‘Halo 4’ Release Date: 'Darker Than Previous Games, Will Series End Better Than 'Mass Effect?' [TRAILER]
"Halo 4" is expected to launch during the 2012 holiday season, and information on the upcoming first person shooter has already begun to slip out. In the beginning of April new concept art leaked, and at the end of March fans caught a glimpse of what's to come when a high-resolution video surfaced. Wikipedia

For those who weren't already planning on tuning into the Euro 2012 England vs. France soccer match Monday night, a halftime surprise may change your mind.

An extended version of the highly anticipated Halo 4 will air on television for the first time tonight during the match, according to ComputerAndVideoGames.com. The lengthier sneak peak at the latest installment in the Halo franchise will be broadcast on ITV at approximately 5:45 p.m.

The stunning live-action trailer gives a tantalizing glimpse into the 'Halo 4' storyline and shows the Master Chief on the planet Requiem, about to face an unknown and terrifying threat that sits at the heart of the 'Halo 4' campaign, Microsoft writes when describing the TV spot.

Halo 4 is slated for a release date of Nov. 6 just in time for the holiday season, and will be competing with other long-awaited titles such as Assassin's Creed 3 which launches on Oct. 30 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 which will be available on Nov. 13.

Fans in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the trailer during tonight's England vs. France match on ITV, which is a commercial public service TV network in the UK. The trailer is said to make its TV debut during half time. There is still no word as to when the teaser will make its way to TV sets in the United States, but American fans can view the clip online.

The trailer debuted at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 2012), which took place last week in Los Angeles where Microsoft unveiled information on Halo 4 among other game titles. Development will switch gears from Bungie studios to 343 Industries for the upcoming game, which is said to take a darker turn in the franchise and will feature an all-new Spartan Ops mode. This new addition tells the story of the UNSC Infinity and how it affects the Halo 4 campaign through an episodic adventure that blends storytelling, high-quality cinematics and action-packed gameplay.

Microsoft also recently revealed a new enemy that will appear in Halo 4 known as the Prometheans. These are the same beings that built the original Halos in the first place, and are shown in the trailer.

It's reassuring to know there's a new enemy in town worthy of the Spartan's attentions, writes Michael Plant of The Independent.

Germany's match against Portugal over the weekend attracted more than 8 million viewers, making it the biggest audience for the first weekend of Euro 2012, according to The Guardian. With crowds such as these, the Halo 4 trailer is sure to reach an even wider audience. For those who aren't planning on catching the European soccer match or happened to miss E3, check out the Halo 4 gameplay footage below.

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