scenes insight, check out http://halo.xbox.com/. The latest Halo Bulletin has some really insightful information from the development team.

  • Here is the Cover Image of Halo 4's Art Book

    Titan Books is gearing up to release a gorgeous art book entitled Awakening: The Art of Halo 4, alongside Halo 4 when it launches in November of this year.

    Awakening will feature concept art from the world of Halo 4, and is being produced in conjunction with 343 Industries and Microsoft to ensure the highest standard for quality. In addition to the artwork, the book is going to feature behind the scenes commentary from the team at 343 Industries. If you've been wondering what the book will actually look like, click the image above or scroll down to check out the full cover image that Titan Books has chosen.

    Titan Books will be releasing Awakening: The Art of Halo 4 in November, alongside the game itself. Stay tuned for more information!

  • See What Industry Professionals Are Saying in Halo 4's Accolades Trailer

    It's no secret that Microsoft and 343 Industries has a great showing at E3 this year with Halo 4. The gameplay demo looked great, the trailers were awesome and the announcements were exciting but the brand new Accolades Trailer gives you a better idea of how the game fared with critics at E3.

    The game took home several honors including Best Action Game and Best Shooter from E3, as you can see in the trailer above. In Halo 4, Master Chief returns to the forefront to battle 'an ancient evil bent on vengeance and annihilation.' Halo 4's campaign looks like a really great entry into Halo canon, but multiplayer is where our money's at. The new Infinity Multiplayer mode is going to give Halo a breath of fresh air, while staying true to the core fundamentals that make Halo such a special franchise to begin with.

    If you haven't followed Halo 4, be sure to check out our hub for more information on the game, and visit the forums to discuss Halo 4! 

  • Here Are Some More Shots of the Gorgeous Halo 4 Xbox 360

     

    Today, we have some brand new information on the Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360, as well as some gorgeous photos of the custom-skinned console and controllers.

    The project came about from a collaboration between Claire Gerhardt, from the Xbox 360 hardware team, Art Director Kenneth Scott, Executive Producer Kiki Wolfkill and the audio team who assisted in deciding which sounds to use for the console startup and disc tray opening. After dozens of design changes and hundreds of varying elements, the team settled on the final design seen above.

    The Limited Edition Halo 4 Xbox 360 Console comes with the console, two Forerunner-themed controllers, a wired headset and a copy of the standard edition of Halo 4. Along with all that, players get a ton of digital items for their Xbox Live Avatar.

    Interestingly, the main inspiration for the console design comes from an object in Halo 4 that we haven't been introduced to yet. The object is important to the story, but we'll have to wait to learn just how. Keep reading for a photo gallery and more on how the controllers came into being.

  • Halo 4 Collector's Edition Xbox 360 Priced at $400

    For a while there, Microsoft had listed the official Halo 4 Collector's Edition Xbox 360 on their website, but apparently it wasn't fit for public consumption yet as the listing has since been removed.

    The bundle, pictured above, will run you $400 but you do get quite a bit for your money. Including in the Halo 4 Xbox 360 bundle is:

    • 320GB Xbox 360 console, custom designed with Halo 4 in mind. This includes custom system sounds taken from the Halo universe.
    • A copy of Halo 4, standard edition.
    • Two wireless Xbox 360 controllers, with blue LED's and custom designed to match the console.
    • A black wired Xbox 360 headset for hurling inappropriate comments at your friends online.
    This bundle also comes with some exclusive digital content, redeemable in Halo 4. We're not sure why Microsoft removed the bundle, but doubtless it will return soon for pre-order. 

  • Full Length Trailer for Halo 4's Upcoming Ambitious Live Action Series Forward Unto Dawn

    Halo 4's web series Forward Unto Dawn is easily one of the most ambitious video game related projects we've seen ina  long time. The episodic series follows the story of a young UNSC cadet and has cost Microsoft upwards of $5 million dollars.

    In the latest trailer, embedded above, we get a chance to see the first full-length preview of what we'll be enjoying this October. To begin with, Forward Unto Dawn will be made up of five episodes. After those episodes are released, an unabridged version will be made available. The unabridged Forward Unto Dawn will clock in at around 90 minutes and will serve as the Halo film that we never got.

    Check out the trailer above and stay tuned for more!

  • This is the Guy Playing Master Chief in Forward Unto Dawn

    Meet Daniel Cudmore, a man you might recognize from his role as Colossus from X-Men: The Last Stand or as a guy named Felix in some movie called Twilight.

    Daniel is getting ready to add another role to his resume, as he gears up to play Halo 4's Master Chief in Microsoft's upcoming Forward Unto Dawn series.

    Cudmore, pictured to the right, stands at 6'6" and seems like a great man for the job considering all he has to do is be big and wear Spartan armor. Steve Downes, the in-game voice of Master Chief, will be doing voice work for Forward Unto Dawn so Cudmore will only serve as the physical actor for Master Chief.

    Forward Unto Dawn will follow the story of a young UNSC cadet who is inspired by Master Chief and eventually is given leadership of a UNSC ship.

    Forward Unto Dawn is expected to show up in full force at San Diego Comic Con which technically gets underway today. Stay tuned!

  • See What Professional Gamers Thought About Halo 4 at E3

    Last month, Microsoft and 343 Industries brought Halo 4 to E3 2012 in a very big way. Part of their presence at the gaming conference was to invite some of the world's finest MLG players.

    In the video above, released this morning, you can get a good look at Halo 4's multiplayer component as well as some impressions from the professionals. The MLG players were able to spend some time playing two of Halo 4's brand new game modes, Infinity Slayer and Regicide, on three new maps; Haven, Adrift and Longbow. No surprises here, but Halo 4 looks incredible and we can't wait for the game to hit shelves this Fall.

    Check out the video to hear these players impressions of the game and drop by our forums to share your own!

  • Halo 4 Multiplayer Requires Up To 8GB of Free Hard Drive Space

    This one threw us for a loop; according to Xbox.com, Halo 4's multiplayer component will require 8GB of free hard drive space internally or via a USB flash drive.

    This is just for multiplayer. We have personally not heard of a multiplayer component being so big, but Halo 4's multiplayer does offer a lot of bang for your buck. Between the new game modes, the fact that multiplayer action takes place on a UNSC ship, cooperative game modes and the Spartan Ops episodic missions, Halo 4 multiplayer is going to be the deepest multiplayer offering in any Halo game to date.

    We are personally wondering if this is simply an opportunity for Microsoft to start marketing peripherals and Xbox 360 bundles in advance of the game's release this Fall, or whether you truly need the full 8GB of free space. We'll see!

  • Halo 4 Forward Unto Dawn Teaser Trailer Released

    Forward Unto Dawn is both the name of the UNSC frigate in Halo and the upcoming live-action series based around Halo 4. While the UNSC ship is just as important, today we're focusing on the upcoming web series.

    Forward Unto Dawn is currently in production and will follow the story of a young UNSC cadet who is inspired by Master Chief to aspire for greatness. Eventually, the cadet is given leadership on the UNSC Infinity. Forward Unto Dawn is built as both a vessel to market Halo 4 with and a way for new players and old players alike to feel connected to the characters and universe in Halo 4 and its subsequent releases.

    Debuting this fall, Forward Unto Dawn will get a full reveal next week at San Diego Comic Con which kicks off on July 11th!

  • Halo 4 Official E3 2012 Trailer, Plus Gameplay Footage!

    Microsoft hit the ground running at their E3 2012 press event this morning, kicking things off in style with some brand new Halo 4 footage.

    First up, embedded above, is the incredible live-action trailer dubbed, "The Commissioning". This trailer shows the enthusiasm and honor at the launch of the UNSC Infinity as well as its ultimate crash and demise as "an ancient evil pulls it into a mysterious world where the Master Chief will begin an epic new Halo adventure." The trailer is epic and represents everything we've come to love about the Halo world for all these years.

    Picking up where the trailer above leaves off, we get some exciting footage of Halo 4's campaign, which you can see for yourself after the break...

  • 343 Industries Reveals Halo 4 Pre-Order Bonus Weapons & Armor Skins

    343 Industries has revealed some exciting pre-order bonus weapon and armor skins that players will be able to get fitted out with in Halo 4.

    While every retailer has the choice of which weapon/armor skin to offer at their stores, 343 Industries has released a big batch of images that show off some of the options. All of these armor skins are customizable in that you can choose the base color for that pattern. Above, you can see the Arctic weapon skin on the BR85 Heavy-Barrel Service Rifle although we're unsure if the skin is only for that rifle.

    Check out all of the images in the gallery after the break, be sure to expand the gallery and take a look at all of the images!