Software giant Microsoft has finally announced the launch date for Halo 4. According to the report published on Forbes, Master Chief will return in November this year. The release will be the first dispatch of a non-Bungie rendering of Master Chief. "We are beginning a new saga with 'Halo 4' and embarking on a journey that will encompass the next decade of 'Halo' games and experiences," stated Phil Spencer who is the corporate Vice President of Microsoft Studios. "Millions of fans worldwide have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to step back into the boots of Master Chief, and, with 'Halo 4' leading the charge, we're confident 2012 will be the most successful year in Xbox history," he added.

Halo is the one of the best selling games in first person shooter (FPS) genre, which includes other blockbusters such as Doom and Quake. The announcement has triggered a lot of interest and response already from bloggers and fans. Many followers of the FPS series are looking forward to Bungie's absence for a development, which is expected to give the game a remarkable clean twist.

It is also interesting to note that the launch date as announced by Microsoft, falls right on the date set for elections in the U.S. The idea may be to tap in the political awareness onto the gaming thrust built on the scintillating feats and prowess of conquest.

Some skeptics are nonetheless disappointed by the announcement, stating that after such a protracted wait the developers should have been working on breaking new ground than simply reverting to Halo. The sentiment is not strange considering that Halo 3 was perceived to be the final crowning model of the Halo series.

(reported by Gugulethu Nyoni, edited by Dave Clark)