Halo 3 Heroic Map Pack Free Next Week & New Map Pack Available April 15th

[Moose]

Originally Posted by Bungie

By now you’re probably aware that Avalanche (pictured above: rollover for the weapon/vehicle placements in one-sided gametypes) is the second map coming in the Legendary Map pack, available April 15th on Xbox Live Marketplace. Aside from the April 15th date meaning more new maps coming to Halo 3, it also means the Heroic Maps are going to be free as of March 25th at 2 a.m. Pacific. Remember, as of the April playlist update, the Free Heroic Maps will be required in Ranked Big Team, Social Big Team, Team Slayer and Rocket Race playlists. We’re requiring these maps in the following playlists to give players more options with the map rotations and by including a high population playlist like Team Slayer, we hope that the maps will permeate through the Community, resulting in more games played on these maps in Matchmaking.

Earlier this week we previewed Avalanche – a reimagination of Halo: Combat Evolved’s Sidewinder – and one of our Bnet artists, Stoshy, put together some comparison screens between Sidewinder and Avalanche that give a bit of visual insight into some of the map’s fundamental changes. For more on how Avalanche has grown from its Sidewinder roots, check out the wall of text.

Spoiler for Legendary FAQ:

When are the Heroic Maps going to be free?

The Heroic map pack will be available on Xbox Live for free as of March 25th at 2 a.m., PDT. For a video on what you’re going to be getting into with the Heroic Maps (in case you haven’t checked them out) check out “Our Favorite Things.

You can also download the video courtesy of our friends at halo.bungie.org via the following links:

Quicktime Large (Mirror 1)
Quicktime Large (Mirror 2)
Quicktime Large (Mirror 3)

Quicktime Small (Mirror 1)
Quicktime Small (Mirror 2)
Quicktime Small (Mirror 3)

WMV Large (Mirror 1)
WMV Large (Mirror 2)
WMV Large (Mirror 3)

WMV Small (Mirror 1)
WMV Small (Mirror 2)
WMV Small (Mirror 3)

Huge thanks to our pals at halo.bungie.org for their help getting this file out there.

When will the Legendary Map Pack be free?

We are not currently aware of any plans to release the Legendary Maps for free.

When will we see Moonlight Sonata?

Moonlight Sonata, the third map from the Legendary Map pack will be unveiled next Tuesday, right here on Bungie.net.

I bought the Heroic Maps but rarely played them in Matchmaking, what’s different about Legendary?

Once the Heroic maps are free and then required to access certain playlists, we hope to see them played more frequently in Matchmaking. At the beginning of April, the DLC playlists will remain focused on Heroic, then just as the Legendary Map Pack releases, that playlist will be revamped to focus specifically on the Legendary Maps, again in two Social flavors – DLC Slayer a 4v4, Team Slayer-focused playlist and DLC Objective a 6v6 playlist with just objective games on the Legendary Maps. Additionally, the first weekend after the Legendary Maps ship will be a Legendary Map required Double XP Weekend, called Legendary Brawl – a ranked, 12-player Free For All playlist incorporating a mix of the Legendary, Heroic and shipped maps.

Additionally, Legendary Maps will be added to all of the existing Halo 3 playlists. However, keep in mind that in order for the maps to show up, all players in the game must have the Legendary Maps. We will continue to do specialty weekends and find additional ways for you to enjoy your Legendary map purchase.

Source: Bungie [Weekly Update]

[Chrono6456]

Yawn....

Bungie (and im paraphrasing) - "Lets release the last maps for free that no one will want to play anymore while soon we will release a SINGLE MAP for $10. It'll be halo fanwhore galore!" *sigh*

I was a halo fanboy, now i hate halo, mostly for reasons like this...advice to anyone still playing halo 3: there are a lot of better games out there, go play them.

[whitehawk]

Cool, but I got bored of Halo a long time ago.

[Darth Budd]

cool but i already have them. and my xbox shreds discs....

[Moose]

I most certainly am not paying for another map pack if 2 months later they make it free.

[PeterPetrelli]

Originally Posted by Spartan–117

Yawn....

Bungie (and im paraphrasing) - "Lets release the last maps for free that no one will want to play anymore while soon we will release a SINGLE MAP for $10. It'll be halo fanwhore galore!" *sigh*

I was a halo fanboy, now i hate halo, mostly for reasons like this...advice to anyone still playing halo 3: there are a lot of better games out there, go play them.

Isnt it 3 maps they are releasing?

And yeah, the new maps will be free eventually, but they do that with all the maps they release. If the 3rd map is Lockout, im definitely buying them.

[Anti-QuickJay]

I will buy them just becuase I have the points to spend.

[Extreme_Dude23]

Wow...this is the first time MS made anything free...

[TeamOverload]

Um Microsoft/Bungie have always done this. Release new maps which you have to pay for, and then a few months later, they get made free. Nothing new. I'll probably buy the new maps, I got plenty of extra points right now.

[aznballa1992]

it's a very simple idea:
people who pay for the maps get to play them first
people who don't feel like paying still get them for free a few months later

at least Bungie let's us know that the maps will be free eventually

[Vaza]

Same thing for gears of war. Probably for other games as well.

[Ratjar3]

I'll get em with I get my exchange for my RRoDed one