Yes, Halo 3 is indeed *not* Halo 3, but a Halo Graphic Novel! Just kidding!

Well, Bungie announced that it has partnered with Marvel Comics to release a graphic novel based on the popular game franchise. The novel will be a 128 page full-color jacketed hardcover book expected to be released this July.

It will be an anthology of original stories set in the Halo universe. There will be one main storyline and three additional stories from some of the comic industry’s best artists and writers including Moebius, Phil Hale, Andrew Robinson, Simon Bisley and others. The novel will also include a number of gallery pages showcasing original, never-before-seen Halo inspired artwork from Bungie’s own art team.

Bungie’s website has a special update, offering further details on the development of the graphic novel. It also offers the cover of the book, as well as preview artwork from some of the stories which have been stolen and posted here.

Ending speculations, Yahoo Games carries confirmation from a Sony representative that the PlayStation 3 will come bundled with a 60GB HDD as mentioned by Ken Kutaragi during his speech. It is also mentioned that the HDD can be upgraded if preferred.

Over on 3D Realms is the tenth development diary for Prey, which talks about a variety of topics, including word that Hollywood animator Eric Weiss has joined the team to finish the game.

The man behind Sonic the Hedgehog, Yuji Naka, is being reported by Next-Gen as ready to leave Sega behind to form a new studio of his own. The report mentions that it is possible for the new company to be related to Sega in terms of financial arrangements, but such details are unknown at the moment.

Head of Sega’s Sonic Team, Yuji Naka is the creator of many prolific franchises such as the aforementioned Sonic, Phantasy Star Online, Nights and Chu Chu Rocket.

The chance to sample Championship Manager 2006 is here - grab the demo of this football management sim from 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, Boomtown, FileFront and Worthplaying.

Digital Illusions has announced that EA’s relationship with the company has culminated in a full merger between the two companies. Previously a majority stockholder in the Battlefield developer, EA will now acquire the remaining stake in the Swedish developer, effectively making DICE a fully integrated studio within EA.

In connection with the merger, DICE shareholders will receive SEK 67.50 per share in cash, representing a premium of 30% to DICE’s closing price on March 16, 2006. EA currently owns approximately 68 percent of the shares of DICE. EA also holds warrants, which entitle EA to purchase an additional 2.3 million shares. On a fully diluted basis, EA owns approximately 74 percent of the outstanding capital and votes in DICE.

The merger is subject to approval by a 2/3 majority vote of shares at the Annual General Shareholders Meeting of DICE, which is scheduled for May 24, 2006. The merger is subject to customary closing conditions and is anticipated to close in September 2006.

According to a confirmation from a Square Enix representative, the Final Fantasy XI beta on the Xbox 360 will come to an end on April 2. The retail game will be hitting stores on April 18. It was also confirmed that beta characters can be transferred over to the full game.

Milking cash cows till they run dry, EA announced details for The Sims 2: Family Fun Stuff Pack, which, as it turns out, is not an expansion, but a “pack” full of fun stuff. The pack’s website has gone up, offering screenshots, videos and images of the items that are included in it. Here’s the deal:

Add excitement to your Sims’ family with this all-new collection* of furniture, clothing, and décor. Decorate the home with an assortment of cool new furnishings, including upscale living room items and adventurous bedroom sets. Dress your Sims in matching attire for an amusing day out with the family. With 60 new items from castle beds to cruise ship replicas, your Sims now has have more stuff for more family fun.

• New Décor! - Indulge your Sims’ imaginations with fantasy-themed furniture, a complete underwater kids’ bedroom set, or nautical-themed living room furniture.
  
• New Styles! - Hang loose in Hawaiian style clothing or bring out the kids’ adventurous side with exciting costumes.
  
• New Stuff! - 60 all new items for your Sims to join in on all the family fun! Below are 3 examples of the new items:

  Toyboxtopus
  This trunk has eight arms that can hold a bounty of toy treasures for your young mermaid or pirate Sims.

  Dragon Costume
  Breathe new life into playtime, birthdays, or costume parties with outrageous outfits.

  Dreams Alight
  Uncover the darkest mysteries of the night, or just find your way to the bathroom with this new desk lamp

A v1.0.1 update for MX vs. ATV Unleashed has been released, enhancing the editor and menus, while addressing some bugs. Get the patch from 3D Gamers, FileFront and FilePlanet. Matrix Games has made available the v1.095 patch for Maximum Football, offering gameplay improvements, among other things.

In patch related news, EA’s Battle for Middle-earth II website has details on recent hardware upgrades as well as plans for the v1.02 patch and the subsequent v1.03 update.

If you’e feeling rather hot and bothered, head out to Hellgate Guru, who has posted the full, high-res version of the Avalon model featured topless in a recent Playboy issue. A “work-safe” teaser has been posted on the right; you’ll need to register to gain access to the full view.

The model is from Hellgate: London, an upcoming FPS/RPG hybrid from Flagship Studios. Further information can be found on the studio’s website and on the game’s official website.

Touted as the world’s first “Massively Open Online Racing Game,” Atari announced that Test Drive: Unlimited will also be released for the PC. Initially thought to be a Xbox 360 launch title, TDU will ship for the next-gen console this Summer, followed by a PC release in Fall.

The action in Test Drive: Unlimited takes place on the open roads spanning the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Boasting huge online content, racers around the world can challenge others to join them in the virtual paradise of the game’s persistent online racing world. Players will engage in online challenges, and build communities by creating or joining exclusive members clubs to talk, trade cars, and race with other like-minded and similarly-skilled drivers in one of the most comprehensive online racing experiences to date.

With all the vehicles painstakingly rendered to reflect their real-world counterparts inside and out, players will fill their garages with some of the most sophisticated and fastest licensed vehicles in the world from over 25 top manufacturers to suit their individual tastes.

THQ has announced that it acquired Vigil Games, which is based in Austin, Texas. Led by David Adams, previously creator/director of several projects for NCSoft, and comic artist Joe Madureira, best known for his work in Marvel Comics, the team at Vigil is currently working on a project scheduled for release on next-gen systems in 2008.

As usual, no details were revealed, though it was mentioned that the project is expected to be unveiled later this year.

The co-developer of Counter-Strike, Turtle Studios has announced that it is working on a Source-engine game that will be released via Valve’s Steam platform for online distribution.

Founded in 2002, the studio has contributed to such titles as Nox, Red Alert II: Yuri’s Revenge and C&C: Generals, besides co-developing Counter-Strike with Valve.

No details on the Source project was disclosed.

Looking to hit the mainstream market real hard, Microsoft announced that it has teamed up with Epic Records to make available a full year of exclusive artist content and high-definition video downloads free via Xbox Live. Only available to Xbox 360 owners, the “Artist of the Month” program will offer music videos via the Xbox Live marketplace, as well as exclusive interviews and “Game with Fame” sessions that will let players go up against the artists themselves.

British singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield will be the first artist to invade Xbox Live this month. Her “Unwritten” music video is currently offered on the broadband network, and a sweepstakes later this month will award a winner the opportunity to go up against her during a “Game with Fame” session next month.

If you were looking forward to investigating a murder, now’s your chance! The Adventure Company has announced that it has shipped Crime Stories, its investigative thriller, throughout North America.

The game has players stepping into the shoes of Martin Mystere, as he is called in to look into the brutal murder of Professor Eulemberg, a “highly reputed” scientist.