If you have been living under a rock, then now is a good time to come on out. The Halo franchise just changed in a new direction. The release of Halo 3: ODST is upon us and with the pre-order numbers reaching over 1 million, we can expcted this launch to break the record of Halo 3's launch back in 2008. You'll be taking a step back in time as Master Chief is no where to be found just yet and you take control of the ODST. There were plenty of special events to cap off the celebration and midnight launches at your select gaming stores. More then 7,000 stores last night participated in the midnight launch and celebrated with parties and more.

With “Halo 3: ODST,” developer Bungie takes the “Halo” franchise into all new territory. Players are put in the boots of an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, some of the toughest and bravest soldiers of the UNSC. Players must search for clues to find out what happened to their squad when a drop into the city of New Mombasa goes wrong, and discover the secret behind the Covenant’s interest in the city.

In addition to a full-fledged campaign, “Halo 3: ODST” introduces Firefight, a new cooperative multiplayer mode where up to four players battle waves of unrelenting Covenant onslaughts. The game also introduces three new “Halo 3” competitive multiplayer maps and contains the complete, standalone “Halo 3” multiplayer experience on a second disc. “Halo 3: ODST” will also act as a key to entry into the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta at a later date.

The festivities were kicked off with a Halo franchise musical celebration at the Experience Music Project | Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seatlle, Washington where the Bungie team and 343 luminaries were on hand to meet and greet.