'Halo 3' will launch in three editions

Already hailed as the most anticipated game of 2007, Microsoft's forthcoming first-person epic Halo 3 will be released in three different versions, the publisher has announced.

Gamers will have their choice of Standard, Limited and, the ultimate collector's item, Legendary Edition on Xbox 360 in the autumn.

The Legendary Edition will be released in limited quantities and arrive in a highly collectible Spartan helmet case, along with two bonus disks full of additional content. The first disk will provide exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage and videos, including a high-definition “Making of ‘Halo 3’” documentary showcasing the Bungie team and its effort to create the most anticipated title in the industry’s history; numerous high-definition featurettes documenting the creative design processes involved in developing the game; and even a look at some early game concepts and their evolution through the game’s development.

The disk will also include an audio-visual calibration tool, never before seen on a video game and custom designed by the Halo 3 graphics and audio team to make the most of fans’ high-definition home cinemas, for the ultimate Halo 3 and Xbox 360 audio and video performance.

The second bonus disk will include completely remastered cinematic material from Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, supplemented with developer commentaries, to provide a refresher course on the “Halo” story so far, and a featurette documenting a day in the life at Bungie. Exclusive content from the creative minds behind Machinima artists “Red vs. Blue” and “This Spartan Life” will also be included.

In addition, fans who purchase the Legendary Edition will receive an illuminating collection of original Halo 3 storyboard art from artist Lee Wilson, depicting key moments and pivotal scenes from the epic cinematic production of Halo.

The Limited Edition will also include a bounty of extras. Within a metal collector’s case, gamers will also receive the first bonus disk found in the Legendary Edition, as well as a special Halo fiction and art book, which is an elaborate and compelling guide to the species and factions that inhabit the worlds of the Halo universe, with never-before-seen art and story that, according to Microsoft, "expand and illustrate the depth and breadth of the Halo fiction".