Killzone 2 has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK, with Halo 3 finally reaching 1 million sold for Microsoft's Xbox 360.

In the latest ESPLA sales awards (March 2009, April's results have yet to be announced), the PlayStation 3 exclusive Killzone 2 has been awarded the Gold Award. This means that as of the end of March, the game has sold over 200,000 copies in the country.

All the results, including MGS4 and GTA4 are after the link.
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This is will be our fourth tournament after launching our brand new Halo 3 tournament website, www.ReconLIVE.net! We will be hosting this Double Team tournament on Saturday, May 2nd completely free of cost!

First place prize winners will receive $20.00 each to use on Amazon.com's brand new Xbox Live Store.

We're trying to build a great new community for Halo 3 tournaments and would love to have anyone and everyone join.
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The Mythic Map Pack is having quite an effect on the popularity of Halo 3 over the last few weeks, as it is once again the No. 1 most played game on Xbox LIVE for the week of April 20th.
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Microsoft has apparently upped the Gamerscore limit an Xbox 360 game can award a player, with the maximum now standing at 1750G and 80 Achievements for a full retail game.

This news also seems to "confirm" inadvertently, that there will be no more DLC for Halo 3, because the game has already reached the 1750G, and DLC will be without any achievements, but I doubt it
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Bungie writes:
"Friday. Generally a day of superstition, you may have come to associate it with these updates. We can't tell if that's a good or a bad thing. Either way, for many of us here at the studio, another workweek is coming to a close. That's good any way you slice it.

There's not much new news coming down the pike for you this week. In fact, there's really not any news at all. Most of what you're going to read below is jibber jabber about the present day hotness, Halo 3. And what's wrong with that? We're in that nice, gentle, post-Mythic wake, rolling along towards...well, towards stuff we don't have any news about.

Since you'll be asking anyway, we'll answer. Fall 2009.

For those looking to live contently in the now, it's probably best to just lay back and enjoy the moment. Let the cool, rippling waters of the Mythic Map Pack lap at your feet. Savor the warm touch of the setting sun on Sandbox. Peer out of Orbital's glass windows and ponder the world below. Headshot some poor sap on Assembly with your Battle Rifle. All that therapeutic type stuff."
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The rumored Xbox 360 Elite 120GB Halo 3 & Fable 2 Bundle is now available for pre-order at Amazon....

Nothing really new about this package except of course the inclusion of Halo 3 and Fable 2. The bundle is set to release on May 1, 2009.

Here are the product details via Amazon:
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SPOnG writes: Helljumper, one of the new Halo comics series being published by Marvel, is set to kick off in July according to the solicitations ('catalogue listings', if you don't speak comics) just released.

The listing tells us, "When the colony planet Ariel sends out a mysterious distress signal, it's up to the UNSC's elite, highly skilled special-ops Marines, the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 105th, to find out what's happening. Also known as ODSTs or 'Helljumpers', these soldiers are some of the toughest in the galaxy...and some of the roughest as well.
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These lists are based on global unique users connected to Xbox Live or in the case of Arcade and Community Games, full versions purchased during the week.

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (based on UU's):
1 Halo 3
2 Call of Duty: WaW
3 Call of Duty 4
4 Gears of War 2
5 GTA IV
6 RESIDENT EVIL 5
7 FIFA 09
8 Left 4 Dead
9 Halo Wars
10 Guitar Hero World Tour

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions purchased):
1 OutRun Online Arcade
2 Hasbro Family Game Night**
3 Castle Crashers
4 The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai
5 Worms
6 Peggle
7 UNO
8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1989 Classic Arcade
9 3 on 3 NHL Arcade
10 Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
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Major Nelson reports that Microsoft has put together a limited edition Xbox 360 Elite bundle.

The bundle will cost the same as the standard Elite bundle does but will also include Halo 3 and Fable II.
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Bungie writes:

"Looks like we're not the only ones who kept busy this week.

With the release of the Mythic Map Pack into Marketplace you've made it your business to sink permanent imprints into your living room couch cushions, drifting softly down into your invigorated Halo 3 experience. You appear to be enjoying yourselves. So much so that some five hundred and sixty odd days out from Halo 3's September 2007 retail launch, the title once again took the top spot on Major Nelson's LIVE Activity (Week of April 6th).

Thank you for playing."
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DarkZero: Major Nelson has just updated with his weekly listing of top games played by users connected to Xbox Live. In a change from recent activity, the listing reveals that for this week at least Halo 3 has reclaimed top spot from Call of Duty World at War.
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Bungie writes: ''Five hundred and sixty five days. Ten Billion Covenant scum.

It's been said that the UNSC lost nearly every ground war against the unholy conglomeration of alien species better known as the Covenant. Not this time. Not on our turf. This weekend, the ticker tracking the total number of Covenant kills you've racked up to date hit the ten billion mark. That's a one with ten zeros in tow.''
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Bungie writes:

"The studio had a few visitors today, courtesy of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Derik and Riker stopped by to tour the studio, check out some of our super secret stuff, and to fight alongside us in Halo 3's Matchmaking. If you ran into a pair of Buninjas and IWHBYD's, you squared off against Derik, Carney, Shishka, and Riker. You also lost. Our crew, led by Derik, won every match they played.

Their skills were so impressive that we went ahead and took them out for pancakes afterward (okay, we would have done it anyway), descending upon our favorite neighborhood breakfast eatery en masse, turning the diner into an impromptu Bungie fueling station.

The list of folks in attendance is too long to list here, but tons of laughs were had, and Derik and Riker made quite the positive impression on our crew. We'd fork flapjacks into our faces with this pair anytime."
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All Xbox Live members get free online play on Halo 3 this weekend, even Silver members.
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New information from the Mole: a new Xbox 360 Elite coming, with Halo 3 and Fable 2 packed in at no additional charge. That's quite the bundle, and adds a ton of value to the package.
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Console Monster writes: "The last day of the working week is here due to the extended weekend because of Easter, but Microsoft is already treating us to some cracking content. The highlight is the release of the Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack, and having had my hands on it for a while now, I must say it is rather good. There's also new Guitar Hero: World Tour tracks and Sonic Unleashed downloadable content. Here is the full Xbox Live Marketplace Update for Thursday 9th April 2009:

Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Size: 328 MB
Description: The long-awaited Mythic Map Pack drops into Xbox LIVE Marketplace. Investigate Orbital's abandoned hallways - before it was evacuated, the Quito Space Tether was heralded as the "Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium." Witness Assembly, where Scarab hulls loom overhead, being decontaminated in preparation for the city-sized Lekgolo colonies that will breathe life into the massive metal husks. An excavation site surrounded by deadly Forerunner defenses, the mysteries of Sandbox are hidden high above, deep below, and right before your eyes. There are no refunds for this item. For more information, see www.xbox.com/live/accounts..."
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Halo 3's Mythic Map Pack DLC is now available for all on the Xbox Live Marketplace, the download weighs in at 328.15 MB and runs 800 MS Points.
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Crispy Gamer:
For those who can't get enough Halo information, DK Publishing has announced they are publishing the Halo Encyclopedia in 352 glorious full-color pages. The book is planned for a November 2009 release.

The press release at this point says the book will cover just the games. A call to the publisher has them scrambling to check if the books will be included as well, since the stories were sanctioned by Bungie and Microsoft. The forward of the encyclopedia will be written by Frank O'Connor, who left Bungie as content manager in May of last year to work at Microsoft and more closely with the Halo franchise.
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Bungie writes: "We're just two short days away from the launch of the Mythic Map Pack into the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. To celebrate, we've got a brand spankin' new trailer and Mythic-branded Theme ready to whet your appetite. Available in all kinds of flavors for download, there sure to be something for everyone."
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Console Monster writes: "It's been a while but today sees the return of the Xbox Live Marketplace Update, and boy is it good. Today sees the release of two sets of downloadable content. One of which is for Resident Evil 5, and the other for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. There are also new Rock Band tracks for purchase and some free Gamerpicsss. Here is the full Xbox Live Marketplace Update for Tuesday 7th April 2009:

*Update* It appears the Resident Evil 5 content leaves an error when downloading. It may be best to wait until the problem is sorted before purchasing. *Update End*

Resident Evil 5: Versus Mode
Price: 400 Microsoft Points
Size: 2MB
Description: VERSUS is a new mode available for Resident Evil 5. Take control of Chris, Sheva and other RE5 favorites in online battles of up to 4 players! Compete for points by defeating Majini in SLAYERS or take down other players in SURVIVORS. Fight alone or in a team for a total of 4 exciting variations!?You must have an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership to go on-line and use this mode..."
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