Halo 4 developer 343 Industries and Microsoft have confirmed that Halo4 will be released worldwide on November 6, 2012. This is a change from the typical September Halo launch dates of the past. Instead, Halo 4 will position itself against both Call of Duty and Medal of Honor which are both expected to release in the same time frame.

Halo 4 is set in a period that is four years after the events in Halo 3 where Master Chief will make his return. Halo 4 makes the transition from prior developer Bungee to the new Microsoft-owned 343 Industries studio that will be the keepers of moving the Halo franchise forward.

To say that this will be a pivotal release in the franchise is, of course, an understatement. Many have been worried about the transition to 343 Industries and how that might affect the franchise as well as the game play. At least most would agree that so far 343 is saying the right things, and it does seem that Halo 4 is headed in a good direction. Of course, we will not know for certain until it is released; and as hard as it is for fans to accept, November 6th is still a long way off.