After an anonymous source sent IGN a photo hinting at a possible GOTY release for Halo 4, Microsoft has stepped forward to confirm that just such an edition is indeed in the works.
Just like Deepthroat suggested to the news outlet, the edition will come bundled with all of the game's DLC. According to Microsoft's own lips, "A Game of the Year Edition of Halo 4 will be offered this October, offering tremendous value for fans who want to enjoy one of the most critically acclaimed games of 2012, and additional DLC all in one place. We will have more details to share during the live stream of the Halo Global Championship Finals this Sunday."
Alongside the game itself, the Game of the Year Edition includes the following:
- Spartan Ops Season 1
- War Games Map Pass
- Halo 4 Champions Bundle
- Pre-order and special edition exclusive bonus content
According to the image sent to IGN, the edition will be priced at $50, though Microsoft has yet to confirm an actual price. Factor in the cost of all the additional content when it was originally released, and players who buy the GOTY edition will save a tidy $30.
When the game was first released back in November, Halo 4 had earned a staggering $220 million globally, and that was just in the first 24 hours of launch. It would actually be the biggest launch in the franchise's almost 13 yearlong history.
Halo 4 saw players once again take on the role of Master Chief, approximately four years after the close of Halo 3. Exploring a new world called Requiem, the Chief takes the fight to the Forerunners, the ancient group responsible for the game's namesake structures, all while having to deal with his AI companion Cortana from going completely haywire, which actually managed to bring some humanity to the mechanized monstrosity that is the Master Chief.
The game was critically hailed upon release, often as either the best Halo yet, or the best since the original, Halo: Combat Evolved, debuted all those years ago. It currently maintains a respectable 87 on aggregate score site Metacritic.
You can see our original review here.