Halo 5: Guardians is ready to hit the streets on October 27, and Microsoft wants to make a show of it. A six-hour live broadcast streamed via YouTube will unite fans from across the world, starting at 6 p.m. Eastern on October 26 and counting down to the midnight release. It's called Halo 5: Live, and it has an … let's say "interesting" lineup of events planned. For example:
A Master Chief helmet composed of 30,000 Swarovski crystals will be unveiled, with bids on the impractical armor benefitting an as-of-yet unnamed charity. Halo fans in Hong Kong will get to play a real-life version of Halo 5 multiplayer mode Breakout. Master Chief and Spartan Locke action figures will, according to Microsoft, "travel to the edge of space for the most epic Gamertag selfie."
It's Australia that really gets to celebrate in style, though. One Australian fan will play Halo 5: Guardians from inside a helicopter while gameplay is streamed to another helicopter. Halo 5 doesn't have split-screen, but by god it's going to have split-helicopter play.
I can't say I'm surprised that Microsoft is making a big show of Halo 5: Guardians' launch - this is the Xbox-exclusive series, after all. What surprises me is just how strange and somewhat random the celebration's events are. Playing Halo from a helicopter while streaming to another helicopter though? Not really seeing the connection there. You can find additional details regarding Halo 5: Live on the event's homepage.
Me, I'll just be happy to be bundled up on what's sure to be a chilly night, waiting for my local store to open its doors at midnight.
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Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.