Ever since its cryptic reveal at Microsoft’s pre-E3 press conference back in 2013, Microsoft has been building considerable buzz behind its highly anticipated sequel, Halo 5: Guardians. This weekend, it pushed the hype train even further, not only unveiling a pair of live-action ads for the forthcoming game, but also the much-anticipated release date: October 27.
The two live-action ads are featured below, and feature “both sides of the story,” from both the perspective of the main hero, Master Chief, as well as a new UNSC-based hero named Spartan Locke. Both of these stories should provide a new take on the single player campaign that players have gotten used to over the years, from previous games.
In addition, Guardians will also come with a new multiplayer mode, featuring a variety of match styles and maps for players to tackle, along with a wide range of weapons, including familiar favorites and new additions. This mode recently got a great deal of attention with the launch of a limited beta on Xbox One, which drew in thousands of fans who took part in sessions.
“We wanted Halo 5: Guardians to be the game that pays off the epic promise of the Halo universe in scope and scale and drama,” said Bonnie Ross, Head of 343 Industries. “We want to amaze players with the sheer size of the worlds and battles they’ll experience, even as they question everything they thought they knew about its heroes, marvels and mysteries. #HunttheTruth is only the beginning and we can’t wait to debut the game to Xbox fans around the world at E3 this June.”
The ads, which partly aired during the season finale of The Walking Dead, drew a large number of viewers, and also tied in to an ongoing Hunt the Truth Tumblr blog, which features actor/comedian Keegan-Michael Key as Benjamin Giraud, a journalist trying to uncover the truth behind the events in Guardians, as well as Master Chief’s mysterious past.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this campaign, however, is the reveal of a release date, as Microsoft will ship Halo 5: Guardians, both in physical and digital form, worldwide starting October 27th. That puts it in a pivotal spot for the forthcoming holiday season, giving it plenty of time to take on any heavy competition, including Ubisoft’s forthcoming Assassin’s Creed Victory and Activision’s forthcoming Call of Duty game, which hasn’t yet been announced.
Better yet, it gives Microsoft the jump on its main competition at Sony, since that team hasn’t announced its holiday plans as of yet. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was originally considered to be the “big-seller” for the PlayStation 4 over the holiday season, but developer Naughty Dog recently delayed that title to spring 2016, leaving quite a void for Sony to fill.
Considering the best-selling success of Microsoft’s Halo games – including The Master Chief Collection, which launched on the Xbox One late last year – Guardians should have no trouble being a significant seller for the console. Now all eyes are on the forthcoming E3 event, where the game should have a huge presence, alongside Microsoft’s other holiday offerings for the system.
