OK, this is very hard to prove right now as there’s a Live Weekend going on right now. (meaning you can play online for free on Xbox Live anyway). But a dood named Jacob, a Silver level gamer, says that he’s been playing cross-platform multiplayer games for free since Wednesday night – which of course precedes the Live Weekend. We checked in on his Gamercard and, yup, he was playing Shadowrun online on Thursday.

Apparently, it seems that by ending the gold/silver distinction in Games for Windows Live might have had the same effect for those who game on titles that are both PC and the 360. For example, A commenter on Xbox Live forums found that Shadowrun online play was free. Halos-Finest reader Jacob, says it also works for Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition and Universe at War: Earth Assault too.
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So consider this equation. Halo Universe + real time strategy + console game controls = recipe for a franchise misfire. Well, that might hold true in the past, but Ensemble Studios is banking on Halo Wars being an exception to the rule. While some may argue that, RTS games should only be played with a mouse and keyboard, Ensemble seemingly has done an good job of optimizing the controls. Ensemble was kind enough to give players face time with the game at E3 and most that we saw went away surprisingly pleased.
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Oh, the torture! In the last week, Bungie was going to announce a game at E3, but then they didn’t. Turns out at least one of Bungie’s projects are a Halo game. That new, Bungie Halo game, to be obviously published by MS, was possibly going to be announced during Microsoft’s keynote, but according to Don Mattrick, they pulled it at the last minute.
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