Halo 4 to launch November 6

The next entry in the franchise that made Xbox a household name will be launching on November 6.

It was already known that the new title would be available for the critical holiday season, but Microsoft confirmed the exact launch date at a large-scale media event today on the eve of E3.

In case you weren’t aware, the new Halo game is being developed by an entirely different team than before. This time around it’s being headed up by 343 Industries, which understandably wants to make its own mark on the franchise.

What fans may notice right away is that the UNSC Infinity starship will act as a multiplayer hub this time around, making it a place where players can access all the different online features as well as integrating into the single-player story mode.

In addition, there will be more of an emphasis on single player, with episodic stories to be added on a weekly basis, making it much less of a static component of the game and something dynamic that grows over time.

Of course, new weapons, new battle modes, new vehicles, and all that good stuff will also be part of the new Halo online experience. It should be a good time.

There will also be a Halo 4 Limited Edition package. It will include a downloadable Map Pack, a “UNSC Infinity Briefing Packet,” and a bunch of exclusive downloadable goodies – an avatar prop, in-game Spartan-IV armor, and the Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn movie. It will retail for $99.